Making sense of

DAVID SMITH

Illf the 'spiritual' is properly and fully

addressed, the Imoral, social and

cultural' will fall into place more easily"

ALAN BROWN, The National Society

.~D
~-
U THE
STAPLEFORD
CENTRE
 i!i~~~i~:.;;$~.~h~i~A~.M.PhiI.F. taught French, German and Russian in a variety of secondary
s~h~l~i'inthe UI(a~dwas in charge of a German: department prior to studying for a research
~~~eiti ,[II:l.tantol Can:a~a. David is currently conducting research into values in education at The
$t:~{l~f6l!'(j.iCe~tre,~rttingItaman:d studying tOr a PhD at The Institute of Education, University of
£tjI"id~ij.a~i$.~~e~bet of the Executive Committee of the Values Education Council and has a
'~119~~~~~~:ttllt~tio~;bdt~inthetJI( and internationally as a writer and speaker on educational
·i~~~eJ,iiri;GttiI"igit66~Jiefiind· values.

~cfknowledgelT1ents

The author and publishers of this book would

curriculum
into
© The Stapleford Centre 1999
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic,
phorocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior
permission of The Stapleford Centre.
The right of David Smith to be identified as the author of
this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
like to thank all the INSET groups and individual
teachers who have shared their experiences and
worked with the staff of The Stapleford Centre
during the last year, as the ideas and content of
this booklet were being discussed, tried and
shaped.
In particular, thanks are due ta Trevar Coaling,
:A.lison Farnell and Jahn Shartt; the Trustees .of
The Stapleford Centre; members .of The Charis
Project writing teams; and Liz Babbedge, Jane
Bendey; Jill Fuller, Jackie Harding, David Law
and Gardon Raggett, all .of wham contributed
tbdiscussian, shared experiences, commented
a:itd critiqued ideas, and helped shape the author's
thinki~g·
Thanks..also ta Malcalm Laverty far his
HhiIDinadng cartaans, and ta Richard Farnell
fOf;;(dcliti.ona! artwark.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Used by permission of Hodder and Sroughton Limited.

Making Sense of Spiritual Development

First published in 1999 by

The Stapleford Centre, Stapleford House, Wesley Place, Stapleford, Nottingham NG9 SDP

-~
Tel: Oll5 939 6270 Fax: Oll5 939 2076

E-Mail: admin@stapleford-centre.org Web Site: www.stapleford-centre.org

ISBN: 0 9516537 9 2

-D­

ID
THE
Graphic design: Mike Challen, 1st floor, 7 Victoria Crescent, Mapperley Park, Nottingham
STAPLEFORD
Printed by: Progressive Printers, Westbury Road, Basford, Nottingham
CENTRE
Foreword

The promotion of spiritual development across the

curriculrun is firmly on the agenda for UK schools.
It is right that it should be. In this respect, it keeps
good company with moral, social and cultural
development and it can even be argued that if we
deal adequately with the spiritual dimension of
education, the moral, social and cultural
dimensions will be easier to provide for.

Rather than attempt to come up with a concise

and acceptable definition of what 'spiritual' means,
David Smith sets out to help us understand how
the things that already happen in our classrooms,
relate to aspects of spiritual development.

He identifies four areas on which the current

discussion ofthis aspect ofeducation tends to focus:
how we seek to promote spiritual development.

• spiritual capacities
We do not serve our pupils well if we evade or

• spiritual experiences
water down this issue.

• spiritual understanding
• spiritual responses. This booklet is not a detailed 'how to' of spiritual

development across the curriculum but it is rooted

These he terms 'four windows which open out in practice and liberally sprinlded with examples

onto spirituality'. A" against the tendency to focus from the classroom along with suggestions ofwhere

narrowly upon one or other of these, David argues to look for more.

convincingly that each has its limitations when

taken on its own and that all four are necessary to This booklet is a significant contribution to current

a holistic approach to spiritual growth. discussions ofspiritual development. It will provide

much of practical help to teachers who seek to

Running through the whole book is a refrain that meet the challenge of promoting the spiritual

reminds us again and again that 'beliefs matter'. growth of their pupils across the curriculrun.

Indeed this phrase could have been adopted as a

sub-title to the booklet. Ofcourse, this theme could
raise difficult and controversial questions but David John Shortt

Smith invites us to face openly, honestly and Head of Research & Development

creatively the issue of the underlying perspectives The Stapleford Centre.

that we all have, and which make a difference to Formerly Director of the Charis Project.

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THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
 Contents

Foreword

• What on earth is it? 1

e Getting the language straight

(i) Spiritual 3

(ii) Development 4

e Four windows onto spiritual growth

(i) Spiritual Capacities the square window! 5

(ii) Spiritual Experiences the arched window! 7

(iii) Spiritual Understanding the round window! 11

(iv) Spiritual Responses the rectangular window! 15

o So what now?
(i) Reviewing the curriculum 19

(ii) Demands upon the teacher 20

(iii) The values of the school 21

(iv) Dealing with difference 22

( v) Faith and spirituality 23

e Finally 24

Further reading 24

References 24

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llIE STAPLEFORD CENTRE

 Making sense of

What on earth is it?

Sf IRlTvA-L 1>iVEloPlMie"NT'
S'P'RITV'h.. ~EvcLoJlMlltiT?
What do we make of the idea of spiritual 'l'LL 8E ttEKe
development across the whole curriculumr So""E ~ EI"LE.

A new label for something we already do?

An empty label for who knows whatr
A bizarre attempt to make the whole curriculum
religiousr
A badly-thought-through government initiativer
An idea designed to make school inspections even
more stressfulr
Or just something to give a lot of educationalists
something to talk aboutr

However you look at it, the notion that teachers
should encourage the spiritual development of
pupils across the whole curriculum has generated
plenty of debate and confusion. This is in spite of
the fact that spiritual development has been one of
the stated purposes of schooling since the 1944
Education Act.
What has caused all the fuss is a recent change of
emphasis. Not so long ago, it seemed that
spirituality was confined to the Religious
Education slot. The upshot of recent legislation,
however, is that we are now required to encourage
pupils' spiritual development whatever subject we
teach. What's more, we can be inspected on
whether or not we are doing so! Yet many of us
have had little help in trying to work out what it
might mean in practice, and are not even sure

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THESTAPLEFORDCE~lRE
 that it's relevant to what we teach. This booklet
offers some pointers, in the hope that what might
otherwise be a bewildering burden can become
an opportunity to enrich our teaching.
