Helping teachers develop their spiritual identity in a Catholic school : a case study

Abstract

This research is a case study investigating a church school setting in Malta. It aims to understand how teachers perceive and engage with spirituality both individually and as a school community. The study explores how a spiritual identity is formed among teachers in a Catholic school and the importance of spirituality in their lives and teaching. It also investigates the role of the senior leadership team in supporting teachers' spiritual growth and implementing the school's Catholic vision and mission. The research also seeks to determine if the school's ethos influences teachers' spiritual search and how the culture supports spiritual development among teachers. This case study adopts a constructivist approach, utilizing an inductive method to develop themes from collected data. A qualitative approach is chosen, aligning with the constructivist perspective. It is a multi-method qualitative case study, involving semi-structured interviews (four) and focus groups (two) with SLT members and teachers respectively. The findings outline the importance of spirituality and Catholic ethos within a church school setting, as well as the role of teachers in passing on Christian values and teachings to students, focusing on integrating faith into all aspects of school life. There are differences in the understanding of spiritual identity, however, participants agree on the significance of spirituality in teachers' lives and its impact on students' holistic development. They also express concerns about limited opportunities for spiritual growth among teachers and suggest that more could be done. Overall, there is a consensus on the significant role of the Catholic value system in shaping the identity and effectiveness of church schools. The importance of teachers’ spiritual growth is acknowledged, and it is suggested that school leaders are responsible for embodying and implementing the Catholic vision. Additionally, the significance of ethos and culture in influencing the behaviour and attitudes of both students and teachers is underlined.