The Ontario College of Teachers affirms that its membership must recognize that a commitment to ongoing professional learning is integral to effective practice and to student learning. Professional practice and self-directed learning are informed by experience, research, collaboration and knowledge. (OCT, Professional Standards of Practice)
This ethical standard of care is similar to the Catholic Graduate Expectation #4: A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential. By being reflective teachers can be mindful and engaged in their learning and the learning of their students. Catholic teachers are able to work with students to set goals and work hard to achieve them.
In order to engage the OCT and the CGEs requirements I performed an article review that looked to humanity's thirst for truth. By living a Christocentric life and shepherding students toward the truth, teachers can bear the duty of witnessing to it in our school relationships and create a framework that will transform themselves, the classroom, and the world.
Themes of Catholic Social Teaching (article review)
This article points to the duty that teachers have to shepherd their students towards the truth, to respect the truth, and to bear the responsibility of witnessing to it in our social relationships. The more people and social groups strive to resolve societal problems according to the outlined principles, the more they distance themselves from sin and act in accordance with the requirements of objective morality. To this point, as an FDK/P/J teacher I sow seeds into the minds and hearts of my students by teaching the catechism, presenting the curriculum through our shared Catholic lens, and modeling a mature faith to my students and co-workers.
By exposing students to more social justice initiatives (i.e. Development and Peace), teaching them to live Catholic, and helping them to see the social value of faith it is my hope to implement more Catholic social teaching themes in my professional practice. One simple example is playing and then discussing the Pope's prayer intention each month -- for May it is: ‘The Mission of the Laity’.