"Vhen spiritual development is discussed, sooner
or later someone will point out that there is no
clear definition of what it is. The feeling seems to
be that if we could define spiritual development,
we would at least know what it is that we are
trying to tackle. Tell us what it is, and we'll see if
we can do it!
But definitions of spirituality vary in contentious
ways. Some of the variety of ideas associated with
spiritual development can be seen in the
characterisation offered by the SCAA (1995)
discussion paper, 'Spiritual and Moral
Development' :
up with a short definition with which everyone
agreed, it's a big jump from a dictionary definition
to ideas which can become part of our teaching.
What we need in practice is a more general sense
of where to look: what kinds of things that go on
in classrooms might count as having something
to do with spiritual development?
With this in mind, this booklet offers an overview
of what is being said in the current debate about
spiritual development. It will explore some issues
which need to be talcen into account when planning
for spiritual development, illustrating the discussion
with examples of good practice. Many of the ideas
are probably already part of our teaching. Some
might offer fresh perspectives. While tIlls booklet
will not cause all the diff-Icnlt issues to evaporate,
it will provide a clearer sense of where to look if
we want to take pupils' spirituality seriously

"The term needs to be seen as

applying to something

fundamental in the human

condition which is not necessarily

experienced through the physical

senses and/or expressed through

everyday language. It has to do

with relationships with other people

an~ for believersy with God. It has

to do with the universal search for

individual identity - with our
responses to challenging experiences,
such as death, suffering, beauty and
encounters with good and evil. It is
to do with the search for meaning
and purpose in life and for values
by which to live.') (p.3)

This is a fairly wide-ranging description rather

than a tight definition, but it does give a sense of
some areas to look into. Even if we could come

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 Getting the language straight
(i) 'Spiritual'
. Let's begin by clearing up some confusions which
can befog talk of spiritual development. Take the
word 'spiritual' for a start. Often when we use
this word we have something good in mind,
something positive and attractive. In this sense
it's easier to think of a Mother Teresa as spiritual
than an Adolf Hitler. But we also use the word to
refer to an aspect of being human, to a capacity
which everyone has regardless of how it is lived
out. On this usage, to be hl1man is by defmition
to be spiritual.
There is in fact a direct parallel in the way we use
the word 'human'. We commonly use it on the
one hand to describe our biological species, in
which case all people are human by definition.
But we also use it to make judgements of approval
or disapproval about a person or a society. "Ve
speak in terms of something being 'inhuman',
'more human' or 'fully human'. The related word
'humane' brings this kind of value judgement to
the fore.
So talk of the 'spiritual' may refer to something
shared by all. It may also have good qualities in
view which are not necessarily shared by all, at
least not to the same degree. It may be associated
with qualities such as humility or empathy or a
sense of purpose and meaning. Here being
'spiritual' is something to be attained, something
more evident in some than in others. This is where
spirituality becomes spiritual growth.
If we fail to recognise these different ways of using
the word, we seem to be pushed towards
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THE STAPLEPORD Ca'ITRE
concluding either that some people are not
spiritual beings or that all people are equally
endowed with spiritual virtues. Conflating the two
senses of the word obscures the fact that all people
are spiritual but not all
manifestations of spirituality are
healthy. Confiating the two
senses of the word
Recognising both senses of the
word allows us to see all children obscures the fact
as spiritual without being naive that all people are
about the need for them still to
spiritual but not all
learn discernment and to develop
the ability to make wise choices.
manifestations of
Spiritual growth involves not only spirituality are
shared capacities but also the healthy
particular ways in which we put
those capacities to work. As we
will see throughout what follows, particular beliefs
and life choices are an unavoidable ingredient when
we start trying to understand spirituality.
This suggests that, while we should be open to
and affirming of spirituality as something very
human, we should be wary of assuming that all
that is spiritual is good. A great deal of discussion
of spiritual development seems to inhabit a rosy
world where everything is beautiful.
It is easy to understand why this might be so. The
very word 'spiritual' has positive connotations in
most people's minds. Many who are concerned
about spiritual development are also concerned tlIat
an education which emphasises market forces,
league tables, and learning that can be measured
and tested can lead us to neglect the 'whole child'.
When it comes to describing what is needed to
 make education more wholesome, we find a particularly promising way of thinking about
recipes crammed with good things - creativity, something as hard to pin down as spirituality.
mystery, awe and wonder, empathy, freedom and
the like.
"/ think spiritual development is
Add to this a lively sense ofchildren's
one of those things you can't put into nice
most appealing qualities and a desire
This suggests that, to avoid controversial issues of
little boxes."
while we should be belief, and the results breathe (Liz Babbedge - Primary Teacher)

open to and sweetness and light.

affirming of We need to ask whether the Here it seems more helpful to think in terms of
spirituality as assumption that everything that is how we can create opportunities for growth rather
something very spiritual is good is adequate. Occult than in terms of how we can move pupils through
experimentation, for instance, is a programmed sequence. For this reason, although
human, we should clearly related to spirituality, but it the term 'spiritual development' is the one which
be wary of is not on that ground to be the legislation has left us with, we should hesitate
assuming that all recommended. Our experiences of to take on board all the connotations of talk of
injustice, betrayal or jealousy are development and think instead in terms of creating
that is spiritual is also related to our spiritual spaces where spirituality is affirmed and spiritual
good capacities. No one could object to growth can happen.
the positive things which a more
romantic picture points us to, but a
lack of acknowledgement of a darker side of life
creates the danger of portraying a kind of
educational Disneyworld where smiles are
compulsory: Honest reflection suggests that there
are thorns as well as roses in the garden of
spirituality.

(ii) 'Development'

It is not only the term 'spiritual' which can cause

us problems. The word 'development' is
problematic as well. Thanks to various theories of
child development, the term has come to suggest
a clearly defmed series of stages through which all
pupils should progress in a particular order and a
single direction. Whatever the strengths and
weaknesses of thinking about other aspects of a
child's growth in this way, it does not seem to be

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THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
 Four windows onto Spiritual Growth
What kinds of things should we be looking at,
then, if we are looking for areas where spiritual
growth might take place? There has been, in recent
years, a flurry of published discussion of spiritual
development in school. Drawing upon this
discussion, we will take a brief look through four
'windows' which open out onto spirituality. All are
important, and all also have their limitations. We
will therefore not only describe each one, but try
to show how it relates to the others and to explore
some of the questions which it raises. We will
consider in turn:
Spiritual Capacities - human
BB abilities which make us the kind of
creatures which are capable of spiritual
growth;
SpirltuIII Experiences - ways in
which we experience the spiritual
dimension of life;
Spiritual Understanding the
kinds of things we might need to
understand in order to grow spiritually;
and
Spiritual Responses - how our
spiritual growth shows in the way that
we live.
