Faith Communities and Community Engagement Based Teacher Education: A Pedagogy of Promise

Abstract

Beginning with a brief overview of education in Australia from both an Aboriginal perspective and that which developed after the arrival of European settlers, this chapter asserts the significance of faith communities in shaping school and teacher education in ways which express their worldviews and moral purpose. Reflecting a Catholic understanding and focusing upon the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, teacher education programs at Australian Catholic University incorporate a holistic approach through their course structures, core curriculum and community engagement experiences. These come together as a pedagogy of promise within community engagement based teacher education. The rationale, examples and model discussed here are presented in ways which show the transformative power of this person- and value-centered pedagogy.

Citation

Butcher, J. and Steel, A. (2015), "Faith Communities and Community Engagement Based Teacher Education: A Pedagogy of Promise", International Teacher Education: Promising Pedagogies (Part C) (Advances in Research on Teaching, Vol. 22C), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 141-159. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-368720150000022007