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‘Spiritual is that which can raise consciousness, stimulate awareness, foster creativity and imagination, connect us with grander issues of purpose and meaning, and facilitate connection with that which animates us.’
(from an article by Laura Jones, Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education, Southern Oregon University)
‘The best things in life are not things. Try telling teenagers that. But that's what a school should be doing - it is part of our job to help them find greater meaning and purpose in their existence than the acquisition of the latest brands and gadgets or the pursuit of highs through drugs or alcohol.’
Anthony Seldon
‘It was an inspiring day and I came away filled with hope.’’
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2008 ERT CONFERENCE
WHAT DOES SPIRITUALITY IN EDUCATION MEAN?
Seventy teachers, governors, academics and others met in London last month for our fourth one-day conference. It asked: ‘what is spirituality’s place in today’s schools?’
In the morning we heard from two head teachers who have given spirituality a central place in the life of their schools.
Anthony Seldon, High Master of Wellington College and proponent of well-being in education, is in no doubt. Spirituality is central to education. It is, however, at odds with the perverse box-ticking cul-de-sac that education finds itself in. But Dr Seldon is a great champion of spiritual values in education, and he has the ear of government ministers and policy makers. Perhaps they should experience the simple exercise in connecting with the senses that he led us through, to see how accessible and effective the spiritual realm is.
One head teacher wanted to know how you could convince parents of the spiritual approach. Dr Seldon says: just have no doubts yourself and you will find that parents are quickly enthused.
(The Wellington College website has an interesting page on ‘well being’, the philosophy behind it, and how it is a practical part of the curriculum: www.wellington-college.berks.sch.uk/page.aspx?id=31.)
Michael Telford, Head of John Scottus School in Dublin, showed how spiritual values are innate in young people. They just need to be drawn out in imaginative teaching. He reminded us of the Vedantic definition of education: ‘teacher on one side, pupil on the other side, knowledge joining them, discourse flowing between’.
Dr Telford showed us some great slides to illustrate his talk; to see them, click here. To listen to his presentation in full, click below:
In the afternoon the conference explored how you can interest young people in spirituality – through music as a means to self knowledge, through creative writing, and through religious education and the perennial philosophy.
We were highly privileged to listen to Professor Paul Robertson – on his first trip away from his home for nine months, following a long illness. For many years leader of the world-famous Medici string quartet, Paul’s chief interest now is in the fascinating marriage between modern neuro-science and the experience of music. Scientists and musicians, he showed us, both affirm that music grants access to the deepest spiritual resource. To listen to a recording of his presentation, click below:
(He wanted to begin with a Medici recording of Beethoven’s string quartet written in thanksgiving for the composer’s recovery from ill health. Alas, our technology wasn’t up to it, and he had to abandon the attempt.)
(Paul’s wonderful website is really worth exploring: www.musicmindspirit.org/ . You can see a clip of this remarkable teacher in action, from his DVD ‘Music and the Child’, at www.musicmindspirit.org/dvds.html.)
Writer Robin Mukherjee gave us some fascinating insights into the creative process, that magical moment when the muse descends and creation begins. To hear his presentation in full, click below:
Finally, St James Senior Boys School teacher (and former Benedictine monk) Christian Daw used the story of St Francis and the wolf to show how we can face the ‘wolves’ in our lives (and our classrooms) without fear.
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