We will have cause to return in various ways to a
basic and important point: the place of our own
beliefs in all this. Given that spiritual development
touches so closely upon our basic values, it's hardly
surprising that there is a whole range of different
viewpoints. People's own spiritual commitments
will influence what views of spiritual development
they find most acceptable. Our own beliefs
inevitably inform our approach to spirituality and
to spiritual development.
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
(i) Spiritual Capacities
-looking
through the
square window!
It would not make much sense to
aim for the spiritual growth of all
pupils if we did not believe that
everyone 1S 111 some sense a
spiritual being. If children are not
by nature the kind of creatures capable of spiritual
grmvth, then to plan for it across the curriculum
will be something like trying to plan physical
education for trees!
This is one reason for focusing on abilities which
are uniquely human. These are gifts, not in the
sense of special talents but in the sense that we
didn't make them - they are what we have received.
They can be abused, neglected, taken for granted
or received and nurtured with gratitude.
Human capacities commonly identified as related
to spiritual development include capacities for
• self-awareness and reflection upon our
experiences and circumstances;
• empathy;
• reflecting upon the moral dimension of our
existence;
• making free and responsible choices in
awareness of their consequences and
implications;
• reflecting on the meaning of our lives;
• gaining a coherent sense ofidentity and purpose;
and
• exercising imagination and creativity and
appreciating beauty.
 These are all familiar elements in an enriching
education, and they all relate to spiritual
development across the curriculum. Good
teaching will encourage awareness of,
development of and gratitude for these gifts
in each of the various areas of learning.
Concern for spiritual development
therefore builds upon existing
Our own beliefs stfi~nj,!;ths in our teaching.
inevitably inform
An important reason for
our approach to
beginning here, with our basic
spirituality and to spiriulal capacities, is that they are
spiritual relevant to all pupils, of any
development religious tradition or none, and
to all areas of the curriculum.
They are one important area to
explore when considering provision for
spiritual growth.
100/
DD Digging Deeper ...
If we reflect for very long on these capacities,
some important issues emerge which require
more attention. They also poinr us forward
to the other aspects of spiritual growth which will
be outlined later. C'-ansider the following questions:
• Does developing these gifts count as spiritual
growth however they are used? What if we are
creative in doing evil? What will we create with
our creative gifts?
• Are there some ways of gaining a coherent sense
of identity - say through a cult or a neo-Nazi
group - which we would be hard pressed to see
as examples of healthy spiritual development?
• Do we not often make free choices which are
harmful to others and even to ourselves?
• Should I have empathy for every perspective,
or should I deliberately steer clear of some?
D
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These questions highlight
an obvious but important
point. While we can talk
in the abstract of spiritual
capacities which are
shared by all, we always
exercise those capacities in
palticular ways and in the
service of particular ends.
This point is worth
exploring a little. Part of
the appeal of emphasising
shared experience and
general human gifts is that
it seems to get us beyond
all our messy and
controversial difIerences in
beliefs and commitments. Spirituality
looks instead like a shared realm of
common capacities. There is truth in
this - the kinds of capacities and
experiences mentioned above are
shared by alL However, they are used
in different ways by different people,
and the different beliefs which we have about
where they come from and why are important
will affect how they are experienced and exercised.
Consider an analogy Suppose a student approached
a further education college and asked if there were
a course which would enable them to speak
language. The likely response would be to ask what
language they wanted to speak. Imagine our would­
be student replying that to focus on any particular
language would unduly favour one set of speakers.
She doesn't want to be so particular, she just wants
to speak language, because language is something
that all people share. Even though we can describe
language in a general way as an ability possessed
by all human beings, such a request would leave
us understandably puzzled. For some purposes it
can be useful to look at language in the abstract,
but when we speak we must speak some particular
language - even non-verbal communication varies
between cultures.
Spirituality, too, can be described in the abstract
for certain purposes, but it has to be lived in
particular ways. While it is not too hard to point
to various gifts which should be nurtured, such
gifts carry with them a responsibility to develop
them in life-giving ways. Which ways are life­
giving? Here we are faced with questions of
meaning and purpose, questions of the beliefs and
values which the school is conveying and by which
pupils are invited to live. Beliefs and commitments
shape the ways in which we develop the capacities
which we have been given.
Summary
• Spiritual capacities shared by all are one
important aspect of spiritual development.
• Our capacities can be exercised in various ways,
in the service of various purposes. We do not
encounter them in the abstract. The ways in
which we exercise them are bound up with our
beliefs, values and conunitments.
(ii) Spiritual Experiences
-looking
-through -the
arched window!
A slightly different
approach focuses on
spiritual experiences.
It suggests that pupils
should be made
aware that spiritual
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THE STAPLEFORD CEO/TRE
experiences are quite common in the population
at large, and that such experiences have beneficial
effects. Schools should be places where pupils are
given opportunities to reflect upon the meaning
of such experiences, and are even introduced to
certain experiences. Examples commonly regarded
as spiritual include experiences of:
• curiosity and mystery;
• awe and wonder;
• connection and belonging;
• heightened self-awareness;
• prayer and worship;
• deep feelings associated with what is felt to
be ultimately important; and
• a sense of security, well-being and
purposefulness.
Some of these experiences are not shared by all ­
not all children will, for instance, have the
experience of being part of a worshipping
community. There are also more particular
experiences, for instance, experiences of the
presence of God or of answered prayer, which need
to be taken into account. However, many of the
experiences listed above are generally shared rather
than exclusively found in a particular tradition.
KIt's the ~1sMivn that theya1'e not the
1 .', •
centre ofq,hsoiwtelye:wt'YthinJh .and
tbews:mtweg()in]r8n~a~ sumtuf#is
reaJtYiJuite~etjul~amt ~t defies
~xptffria~itJ.n.)J·· .
(Li~.B<)bb~e t t1ilh~Teai;her)
They are also relevant to various areas of the
curriculum a sense of wonder or of mystery or a
sudden moment of insight leading to a sense of
how things hang together in a meaningful way
 Emphasising spiritual experience highlights the
fact that spiritual growth involves more than our
understanding it draws upon a deeper sense of
who I am and of what life is about, and a more
intimate way of encountering the world. It invites
us to question our approaches to teaching: do they
make space for and affirm such experiences or
crowd out and ignore them?

,~.w:e~e about to experiment with

.. "'I!"Dwingenss seeds in light and dark
,.plR:Ces. aru!inplaces with light coming
.• flrm1:.. onedimtion. I also. really wanted
·,to. gftSI the cohiWenCe ofeverythingJ at
can occur during any part of the school day.
