NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES
76TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE: "EMPOWERING YOUNG CITIZENS: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES"

"ETHICS AND SPIRITUAL EDUCATION: THE "QUEST" PARADIGM AS A MODEL FOR THE SEARCH FOR MEANING IN AN AGE OF SELF-INTEREST "

FATHER BENEDICT AUER, O.S.B., D.MIN.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION
ST. MARTIN'S COLLEGE
LACEY, WASHINGTON 98503

ABSTRACT:

THIS SESSION WILL DISCUSS A "QUEST" PARADIGM AS A POSSIBLE MODEL FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. THE TERM "SPIRITUAL EDUCATION" IS NORMALLY SUSPECT IN THE MOST PUBLIC EDUCATION, BUT THE 'QUEST' PARADIGN GOES BEYOND SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION INTO THE REALM OF ETHICS AND THE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE. USING THE WORK OF IRIS CULLY AND PARKER J. PALMER AND COMBINING IT WITH THE ETHICAL RESEARCH OF THE AUSTRALIAN PHILOSOPHER PETER SINGER, THIS SESSION WILL REFLECT ON IDEAS THAT MAY HELP EDUCATIONAL REFORM REFOCUS ON AN ALTERNATIVE PARADIGM FOR SCHOOLING.

SESSION OBJECTIVES
:

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS SESSION IS TO LOOK AT THE PHILSOPHICAL AND MULTICULTURAL RAMIFICATIONS OF ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL EDUCATION ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE AVERAGE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT IN THIS AGE OF SELF-INTEREST. A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF AMERICAN STUDENTS SEEM AIMLESS AND UNABLE TO FIND MEANING IN THEIR LIVES. A CONSTANT BARRAGE OF COMMERCIALISM AND HOPELESSNESS IS NOT HELPFUL IN AIDING THESE STUDENTS FIND SOMETHING OF VALUE IN THEIR LIVES. THIS SESSION WILL EXPLORE WAYS OF MEETING SOME OF THE NEEDS OF THIS SECONDARY SCHOOL POPULATION. IT WILL BE PHILOSOPHICAL IN NATURE. THE SESSION WILL EXPLORE HOW ETHICS AND SPIRITUAL EDUCATION CAN BE TAUGHT IN A CLASSROOM WITHOUT TEACHING RELIGION OR MAKING IT INDOCTRINATION.

SESSION CONTENT/SKILL FOCUS
:

THE SESSION WILL GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE EXPLORATIONS OF CULLY, PALMER, AND SINGER AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THEIR THOUGHT FOR TODAY'S HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THOSE WHO TEACH THEM. THEN WE WILL ASSESS THE "QUEST" PARADIGM AND SEE IF IT WORKS AS A MODEL FOR GIVING MEANING TO YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY. A NUMBER OF EXERCISES WILL BE SUGGESTED THAT MAY HELP CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING IN WHICH THIS PARADIGM MIGHT WORK.