Attending Catholic schools has been part of the educational experience for many of us growing up in the Detroit metropolitan area. Vivid memories abound of particular teachers who made an impact on our lives, of attending Mass weekly with the school community, and courses that piqued our interest or challenged us in our journey as students.
A mainstay of students’ school experience has been Catholic Schools Week. Each January since 1974, our schools have been celebrating this nationally recognized Catholic educational observance. Catholic Schools Week events embrace the Catholic nature of our schools through the celebration of Masses, school unity events, and reflection of what it means to be a student in our faith-based schools.
Our schools’ high academic standards are reflected, in part, in the results of standardized testing. As students, we took these tests each fall. The exams required us to read a series of questions on a variety of academic topics and transfer selections to an answer form in which we had to carefully and completely fill in a circle using only a “Number 2 pencil.”
The tests have become more sophisticated and detailed, but the experience remains the same. Perhaps as young elementary school students we did not understand the value of this endeavor, but as adults it is clear that the data retrieved from the tests provide rich feedback for the teachers and principals that drives the delivery of instruction to the unique needs of the learner. That deep understanding of students’ particular strengths and growth areas allows for a true learning community between the teacher and his or her students that sets the stage for a flourishing learning environment.
Another facet of “Raising the Standards” is seen through the proliferation of technology in our daily lives and mirrored in our schools. Each year, more schools purchase and train their staff on the use of tablet computers such as iPads, interactive whiteboards and other electronic devices that enhance teaching and learning in the classroom. Many students use these devices, as well. The exponential opportunities for collaboration, mobile learning and innovation with these tools abound in the classroom setting. It is definitely an exciting time in education as we continue to see the positive effects of technology in schools.
A benchmark of Catholic schools is the strong emphasis on moral development. The passing on of our Catholic traditions, the wisdom gained from exploring the lives of saints, teaching students that the world is created from God and is infused with His beauty, helping students to discover their God-given talents and our call to be holy people are integral parts of the Catholic school experience. Reflecting on the many Christian service events in the Catholic high school setting reminds us of the ongoing opportunities schools provide students to live out their faith as Catholic Christians. Pope Benedict XVI eloquently stated, “the aim of all Christian education … is to train the believer in an adult faith that can make him a ‘new creation,’ capable of bearing witness in his surroundings to the Christian hope that inspires him.” (The Sacrament of Charity: Sacramentum Caritatis). Our country and our world desperately needs young people to be beacons of light for peace, justice and service to our fellow citizens. Catholic schools lay a foundation from which a life of service to others, in its various forms, can grow.
As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week 2013, I encourage you to reflect on your educational experience and the impact it had on your life. Let us pray for one another and the many teachers, principals, school guidance counselors and support staff who pass on the Catholic faith to a new generation of students.
Kimberly Young is interim superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