.k"wplNtusynthesis fits in with
Listening to music, puzzling over the idea of
eJ1ery:thing else.
infinity, caring for animals, contemplating the
future - these are but a few of the everyday f blf!1an by smrting a dise:uss.ion on
educational moments which can take on spiritual 'whrtt.~tI .whJJt?Y After lots ofspecific

depth. exam,pleswegraduatlygot round to the

eondusitJn that the food chain leads
d/JWn Wplants. Whst do plants eat?
. . . 1;heymalN;food! aust as well for us
· :~ns fJfltl. animals!)

.,"N£Xt fJUitStUm~ what do they use to make

,·,'it.1fi1ith?What do they take in from
· tffoo1indthem? ·lffiMj .minerals,
sUnlight; air. 1 explained about plants
·Us.'in.lt~~1Jjj1t:a~and gi11inO out
.#gendu~nlIphotrlsynthesisJantl how
#ifJ1f tffe other way round for animals
".i'~n#. ifo/ilcJ :tDtbat all sre
··:.··.·$'#t~pendent.
'[,':;:.'i:i4~ttn:iPimt~ gi'?l suddenly bum
····i,l:~utWitht~tffi,estWn: 'Bit how did it
.' 'i1':i:'~~lpetfike 'tI1JJt? It all fits together!' It
····.~C'~l~t ofinsight."

---------------------------1f.. -------------------------­
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
AD~
U Digging deeper . . .
Again, there are some questions which lead us to
further reflection:
• Is my sense of
mystery when I
gaze ineptly at
my broken car
engine a spiritual
experience?
• If I listen to a piece of music with pleasure, is
that automatically a spiritual experience?
• Is a feeling of being frightened and alone in the
world a spiritual experience?
• Does feeling good necessarily indicate that I
am in a healthy spiritual state?
One issue raised by these questions concerns when
an experience counts as a spiritual experience.
There is a danger that spirituality could be
trivialised if it is reduced to a welter of nice feelings
or gasps of momentary admiration. Admiring a
f1!"
flower or listening to classical music may simply
be aesthetic experiences. Wondering how
something works may be a purely intellectual
matter. Equally, such things could be the occasion
of genuine spiritual experience.
It's difficult to pin down exactly what the difference
is. Perhaps there is a clue in the way in which
discussions of spiritual experience so often turn to
talk of ultimate meaning and value and a sense of
what life and my own identity are all about. This
points us towards the beliefs which make such
experiences deeply significant to us.
A passing feeling, however pleasant, does not
become spiritually meaningful tmless we come to
understand it as having some significance for our
~D
---------------------U1---------------------­
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
sense of who we are. This is not
to suggest that there must be a There is a danger
sophisticated understanding and
articulation of an experience for it
that spirituality could
to be real: young children in be trivialised if it is
particular will often have an reduced to a welter
inarticulate sense of the beauty or
of nice feelings or
importance of something. It is
rather to recognise that growth gasps of momentary
will involve reflection. If there is admiration
no such reflection, a feeling
remains just a feeling. Spiritual
growth involves more than just feelings it includes
reflecting upon their significance for our lives.
~tQnla lessott'~tanmr y~ 6:
.(Th~nk td'f1;ti,;e~wny(iulle 1itUi. fobe.
. ~#1jm'ft}1'·s~'1t!1yuu've·IJtiiteYmlil.
~it'eaSy ttJ$ay~? ffthfttdffe.sitflel
.tiitiJdtl"e1WB~~inl1ifJtk~? ...
~:~~~~,~tfJ};.rrgiv~j~?
~t(#4:~t:J#II~~?;.WRsit.fJa~
.d~~ti~······.' ., ...............: ...'.,...........
..•.(~~~abb~/p~.Tea~)
This kind of reflection is particularly pertinent to
the educational context. Consider the way we
approach other aspect~ of education. 'h'hile there
is a place for simply enjoying a painting or the
movement of an animal or a machine, there always
comes a tinIe in educational settings when we want
to move on to reflection about what is going on
and why, and why it matters. There seems to be
no reason why spirituality should be an exception
to this.
Reflecting on the significance of our experiences
can make an enormous difference to the effect they
 have upon us. If I have an arresting
spiritual experience it makes a world
There is no evading
of difference to the nature of its
the thorny issue of impact on my life whether I believe
how various it to be the touch of God, the effects
experiences are to of the charged atmosphere and
chemical stimulants at a rave or the
be evaluated. Here
after-effect of last night's pizza. Did
again, the beliefs I really experience that1 Was it just
which we hold
something inside me or was it
about what connected with a spiritual reality
beyond me? What kind of language
constitutes a
will help me to articulate it? Does
healthy form of this experience demand some
spirituality are in response from me? Such questions
play matter profoundly for the way we
live. While we do share important
spiritual capacities and experiences,
when it comes to judging their significance, beliefs
matter.
Judging the significance of an experience also
involves judging whether or not it was good.
• Throughout human hisrory, spirituality has
been experienced and understood at least in part
as a struggle against evil. vVhat are we to make
of the famous 'dark night of the soul', or of
spiritual experiences which are not all sweetness
and light? What about frightening spiritual
experiences, whether they are related to occult
involvement or simply experiences of our own
capacity for jealousy, contempt or rage? Dealing
in a mature way with spiritual experiences
demands that we have some understanding of
what it is good to experience and of what is
good to avoid.
• Consider the world for which we are helping
to prepare our pupils. There has been a
proliferation in recent times of often bizarre
alternative spiritualities. Think, for instance, of
-----------------~------------------ THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
the publicity surrounding the mass suicide of
the members of the Heaven's Gate cult, who
expected to be transported to an alien
spacecraft. Is it fair to pupils growing up in
this environment to ignore such examples and
teach as if all in the garden were rosy?
Pupils consider the painting (The Angry
Christ!J by Philippine artist Lino Pontebon
a.nd discuss questions such as: What kinds
of things 'fHade Jesus angry? Does our
world need nwre anger or less? Does it
depend on the type ofangM'? Theygo on to
cut out from suitable newspapers some
stories which they think would make Jesus
angry. These are used to make a display.
(From Jesus through Art)
Spiritual experience may be in one sense universal,
but it is not wise to simply embrace any and all
spiritual experiences as equally valuable. There is
no evading the thorny issue of how various
spiritual experiences are to be evaluated. Here
again, the beliefs which we hold about what
constitutes a healthy form of spirituality are in play.
