An Approach to Spiritual An Approach to Spiritual Development in SchoolsDevelopment in Schools

Tatiana Wilson Tatiana Wilson tatiana.wilson@exeter.anglican.org

www.exeterccyp.org

A whole with 2 parts! A whole with 2 parts!

Spiritual Development:Spiritual Development:– What is it? What is it?

http://www.exeterccyp.org/schools/spiritual-development/http://www.exeterccyp.org/schools/spiritual-development/– How can we do it?How can we do it?

Core values:Core values:– http://www.christianvalues4schools.co.uk/http://www.christianvalues4schools.co.uk/

All schools will have a spiritual tradition, All schools will have a spiritual tradition, whether they identify it or not.whether they identify it or not.

Their value system will underpin their Their value system will underpin their understanding of what they mean by spiritual understanding of what they mean by spiritual development, and will inevitably be linked to the development, and will inevitably be linked to the moral, social and cultural traditions also in the moral, social and cultural traditions also in the school.school.

The values will also affect the moral dimensions The values will also affect the moral dimensions by shaping the things that are promoted and by shaping the things that are promoted and nurtured through the school culture.nurtured through the school culture.

The value system which characterises the school The value system which characterises the school will have everything to do with the beliefs, values, will have everything to do with the beliefs, values, aims, purposes, goals, policies and practices that aims, purposes, goals, policies and practices that are part of the school's ethos.are part of the school's ethos.

A view:A view:

"Spirituality was generally viewed as "Spirituality was generally viewed as enriching individuals in their understanding enriching individuals in their understanding of and ability to relate to, others and of of and ability to relate to, others and of society as a whole". society as a whole".

Education for Adult Life (SCAA 1996)Education for Adult Life (SCAA 1996)

An assumptionAn assumption

Many people assume that spirituality is to do Many people assume that spirituality is to do with Collective Worship, Religious Education with Collective Worship, Religious Education or PSHE and therefore it tends to be put into or PSHE and therefore it tends to be put into those boxes. However, the truth of the those boxes. However, the truth of the matter is that it should influence all areas of matter is that it should influence all areas of education and life.education and life.

OfstedOfsted

The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) in their discussion paper point out that "spiritual" is in their discussion paper point out that "spiritual" is not synonymous with "religious". All areas of the not synonymous with "religious". All areas of the curriculum may contribute to pupils' spiritual curriculum may contribute to pupils' spiritual development. development.

Spiritual development relates to fundamental Spiritual development relates to fundamental questions about the meaning and purpose of questions about the meaning and purpose of life which affect everyone, and is not life which affect everyone, and is not dependant on a religious affiliation.dependant on a religious affiliation.

"The term spiritual and moral development needs "The term spiritual and moral development needs to be seen as applying something fundamental in to be seen as applying something fundamental in the human condition which is not necessarily the human condition which is not necessarily experienced through the physical senses and /or experienced through the physical senses and /or expressed through everyday language. It has to expressed through everyday language. It has to do with relationships to other people and for do with relationships to other people and for believers, with God. It has to do with the universal believers, with God. It has to do with the universal search for individual identity - with our responses search for individual identity - with our responses to challenging experiences, such as death, to challenging experiences, such as death, suffering, beauty and encounters with good and suffering, beauty and encounters with good and evil. It is to do with the search for meaning and evil. It is to do with the search for meaning and purpose in life and for values by which to live." purpose in life and for values by which to live."

SCAA discussion paperSCAA discussion paper

“ “Spirituality is about our Spirituality is about our relationships with ourselves, our relationships with ourselves, our family, friends, those around us, family, friends, those around us, to God and to all of creation.”to God and to all of creation.”

Prof. Ursula King Prof. Ursula King

Characteristics of a spiritually Characteristics of a spiritually developing person.developing person.

What do we mean by ‘development’ What do we mean by ‘development’ in spiritual development?in spiritual development?

Plant - develops new shoots and grows in Plant - develops new shoots and grows in some measurable waysome measurable way

Debate - orator expands on a pointDebate - orator expands on a point

or perhaps more usefullyor perhaps more usefully Photography - an photographic image is Photography - an photographic image is

‘realised’ or ‘made visible’ on a piece of ‘realised’ or ‘made visible’ on a piece of paperpaper

Spirituality is an Spirituality is an innateinnate human human capacitycapacity

Spiritual development is not about Spiritual development is not about becoming, more spiritual (in a measurable becoming, more spiritual (in a measurable or expansive sense)or expansive sense)

It is about realising or becoming more and It is about realising or becoming more and more aware of one’s natural, innate more aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality.spirituality.

Schools can provide children with Schools can provide children with openings for spiritual openings for spiritual

development in three vital ways: development in three vital ways:

WMD

WINDOWS:WINDOWS:

giving children giving children opportunities to become opportunities to become awareaware of the world in new of the world in new ways; to ways; to wonderwonder about about life's 'WOWs' (things that life's 'WOWs' (things that are amazing) and 'OWs' are amazing) and 'OWs' (things that bring us up (things that bring us up short). In this children are short). In this children are learning learning aboutabout life in all its life in all its fullness. fullness.

MIRRORS:MIRRORS:

giving children opportunities giving children opportunities to to reflectreflect on their on their experiences; to experiences; to meditatemeditate on on life's big questions and to life's big questions and to consider some possible consider some possible answers. In this they are answers. In this they are learning learning fromfrom life by life by exploring their own insights exploring their own insights and perspectives and those and perspectives and those of others.of others.

DOORS:DOORS:

giving children opportunities giving children opportunities to to respondrespond to all of this; to to all of this; to dodo something creative as a something creative as a means of expressing, means of expressing, applying and further applying and further developing their thoughts and developing their thoughts and convictions. In this they are convictions. In this they are learning to learning to livelive by putting into by putting into action what they are coming action what they are coming to believe and value.to believe and value.

It therefore makes sense that a It therefore makes sense that a Church School’s curriculum has Church School’s curriculum has strands permeating it like in a stick strands permeating it like in a stick of rock of: of rock of: – Christian Values and Christian Values and – Opportunities for Spiritual Opportunities for Spiritual

developmentdevelopment

Schools considering nurturing Schools considering nurturing people’s spiritual development people’s spiritual development

should consider how it is:should consider how it is:

EmbeddedEmbedded

EvidencedEvidenced

Evaluated Evaluated

Recommended further reading:Recommended further reading:

Opening Windows: Spiritual development in the Primary School Opening Windows: Spiritual development in the Primary School through Religious Observance and the Wider Curriculum Compiled through Religious Observance and the Wider Curriculum Compiled and Edited by Alison Farnelland Edited by Alison Farnell

Stapleford Centre ISBN 978-1-902234-60-1Stapleford Centre ISBN 978-1-902234-60-1

Making Sense of Spiritual Development in Religious Observance and Making Sense of Spiritual Development in Religious Observance and the Wider Curriculum by David Smith and Alison Farnellthe Wider Curriculum by David Smith and Alison Farnell

Stapleford Centre ISBN 978-1-90223447-2Stapleford Centre ISBN 978-1-90223447-2http://www.stapleford-centre.org/bookshophttp://www.stapleford-centre.org/bookshop

SMSC website with advice across the curriculumSMSC website with advice across the curriculumhttp://www.smsc.org.uk/users/teachers.htmhttp://www.smsc.org.uk/users/teachers.htm

Stilling and MeditationStilling and Meditationhttp://www.farmington.ac.uk/documents/new_reports/PS50.pdfhttp://www.farmington.ac.uk/documents/new_reports/PS50.pdf