HANOI CONFERENCE

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HANOI CONFERENCE

• THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUALITY IN IB SCHOOLS
  FROM A NON- RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE BUT APPLICABLE
  FOR ALL SCHOOLS

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OUTLINE

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• 2. PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY
• RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
• NON RELIGIOUS APPROACHES
• NATURALISM
• 3. DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUALITY IN IB SCHOOLS A
  PRACTICAL APPROACH
• 4. DISCUSSION

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INTRODUCTION

• The twentieth century
• has not been good for the soul
• Education and the Soul by Jack Miller

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INTRODUCTION (cont)

• The most beautiful thing we can experience is
  the mysterious. It is the source of all truth and
  all science. He to whom this emotion is a
  stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and
  stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.
• Albert Einstein

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INTRODUCTION (cont)

• IQ
• ..EQ
• ..SQ

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INTRODUCTION (cont)

• PERSONAL FOOTNOTE
• RELIGIOUS TO NON RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS
• TWILIGHT PERSPECTIVES
• PERCEIVED GAP BETWEEN MISSION STATEMENTS AND
  ACCOUNTABILITY PROCEDURES

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY

• RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
• NON RELIGIOUS APPROACHES
• NATURALISM

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
• CHRISTIANITY
• BUDDHUIST
• HINDU
• SUFI

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• CHRISTIANITY FOWLERS SIX STAGES OF FAITH
• 1.Intuitive-Projective
• 2.Mythical-Literal
• 3.Synthetic-Conventional
• 4.Individuative-Reflective
• 5.Conjunctive
• 6.Universalizing Universalizing Compassion

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• BUDDHUIST The Ten Oxherding Pictures
• 1. Searching for the Ox (mind)

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• BUDDHUIST The Ten Oxherding Pictures
• 4. Difficult to tame the mind wanders

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• BUDDHUIST The Ten Oxherding Pictures
• 5. He tames the Ox Colour begins to change

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• BUDDHUIST The Ten Oxherding Pictures
• 8. Herder and ox transformed - Disappear

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• BUDDHUIST The Ten Oxherding Pictures
• 10 Returning to the world to live.

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• HINDUISM THE SEVEN CHAKRAS

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• SUFI LATAIF-E-SITTA (THE SIX
• SUBTLETIES Nafs, Qualb, Ruh,
• Sirr, Khafi and Akhfa)
• These spiritual centres associated loosely with
  body organs and colours.
• Sufic development involves the awakening of these
  spiritual centers of perception that lie dormant
  in an individual.

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• A NON RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE
• THE DALAI LAMA
• In the educational field , one has to take care
  not only of the brain, but also of ones
  spiritual development. I say spiritual
  development not in any religious sense but simply
  in the sense of developing a righteous and a
  compassionate heart.

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY (cont)

• A NON RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE
• Spiritual Development Outcomes and Indicators
  by Frances Vaughan
• Education and the Soul by John Miller
• SQ Connecting with our Spiritual Intelligence D.
  Zohar and I Marshall

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY(cont)

• NATURALISM
• Cf Poem by Robert Frost
• THE MOST OF IT
• In this poem Frost explores whether nature alone
  is enough to satisfy human spiritual yearnings

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PERSPECTIVES ON SPIRITUALITY(cont)

• NATURALISM
• Naturalism, strangely enough, may equal
  traditional faiths in its capacity to inspire
  spiritual response
• connectednessmysterywonder and compassion.
• from
• Spirituality without Faith by Thomas Clark

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SPIRITUALITY in IB SCHOOLS

• DEVELOPMENT OF
• Self Awareness
• Awareness of Others
• Appreciation of Nature
• Connectedness
• Compassion
• Wisdom
• Inner Freedom
• Emotional Balance
• Healthy Lifestyle

Cf LEARNER PROFILES REFLECTIVE CARING WELL
BALANCED KNOWLEDGEABLE PRINCIPLED RISK-TAKER
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SPIRITUALITY in IB SCHOOLS

• A FOUR WAY PROCESS
• STEP ONE
• INFUSION INTO THE CURRICULUM ELEMENTS CONDUCIVE
  TO SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
• WORLD RELIGIONS
• CONQUEST OF IDEAS
• THEREFORE I AM
• ASIA ALIVE