This means that pupils will need to become aware
that there is more at stake than just personal
preference. Finding the right spiritual path is not
like choosing a flavour of ice cream: to grow
spiritually means to grow into a way of life which
can be either healthy or destructive. It means
finding criteria against which spiritual experiences
can be evaluated. It also means finding ways of
dealing with forces within us and outside us which
lead in destructive directions. Growing spiritually
means not only exercising certain gifts and
discovering certain experiences but also reflecting
seriously on how these relate to what is good and
what is true.
 Summary
• Spiritual experiences shared by all
are one important element in spiritual growth.
I • Our experiences can be good or bad. They can
lead to good or evil. Therefore learning to be
I discerning is important.
• Having an experience does not automatically
imply spiritual gro·wth. Experiences become
spiritually significant through the meaning we
understand them to have. Therefore beliefs
matter.
In an English lesson, pupils are studying
Mtubeth. They are investigating the
thenus of temptation andguilt - who Is to
blame for the evil which happens in the
play? How do the characters respond to
temptation? Are they subject to forces
beyond their control? After investigating
how these themes are handled in relation
to various characters in the play, they
enact an exchange between. Mtubeth' and
a psychiatris; focusing on Macbeth~
fielings ofguilt. They are then asked to
outline a 11UJdc;-nversion ofthepiay in
which Mtubethand Banquo an busi11esS
rivals.
(From Cha:ris English:. Mcu:beth)
I C@KaIlW 11tmMfl§'Ii·ii,')
I . Wh(}i1fftffl~~~1f,mbm? Why do
We have seen that
focusing on gifts and
experiences IS a
necessary part of spiritual
development, but that it does
------------------------~-------------------------
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
not take us far enough without some attention to
understanding what they mean. Feelings without
reflection fall short. So what kinds ofunderstanding
might be connected with spiritual development?
One place to start is with those sayings which
express a basic wisdom about the spiritual
dimension of life. Such sayings express truth about
important aspects of human experience. Examples
might include:
• "No-one can serve two masters";
• "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's"; and
• "Man does not live on bread alone".
These particular examples are taken from the Bible,
but similar examples can be found in various
spiritual traditions. Exploring the meaning of
sayings such as these and the spiritual truths which
they embody could lead to reflection on the
significance of spirituality for how we live. They
could equip pupils with a store of spiritual wisdom
from which to draw as they make their way through
life. They can also be as relevant to a history lesson
or to study of a work of literature as to an RE
lesson.
«'~thjetm .•. ~U:SfIl.asa springbi;Jard for questioning
andtlii:.nfijng .' .... !Pirittml:
l,Tif!hya~the~PfJt'ft1~innumWrs? Does this point to
anulti11uftp.,*,~or isitjusthy chanee that numbers
wrkk.Jnpatt~t·,·,
2;WJ~t.1i11J'p~it:"? .
WC count in tens?
4~p~s~t'mattf:,~~~ .:rve. uicnumbers whether or not we
J#J.>#se. ,?
S..~~t~~~~: . . >/nJftathifDoes it~tter ifyou
thtrt.~t#~t,~effl,.let(j~. the right answer~Y
.(J~e·~eRrl~v~~i:~teadler~
,, -", :" ,.;, - -r -,;': - -'--,< -':- '. /­
--';-~
 While such sayi ngs provide an in the world outside our schools. Wider
In any part ofthe incidental way into spiritual frameworks of belief also point to the fact that
understanding, they are likely spirituality is not just an individual matter: it has a
curriculum where
sooner or later to lead back to the communal dimension too, and practising a
we are broader frameworks of beliefs particular spirituality usually involves becoming
encountering some within which they make sense. If part of a particular community.
human endeavour, we can't live by bread alone, what
Here it seems as if we have landed back in the
can we live ~? What is the rest of
from our use of realm of RE, which is the place in the curriculum
life for, once Caesar has had his
technology to our shard
where patterns of faith and spiritual traditions are
artistic generally dealt with. No doubt this is where much
As we pointed out earlier, what we of the explicit discussion of this dimension of
achievements, it is
encounter in the world is not spiritual development will take place. So how does
relevant to ask how spirituality in the raw, as it were, this relate to the idea ofspiritual development across
our beliefs and but particular patterns ofspirituality. the curriculum?
commitments come We meet Christian and Muslim
It is true that extensive discussion of beliefs and
spirituality, Buddhist and Hindu
into play faith traditions may fit best in the RE lesson. But
spirituality, Roman Catholic,
the beliefs which pattern our spiritual development
Protestant and New Age spirituality,
crop up naturally in many areas of the curriculum.
or various kinds of secular spirituality. Spirituality
In any part of the curriculum where we are
is interwoven with patterns of belief and practice.
encountering some human endeavour, from our
It is embodied in traditions which carry a heritage
use of technology to our artistic achievements, it
of spiritual exploration and experience. Broader
is relevant to ask how our beliefs and commitments
beliefs and commitments provide us with a
come into play. Here are some examples:
framework for navigating through life which goes
beyond the whims of the moment.

There would be something very odd about

approaching spiritual development without
attending to these wider patterns, as if we and our
pupils were the first people on earth to discover
spiritual development. It would be like teaching
pupils a special version of science which had no
connection with the science practised by scientists

----1'----­ THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE

 In'~ seiente l~tm~pi'4~~~'!~r&II~~\;

GO Digging deeper . . .

reflect on theWtJ,1 ~1J.F~.

Spiritual understanding can, then, be relevant
disaJverfes ean "time t;o
throughout the curriculum, whether the focus is
or evil. They~t~itf~ti~>' .
on what motivated some historical figure, on what
AIfmI Nobel (in~~ofd~nare),;
vision oflife comes through in the work ofa certain
Fritt HJib~ (f1J~~eh~~Iit,setl-rdl ..... artist, or simply on why people worship. As before,
drew :n~othPtAntfo'J1i~s1t~<'~ .'.;"" taking this idea further leads to some pause for
ChemU;al'IJJCt1;p(11JSh~~8~~(~·····':··,' thought. Everyone, pupils and teachers alike, should
·~..fr<»nher;s~,ot~~t~~~ . consider questions like these:
~ie.tiJr~~~rehJu~~!

?ES:~~
• Have I developed spiritually if I can describe
commitments and beliefs which motivated a
particular figure from history, but have little
sense of the potential power of those beliefs?
sekn#s#..
(Frmri
• Have I developed spiritually if I have come to
understand the beliefs explored in a work of
literature but have gained no sense of their
potential relevance to my own life?

• Have I developed spiritually ifmy understanding

ofa spiritual framework remains detached, and
does not cause me to reflect upon what my own
beliefs are or will be and upon their connection
with the way in which I live?

