Education essay

EDUCATE IN FAMILY SPIRIT

A. Create a favorable environment for education.

(44) More than simply a slogan, Marianist family spirit is a way of life with specific traits discernible in the educational communities it animates. By providing a climate of acceptance, discipline, and love, the school acts as a "second family," fostering human growth and maturity. From the norms, beliefs, values, attitudes, and capabilities of all the people within a school the dynamic harmony that is a school's culture emerges. All members of the school community share the responsibility to create and sustain an environment in which can flourish beauty, simplicity, harmony, discipline, and creativity. When this responsibility is faithfully fulfilled, the result benefits and educates all its participants.

"In this way a community of learning becomes an experience of grace, where the teaching programme contributes to uniting into a harmonious whole the human and the divine, the Gospel and culture, faith and life."

B. Cultivate interpersonal relationships characterized by openness, respect, integrity, and dialogue.

(45) In the Marianist pedagogical tradition, all members of the educational community, boards of directors, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and students communicate respectfully, recognizing others as individuals within the same community. We strive to create a gracious environment by providing time not only to teach and organize, but also frequently to praise, thank, and recognize members of the school community. Because we educate by "our every word, gesture, and look" we listen attentively and engage in dialogue with trust and empathy. By being available and open to others, we continue to make the gospel vibrant in the daily life of our schools.

C. Form an educational community with collaborative structures and processes.

(46) The Marianist educational tradition has long been characterized by shared responsibility for decision making at all appropriate levels. Effective collaboration requires good communication, clear lines of authority, and respect for the principle of subsidiarity. Preeminent among the signs of Marianist collaboration is creating practical structures for teamwork among administrators, faculty, and students. We also seek effective ways to work with the families of our students for mutual support and to reinforce our common mission. Furthermore, we cooperate with other Marianist works, other educational systems, diocesan structures, ecumenical and inter-faith initiatives, and national or international organizations.

D. Express our authority as a loving and dedicated service.

(47) In Marianist educational communities, authority exists not for its own sake, but for the common good. Responsibly used, authority helps teachers to educate, students to learn, and administrators to lead with a collaborative style. We exercise authority to facilitate change and provide direction, but also to communicate with trust and honesty, to create in our schools a democratic and harmonious atmosphere. Our charism's underlying spirit of love and nurturing encourages a "prudent tendency to leniency," calling each student to personal and communal responsibility.

E. Influence others by exhibiting the Marian traits of openness, hospitality, graciousness, and faith.

(48) Religious and lay Marianist communities associated with educational works should be a source of family spirit and a model of Marian virtues. In the daily life of an hospitable educational community, we give and receive freely and gratefully. Our friendliness and hospitality signify our trust in other people and our faith in God's loving acceptance of us.