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SPIRITUALITY in IB SCHOOLS

• YOGA AND MEDITATION
• THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
• PYP UNITS OF INQUIRY
• Unchartered Waters
• Fit for Life?
• Rainbows of Feelings
• Lifetimes
• My Brain Hurts
• etc

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SPIRITUALITY in IB SCHOOLS

• A FOUR WAY PROCESS
• STEP TWO
• EDUCATION AND COACHING OF STAFF AND STUDENTS ON
  THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALITY WITH A PARTICULAR
  EMPHASIS ON RELATION TO THE MISSION OF THE
  SCHOOL.
• THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE THROUGH AN ARTICULATED
  DEVELOPMENTAL CURRICULUM

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SPIRITUALITY in IB SCHOOLS

• A FOUR WAY PROCESS
• STEP THREE
• THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRACTICE AND VALUING OF
  SERIOUS REFLECTION.

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SPIRITUALITY in IB SCHOOLS

• A FOUR WAY PROCESS
• STEP FOUR
• The recording of each students Individual
  Journey of Reflection on their ongoing
  development. This is done via an entirely private
  e-portfolio journal. While the Journal is
  structured the whole process must be entirely
  free and without pressure.

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THE CENTRAL IDEA

• FOR THE TEACHER TO WORK WITH THE STUDENT TO
  CONSCIOUSLY ENCOURAGE AND TO CAREFULLY FACILITATE
  THE TRACKING AND THE PRIVATE RECORDING OF HIS/HER
  HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT .

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HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT

• ACADEMIC LEARNING
• EMOTIONAL BALANCE
• SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
• PHYSICAL HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
• COMPASSION