Like an emphasis on capacities or experiences,

spiritual understanding on its own may also fall
short. While it is a necessary ingredient in spiritual
growth, it could remain at an intellectual level or
even degenerate into little more than a collection
of information. If the understanding gained by a
child remains at arm's length, and does not
contribute to a developing sense of identity,
meaning and purpose, then what we have is not
necessarily spiritual development but simply
intellectual development. Our understanding must
connect in some way with our experience and feed
into the way in which we live ifwe are to speak of
spiritual grmvth.

------------~-------------
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE

Connecting spiritual understanding with our
experience and way oflife need not mean accepting
everything that calls itself spirima!. Children may
end up rejecting many perspectives which have
motivated others, and may have good reasons for
doing so. The point here is that spiritual
development is redundant if it is no more than
intellectual development.
«During an RE lesson with a year 6 class the children
were asked to think ofas many differences as possible
between humans and animals. They WC1"e able to suggest
a number including language, ereatiTlity and worship.
m explored the last ofthese in particular and thought
of why wherever wego in the world we find people
worshipping. J)
(Gordon Raggett - Primary SchQolsVVOdcer)
This leads us to further questions, and a further
dimension of spirituality. Have we faced the fact
that we often live in a way which is inconsistent
with onr beliefs and values? Do we always have
the courage to act on what we believe? How are
we to deal with the tendency to resist or suppress
the implications of certain experiences or
convictions because of their consequences for onr
lifestyle? Must spiritual development not include a
willingness to explore the pattern of onr everyday
living in the light of onr spiritual experiences and
understanding? Will children be helped to explore
these issues? These are the questions to which we
will turn as we look through the next 'window' on
sp iri tuali ty.
eo Summary
• Spirituality involves understanding as well as
abilities and experiences. This understanding
may be expressed in both distilled examples of
wisdom and broader framework~ of belief.
------------------~------------------
TIlE STAPLEFORD CENlRE
I
• Spiritual development cannot be reduced to
information alone.
• Learning how beliefs and commitments shape
human endeavour can take place in all parts of
the curriculum. Here again, beliefs matter.
In a PSE lesson, a Year 9 class are
discussing school rules) workingin small
groups. Their teacher hasgiven them three
sets ofcards to arrange, each setforming a
continuum. On one set are various school
punishments, ranging from a mild TJerbal
reprimand to exclusion; these are to be
arranged in order ofseriousness. On ,
another set are various misdemeanours,
ranging from swearing to physicalTliolence
andslashing the curtains with a knife (an
actual recent occurrence). These are also to
be ranked in order ofseriousness. On 'the
third set ofcards are various kinds ofbeing
-rocks, fish, mammals, children, teachers,
andothers, including God. These are to be
placed in order ofvalue or importa1tee.
When the cards are all arranged a
discussion begim. The class begin to explore
the anomalies which emerge when they
compare their sets ofcams. lVhy are people
generally considered more important than
inanit1U'tte objects, yet acts ofvandalism
are considered more serious in terms of
punishments than acts ofpsycholqgical
Pialencc, such as name-calling? lVhy have
mn;nypupilsput God at the top ofthe value
sper;trum,but swearing using God's name
at the bottom ofthe range of
misdefiteanours? Pupils discuss with
intereStand at times with discomfort the
discrepancies between their stated values,
ami those afthe school, and the day to day
.practice ofbath.
. (Example taken fwmEntry Points)
(iv) Spiritual Responses
-looking
through
the
rectangular
-window!
We have so far
peered through
three 'windows' which each allow us to see an
aspect of spiritual growth. Each has offered a
helpful vantage point, but a limited one. Focusing
on spirimal capacities alone ignores the differing
ways in which spirituality is lived. Focusing on
spirimal experiences alone could reduce spirimality
to feelings. Focusing on spiritual understanding
alone risks reducing spiritual development to
understanding a set of ideas. A fourth 'window'
opens onto the ways in which our lives are shaped
by our experiences and beliefs. C{)nsider this as a
perspective on what spirimal development is about:
«1 was hungry and you gave me
something to eat, 1 was thi1'sty and you
gave me something to drink, 1 was a
stranger and you invited me in, 1
needed clothes and you clothed me, 1
was sick and you looked after me, 1 was
in prison and you came to visit me. "
These words come from the Bible, from a parable
of Jesus about the sheep and the goats. They
suggest that the difference between spiritual
growth and its absence becomes visible in actions.
All of us face some basic questions in our daily
living.
• Where do I really belong?
• \\llat relationships are most important?
-:Jll.
--------------------------- OtF--------------------------­
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
• How will I deal with my own
weaknesses, fears and hurts? The difference
• ""fiat or whom will I trust? between spiritual
• How will I invest my time and growth and its
energy?
absence becomes
• What priorities will I set?
visible in actions
• "Vhat is of highest value, or
worth sacrificing for?
• What will give my life purpose and meaning?
Spiri tual experiences and beliefs are directly
relevant to all of these questions. But they are not
just intellectual questions, nor do they live in some
mystical realm beyond space and time: they have
to do with the whole of our daily life. They do not
just concern special spirimal moments: they have
to do with how we live all the time. As we face up
to these questions (and others like them) and
examine how we respond to them from day to
day, spiritual development becomes very down-to­
earth.
This down-to-earth response to Beliefs affect how
spiritual issues links spiritual we live, or they are
development Hrmly into the whole
empty
of the curriculum. These kinds of
questions are relevant to all areas
of our lives, and therefore can crop up anywhere
in the curriculum. Can we trust science and
technology to us a good fumre? Is the truth
of a work of literature less important than
mathematical truth? What commitments motivated
this artist or historical Hgure, and how am I like
her or unlike her? How will I relate to those from
other cultures or who speak other languages? "'fiat
purpose does music have? Does learning to handle
money involve giving as well as saving and
spending? In other words, what does the
curriculum have to do with the kind of life I will
live?

(Cl,", Geography!> ifyou ha17e heen looking
ata.par:ticularcountry:> ord~11iJatopU
such tU Food and FarmintJ> end the time
by using this type ofIjuestion as
discUSsion stamPs:
1.. ShflUld we trytogetasmuchfobd as
p~ssihk frMn the f8mf,; rtgnm/e$s ofhow
it JsprotiUf;ed?
2.·What~~tn~ tanYfJu. ~to
wh~t: ~pjnmsi'naWJ#1erpart ofth~
wlJrltt?·
3,~sh~Jd'Yd#bjjther abimrt
to make the effort to learn from them. It requires
·.·ttnith1lighappen~$f)iara1ii:ly? .
faith in the knowability of the world and trust in
4.Why1,~it
toliveYf!U~Ji . . < •....•......•
··th~'n!1S:I·ord-rop#mt~~YtiUrbWn·
. tlJtng;W';JS/d~td'~rM:f;tet~i8#YlJne
else?
