“Teaching … from a Catholic perspective”

During the last week of July, the Catholic Pastoral Center teemed with Catholic school teachers and administrators who were beginning an exciting new professional development opportunity.

The 34 teachers, from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, are enrolled in the Catholic Educator Formation and Credential Program, provided through the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education.

The 18-month program runs through December 2024. The cohort includes participants from nine elementary schools and two high schools in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and seven elementary schools in the Diocese of Tulsa. Classwork is conducted primarily online, with three in-person sessions planned at the pastoral center.

“When they have completed the program, these teachers will be inspired and empowered to teach their students through a Catholic lens,” said Lara Schuler, director of Catholic education for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

ICLE draws on the Catholic Church’s tradition of education, which seeks to free teachers and students for the joyful pursuit of faith, wisdom and virtue. A goal is for teachers to move from a secular view of education to one deeply committed to Catholicism, and weave that into the classroom.

Carol Hopkins, a kindergarten teacher at Saint Joseph Catholic School in Enid, said she felt the program would “bring me closer to understanding and being able to better teach the aspects of the faith.”

Middle school teacher John Heinen, from Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Oklahoma City, said a longtime interest in the classics drew him to the program.

“I’m a product of a post-Vatican II world,” said Heinen. “My own Catholicity is underdeveloped. This is an opportunity for me to develop that further. I’ve done a lot of that on my own, but to have a more systematic approach to it is appealing for sure.”

Alice Newman, principal at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Okarche, and three Holy Trinity staff members are part of the cohort. Newman was impressed after just a few days in the program.

“It just solidifies in my mind this is the right path,” said Newman.

Kindergarten teacher Lily Bell, from Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in Tulsa, said she was excited about acquiring the skills to teach from a Catholic perspective, “understanding the whole person, understanding Catholic anthropology and pedagogy.”

“When I heard about the program, I said, ‘Absolutely, I would love to do that,’” said Bell. “I hope it will give me the skills to do the work that God is calling me to do, better.”

The program is being paid for by gifts from benefactors in both Oklahoma dioceses.

Information about ICLE is available at catholicliberaleducation.org.