Plan for a School

Read here about the developing idea for a project-based, wisdom-oriented high school. "The mission of the Young Spirit model school is to draw young people toward an awareness of themselves as engaged participants in a fascinating and dynamic universe. In our community we value beauty, embrace challenge, and pursue happiness. We seek meaning and purpose, ask philosophical questions, make our own observations, and act responsively."

21st Century Skills

A white paper from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills examines the historical development of education alongside the social shifts that have occurred. The paper shows how education needs to change to suit the economic and technological environment around us: "We live in a more competitive, yet more interdependent world. Our tools and technologies have the potential to either connect or divide us. We know much more about how the human brain functions, but still fall short in using what we know to reach and teach every child."

Bringing Soul into the Classroom

An article from The Global Intelligencer describes the work of Rachael Kessler, founder of the Passageways Institute. Through seven "gateways to the soul in education," this approach helps children and adolescents gain a stronger sense of meaning and fulfillment in their lives.

Defining Wisdom

Bruce Novak of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning writes about the importance of relating knowledge to oneself and to one's experience.

Exploring Spirituality

The concept of spirituality as an expression of a person's identity and nature raises challenging issues in education. What do we mean when we talk about spirituality? How is it related or not related to religion? Peter Laurence of Education as Transformation addresses these questions and how they apply to educational settings.

Education of Teachers

Part of the "Occasional Papers Series" from Bank Street College of Education in New York, this pamphlet delineates a set of principles for cultivating effective teachers in a democratic and pluralistic society. These basic principles can help focus the conversation on what is essential in teacher education.

A Teacher's Guide to Religion

A pamphlet prepared by the First Amendment Center offers clear and balanced guidance to teachers of any setting on how to keep their personal beliefs while deeply respecting the autonomy of their students.

Private Practice and Pedagogy

This groundbreaking study from UCLA examines the connection between the private spiritual practices of teachers and their professional approaches. The study makes a significant finding that spirituality favors student-centered methods.

Modeling Wisdom in Education

Researchers from Berkeley, Stanford, and Santa Clara University lay the groundwork for an academic understanding of spirituality in higher education. They describe its theoretical basis, a practical application, and the documented results.

Yoga for At-Risk Communities

The Huffington Post reports on a program in Oakland, CA, which introduces yoga to the inmates of a Juvenile Justice Center.

U.S. Religious Landscape Survey 2008

An extensive study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reveals some remarkable shifts in the religious identities of the nation that have implications for pluralism, identity, and secular education.

Claiming the Light

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) has become a growing phenomenon among those concerned with transformation in society, particularly the interfaith movement. Rev. Paul Chaffee (of San Francisco's Interfaith Center at the Presidio) describes the foundations of this approach and its application to faith communities.

Learning About World Religions in Public Schools

The schools in Modesto, California bring all of their ninth graders through a course on world religions. This formal study of the curriculum and its effects carries strong implications for how we should treat religion in a secular public education.

Teaching World Religions - a brief news article about the Modesto schools study
One Nation, Many Gods - another article about the Modesto schools curriculum

Teaching About Religion in Public Schools

A conference was convened on this topic in 2003 by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the First Amendment Center. This report contains some careful reflections on the importance of religion in world affairs and how it should be addressed in a meaningful way.

Religious Liberty, Public Education, and the Future of American Democracy

This brief set of principles, published by the First Amendment Center and sponsored by a wide variety of professional organizations, provides a helpful foundation for the ongoing dialog on how schools should treat religion.

A Laughing Heart Club

This innovative proposal offers a vision for family centers based on theater, interactive games, and communication. Errol and Rochelle Strider, accomplished performers and group leaders, describe a way of healing families through enjoyable, caring encounters. The proposal aims to counter the ways that media and technology have constricted our close relationships.