. $,[" 'W.h~t W:~<
.P$rtilfthc'foffl:tly
" " , ' ';' ''',-' ,+
(Jatl,,~~ntieyc~at¥ie~qlt~;'
_ - ,'/, __ , :,',
We don't JUSt respond by coming up with a set of
answers, as if these were questions in a test. We
respond by living in a particular way. What is
brought into question here is the way we spend
our money, the use we make of our time, the
relationships we form or avoid, the ways in which
\ve express our sexuality, the causes we support or
oppose, the ways in which we use natural
resources, where we turn in moments of crisis,
and so on. Will we serve God or money? 'Vill we
love our neighbours or just ourselves? Will we tend
the earth or exploit it? Spirituality may be fed by
certain experiences, based on certain capacities,
and interwoven with certain beliefs, but it also
influences the quality of the whole of a person's
life. Beliefs affect how we live, or they are empty.
One approach to this aspect of spirituality looks
---~---
at spiritual virtues. Some virtues seem to involve
more than being moral, at least in any narrow
sense. Compare courage, which pits itself against
the dangers of a present situation, with hope, which
strengthens us against deeper threats of
meaninglessness or despair. Other such qualities
include selfless love, faith, humility, self-denial and
forgiveness. They may be seen as spiritual virtues.
These virtues are not only fruits ofspiritual gwwth:
they are also basic to learning. Learning from
others requires the humility to accept that I need
the good will of those who teach me. It requires
self-denial when new learning means giving up
long-held opinions or changing how I live. It
requires a sense of hope if I am to invest effort
now for future benefit. Spiritual growth and
learning more generally involve our character as
well as our capacities, experiences and
understanding. These virtues relate the broad
- i "
questions about how we will live to the
development of personal qualities.
IDOi Digging deeper
When considering spiritual capacities and spiritual
understanding we have asked whether each is
adequate taken on its own. Our discussion of
spiritual responses invites similar questions:
• Is the development of any reasonably coherent
pattern oflife evidence ofspiritual development,
or are some patterns or lifestyles better than
others?
• Is sincerity all that counts in the end, so that
any set of convictions is acceptable as long as
we consistently seek to live by them? Or might
the fruits which follow from some convictions
tell against them?
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
• If I am settled in a certain way of life which
incorporates some spiritual virtues and implies
certain beliefs, but this is a matter more of
unthinking routine than of reflective
commitment, am I still growing spiritually?
This kind of question points us to the close
interconnections between the aspects of spiritual
growth which we have looked at. A focus on the
pattern of our everyday life adds a necessary
corrective to some ways of approaching the other
dimensions of spiritual growth.
Spiritual experiences are sometimes discussed with
such a strong emphasis on the transcendent and
the mysterious that their connection with the world
in which we live from day to day seems tenuous.
This makes their relevance to the curriculum
limited, given that much of the curriculum is
rightly focused on very concrete and practical
matters, the stuff of history; science, technology,
and so on. If spiritual experiences are entirely
detached from the way we live from day to day,
they may seem little more than passing fancies ­
hardly something which a lot of cross-curricular
effort should be directed towards. If spiritual
development is a whole curriculum matter, we must
attend to spiritual issues in each subject area with
an eye open to the question "how should we then
live?"
Spiritual understanding can also be viewed too
restrictively. If we see this as having to do with
some narrow area of religious doctrine, then we
will be hard pushed to see how it is of much
relevance outside of Religious Education. Once
we realise, however, the ways in which our basic
beliefs and commitments help to mould the way
that we live, then beliefs and commitments become
relevant across a wide range of curriculum areas.
4-
-------------------------------- DU
------------------------------­
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
• "Find .out· about~ple who' have
saerifiud s/nnethino for someone else e.g"
mot.:htW1whoJpJ wi'thliUtfood in order
thiJ;ttheir children don't s:ta1"Ve. Have
you evergiven up somethilIlJ for
anothqr e.g., 24 .!Jour famine; given your
tim:e to help S01nelJ1Je, etc.?
• Discuss people who havegivC1l their lives
for attius&, or for others e.g., Jesus;
Marti'n Luther'lung; MAhatma
Gandhi; Joan ofArc; etc. What makes
sOtlWone prepared to die for others?
• Make a list ofyour ambitions - for today,
this week. this yeat; 'the jitture. Discuss
together: how Cl!tn those ambitions be
achieved? Can ambition be W1'ong?
What shapes our ideas for what we want
to do in he jitture? Does God have any
part to play in that jitture?J·
(J~ Bentley - Primary Teacher)
At the san1e time, in connecting our ways of living
to spiritual growth, we are not simply looking at
lifestyles for their own sake. We are looking
precisely at how our spirituality shapes our living.
This involves an emphasis on:
• developing our capacities lU particular
directions guided by a sense of purpose;
• reflecting on the significance of our experiences;
and
• focusing on the connections and the
discrepancies between our beliefs and
commitments and our ways of living, loving,
spending, giving, working and playing.
When looking at how our capacities are exercised
in lived responses, we should note that experience
and understanding are still an important part of
the picture. It is in the interweaving connections
among the different dimensions that spirituality is
forged and that growth takes place. Linking these
dimensions of spiritual development provides
spaces for change and grmvth:
• If I experience deep disillusionment because
something in which I had trusted to give
meaning to my life proves untrustworthy, my
beliefs and behaviour are likely to change.
• If I come to believe in God, certain experiences
which I may previously have suppressed or
ignored may take on new significance.
• If I discover discrepancies between my beliefs
and my behaviour, I may seek to change my
behaviour ("If people are really important to
me, I can no longer behave like this") or begin
ro revise some beliefs ("If my liviog as if justice
were important is to make any sense, can I
believe that life is a cosmic accident?").
A child's spiritual growth is likely to involve many
such shifts and readjustments, and they will
continue throughout life. Will children be equipped
to handle them maturely? Will they be provoked
and enabled to reflect on the connections between
beliefs and behaviour? Will they have a language
with which they can talk about those connections?
These are some of the challenges presented by this
dimension of spiritual growth.
fDD
DD
---..,.--­ THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
A German language class has been
lMrning about the White Rose
resistance 1'fltJVCttlentin Nazi
'.•..... ~y'. Onc activity includes
c:ontras.ting statementsfrom Sophie
&holl). a: lMding member ofthe White
Ense,. and I?er_fisten Sophie expresses
WiUinjnesst(} du in opposition to the
. <Naziwgi'meifnec.essary7 while her
sister, calling a.tttntion to the fact that
thefamily .asalready k1'tOWn to the
authoritiesy aslied why it should be they
who acted against thegDVernment.
