Teachers' Perceptions of Differences Between Catholic Schools in Ireland and the United States

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Contemporary Issues in Catholic Education

Abstract

This article provides a comparative examination of teachers’ experiences of teaching within Catholic schools in Ireland and the United States. This qualitative study consisted of interviews with 28 teachers who have taught in Catholic schools on both sides of the Atlantic. This distinct cohort of Irish Catholic educators reveals how faith and Catholic identity are experienced in two distinct education systems that share a common mission. The research underscores how context powerfully shapes the lived experience of teachers in Catholic schools, and highlights implications for both those responsible for Catholic ITE programmes and the leaders of Catholic schools. The extent to which members of a school community explicitly identify and choose to embody the Catholic identity greatly shapes outcomes.

Authors

• Monica J. Kowalski, University of Notre Dame

• Jonathan Tiernan, University of Notre Dame

• Sean McGraw