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JESSIE FEN - MY CONTINUING STORY JUNE 2006
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
EMOTIONAL BALANCE
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
PHYSICAL HEALTH
COMPASSION
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JESSIE FEN - MY CONTINUING STORY JUNE 2006
ACADEMIC PROGRESS I think I am going well in my
academic progress. I have only just noticed that
depending on my confidence it will affect my
grades. When I was having some troubles with
friends and was down I didnt feel like doing
much. I would spend lunch times alone without
anyone to talk to and it affected my grades LOTE
in particular as that what you really need to
study. I noticed it mainly when it came to doing
tests I had no idea. But after I found new
friends and got on with my life I am now getting
A average and have found new people to be with.
EMOTIONAL BALANCE Looking back I see I have had a
very hard emotional time finding real friends. I
really feel now that the friends I have are
genuine and maybe I owe them my life .I even
think I have changed heaps from last year because
am not as materialistic as I used to be, I dont
care what clothes or things I own or how I have
to be perfect to fit in. I owe this to my best
friend from last year We had been best friends
for five years and I looked up to her although
last year she changed. We would always go
shopping and she started loosing heaps of weight
and she would make comments if I went to grab a
packet of chips Oh I could never eat that its
so fatty Even though she was my best friend I
started to become very conscious of what I ate
because of her. She left the country at the end
of last year and I hate to say it but now Im a
lot more confident within myself and what I can
do now shes gone. She now tells me of how
unhappy she is
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AS I already said, I owe the
friends I have now everything. A friend of mine
has slowly been hanging out with people who are
beginning to change and get in with the wrong
crowd. I dont hang out with her at school
although she is a very good friend of mine We
just see each other in the corridor but after
school we are the best of mates. It made me feel
really good about myself when she told me that
she had been talking to her dad and said that she
seems happier and more confident when she is
around me. Recently she wrote me a letter telling
me how grateful she was for being there for her
and she is now trying to find better friends and
has been with me a lot lately. I notice many
people come to me when they have a problem and I
think this tells me that I am going in the
direction I should be heading.
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JESSIE FEN - MY CONTINUING STORY JUNE 2006
PHYSICAL HEALTH I have to admit I eat a lot of
junk food, though I do nearly 15 hours of sport a
week. I have been making a big effort to do
exercise and eat healthier. I feel healthier and
stronger and people who havent seen me for a
long time tell me I look healthier than I did a
couple of years ago. All in all, I think me
eating needs a little work though my exercises
are on track. Im just taking it one step at a
time. Ive never done smoking or drugs and never
will It is such a sad way to live and a terrible
way to give your life away.
COMPASSION I have recently taken the quote live
a good honourable life. Then when you get older
and think back you will be able to enjoy it a
second time This is from the Dalai Lama and I
have taken it to heart and have been doing
everything I can to even just do one small thing
to help someone out in their day. Ill probably
never be famous, so if I make one small
contribution to someones life Ill be remembered
as a good person in general. I think I am fairly
spiritual. I am always thinking. Thinking about
what lies beyond our universe. Will they really
be able to bring the people back to life who they
cryogenically freeze? Will the water run out?
They now believe our generation will live to be
130 years old, though if everything is going to
be gone by the year 2050 I dont want to be here
then. Life will suck. Life will be lost. Learning
about Buddhism has really affected my life as
well. I am living as I go, and am loving
everything and everyone at the moment. I am very
compassionate about life, about my friends and
family, especially Kardinia and about my future.
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ACADEMIC PROGRESS I am doing quite OK but I think
I am working at about 75 My results put me in
the top third of year 9s however I dont think I
am dedicated enough to do the IB but I will still
think about it. I will do VCE Phys Ed next year.
I estimate I average about seven hours of
homework each week during term. In the first
semester I got 17 grades better than a B and 9
grades less than a B I think this is about the
same as last year. I really dont know what
subjects I should concentrate on or what career
interests me This time next year I need to know
EMOTIONAL BALANCE
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
PHYSICAL HEALTH
COMPASSION I really enjoyed the 40 hour Famine
Project. We had a Japanese exchange student
during this time and it was really hard at the
Sayonara Party at the Bowling Centre I was so
pleased with myself - I admire David Bowley I
think he really wants us to help other less
fortunate people. The unit The Journey with Mrs
McKinnon really helped me think about life a lot
Its quite scary.
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SAM FULLER - MY CONTINUING STORY JUNE 2006
ACADEMIC PROGRESS I think I am going ok but I
need to be much neater and work harder. I also
now need to stop copying my friends work and
ideas. I am always getting a bit side tracked and
not getting work done at other times I just cant
be bothered. I have always thought most of our
topics were very boring but other times there ok.
My student led conference I was very worried
about what my parents would think of my work but
it was ok. I thought someone was looking at me
all the time and I was nervous. I have never been
able to tell my strengths because I never had any
that I really thought I was good at and I still
cant but there is still a lot of years to come.
I wish I could work on my spelling
EMOTIONAL BALANCE I gues my feelings are ok but
I feel a bit weird like the colour brown means
just so much to me, it just makes me feel so
happy and comfortable. I feel a bit odd because I
like strange things that no one else would
probably feel. Thats why everyone is special. I
like the dark, Im a bit afraid of it but I just
like to see all these lights, but I hate being
alone in the dark because I feel like I am going
to die.
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SAM FULLER - MY CONTINUING STORY JUNE 2006
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS I think I am doing much
better than last year. I have lots more friends
and I like all of them. I now dont fight much at
all with mum and dad but I do to much with my
brother and sister One friend I wont name her
but she thinks she is a whole lot better then
everyone and it really gets on my nerves but she
is getting a bit better and I am roughly very
happy and I look forward to the rest of my life.
PHYSICAL HEALTH I feel I need to get a lot more
exercise but I guess sport is ok but I rather go
for a walk. I think I do really do eat well but
sometimes I get too hungry and get take away
instead of a healthy snack. I dont really brush
my teeth that often because I forget. Sometimes I
want to stay up very late on games and I dont
get enough sleep then I am grumpy and I dont get
up in the morning.
COMPASSION Here I can improve by thanking my
parents for giving me a nice house and
everything. I think I should be not so
disappointed when things may not go the way I
would have liked. When I get to year nine and go
to Chang Mi and work with the orphans I would
become very happy with what I have.
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Max Dodd - MY CONTINUING STORY JUNE 2006
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
EMOTIONAL BALANCE I sometimes feel sad that I am
being bullied because I seem like a nerd because
I am quite smart and wear glasses. I now feel
like I am a very bad person. I feel like being a
Cancer is suited to my name and personality
because I have a real tough exterior from being
teased and bullied but on the inside I am quite
soft and empathetic. I now try quite different
things at lunch times so I can get to know some
people better than I originally knew them
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
COMPASSION
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CHALLENGES

• REQUIRES FULL COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION OF STAFF
• REQUIRES SPECIAL TYPE OF STAFF
• REQUIRES A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF COMMON
  UNDERSTANDINGS AND CONSISTENCY
• TIME AND TRAINING
• GENERATING STUDENT CONFIDENCE AND MOTIVATION