Heroism andprodence stand side by
side. One ofthe questions posed topupils
is~ C5ire you more like Sophie or more
like her sister?"
(From Charis Deutsch Einheiten 1 -5)
Summary
• Spirituality has to do with the shape of our
everyday living as it is informed by spiritual
experiences, beliefs and commitments.
• Spiritual growth will involve reflecting on the
connections and discrepancies between our
beliefs and commitments and our lifestyles.
• This focus on the question of how we should
live contributes further to making concern for
spiritual growth relevant across the .vhole
curriculum.
o So what now?
So, where has all this got us? Well, at the very least
,ve have shown that there is no cause to rack our
brains for some bizarre connection between
spiritual development and the teaching and learning
which go on in our classrooms. There are plenty
of connections, and plenty of avenues to pursue as
we seek to make our teaching as enriching as
possible for the pupils in our care. Spiritual
development across the curriculum is not an other­
worldly mystery but a down-to-earth possibility.
(i) Reviewing the curriculum
This possibility can be realised in practical ways
by beginning to assess where the different
dimensions of spiritual development outlined here
are already present in our teaching. As we pointed
out at the outset, it seems more helpful to think in
terms of where opportunities for spiritual grmvth
are being provided than in terms of fixed
benchmarks or orders of progression. Questions
like the following could help in trying to determine
where and how spiritual growth is being nurtured
in the schooL
• 'Vhere and when do children exercise
empathy; creativity or reflection on questions
of meaning and purpose?
• Is the exercise of these capacities given worth
and affirmation alongside more tangible
learning outcomes?
• When and where are children encouraged to
reflect on the significance of such capacities
and the wider purposes which they can serve?
• ""'here in the curriculmn do pupils experience
mystery; wonder, belonging arid worth?
----f.---
TIlE STAPLEFORD CE1STRE
• 'Where do they reflect on the beliefs about the
world which give meaning to their experiences
and shape human endeavour?
• Where do they face questions of good and evil,
and the meaning of their own darker
experiences?
• "''here in the curriculum do pupils engage with
the frameworks of belief which shape both
spirituality and various human activities?
• ~ere are the connections between belief and
behaviour explored?
• ~ere are pupils provoked to examine how they
live and how they
will live in the
future?
• Where and how
are spiritual
virtues such as
love, hope and
humility fostered?
This IS not, of
course, a definitive or exhaustive list, but it should
provide some starting points for investigation.
Having identified where and when these things
already take place in our classrooms, and hopefully
realised that we are not starting from scratch, we
can begin to look at where we can develop things
further:
• Are there parts of the curriculum where we have
not taken spiritual development into account?
• Are there ways in which what already goes on
can be broadened and deepened?
 We may not be able (and should not desire) to
enforce and regiment pupils' spiritual grmvth, but
we can take responsibility for ensuring that the
education which we offer provides opportunities
for and encourages such grmvth.
(ii) Demands upon the
teacher
One very real reason why the dimensions of
spiritual development outlined here can get
neglected is the scale of the
demands made upon today's
With so many teachers. With so many elements
elements of the of the curriculum to fit in, there
curriculum to fit in, seems to be little space for what
might seem the hu."Ury of focusing
there seems to be on spiritual development.
little space for what
might seem the This is a real issue, and it may
mean that some compromises are
lUXUry of focusing
necessary. But we would like to
on spiritual emphasise a point which has been
development. implicit in everything which has
been said so far. Spiritual
It means
development across the curriculum
recognising the does not mean suspending what we
spiritual dimensions usually teach in the different
in what we usually curriculum areas and doing some
religious education instead. Rather,
teach, while still it means recognising the spiritual
meeting our other dimensions in what we usually
goals for learning teach, while still meeting our other
goals for learning. Whether we
attend to the matter or not, the
education we provide is already full ofopportunities
for spiritual reflection and it is already shaped by
beliefs and commitments. What we are concerned
with here is taking more responsibility for
conscious use of those opportunities and for the
beliets and values which shape our teaching.
-----------------------------~----------------------------
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
Spiritual development and other kinds of learning
can and often do take place at the same time.
Consider this example:
.. j&,Fmuh langu4lfc class is learning to
.~r;"""paf'ative sentences - 71Utre than~
.. ftc;s..Tihan~.'the same as'. This could be
~.by~ns ofa traditional
..8ram'flita't exercise~ but instead they are
f jjiven fards on ear;h of which a woni is
pn1~tM.The wowlt are 'bruui~ 'fomil~
.fettucat:io~,> <rnoneyj<frimdship~
~lfflsUm~ ~~ 'foithYand 'lovey.
.·.1!htP##ls·~· #npdirs.. One partner
..··;<~w"iei~.c~nI and places itiJn ag~
.·~~inga $:tmunfsu:chas ''Water is
.;.i'i·tjJ~iniiSt~iln4~~ ThelJther places a
... ;~~(;i:t~!;~ng or disagreeing ­
#~rellet$· important than
:::: . ::~~{ T1.1ty continue until they have
"iijj'i!ied#1j ·(j!rfkr of importance for the
i·.~r4s.They 'have both practised using
f>i;'c,t»i1jfWati11it sentences and> at the same
·.. i<~··tliieussed.their values in life.
:; .
(From Charis F11fjtrrm .Unttes ]:5)
There is no need for spiritual development to be
squeezed out by time pressures. Indeed, if it
concerns basic questions of what we will believe
and how we will live, then it is vital to good
education that it should not be squeezed out. To
ignore it is to fail to provide for or even to suppress
a \~tal aspect of children's overall development.
There is, of course, another demand which
spiritual development places on the teacher. Just
as a teacher with no intellectual curiosity is unlikely
to fire much enthusiasm for inquiry in his pupils,
so a teacher who is unwilling to grapple with
spiritual issues such as those discussed here is likely
to find it difficult to make headway with fostering
spiritual development. A lip-service approach will
achieve little of lasting value, and may well even
do harm. We owe it to our students to model that
which we ask of them. This does not mean that
we need to embody perfection: honesty and
humility concerning our imperfections are part of
the spiritual attitude which we should be modelling.
It simply means that we cannot expect pupils to
wrestle with issues which seem to be regarded as
unimportant by their teachers, and that some
teachers will need the resources to begin to explore
and perhaps even rediscover their own spirituality.
(iii) The values of the school
The various areas which we have explored all
suggest ways in which we might look for spiritual
growth in pupils in their attitudes to their spiritual
capacities and the uses to which tlley put them, in
their reflection on the significance of their spiritual
experiences and those of others, in their
understanding of spiritual traditions and beliefs,
and in their exploration ofthe connections between
beliefs and commitments and ways of living their
lives. These all assume the context of a school
which is openly reflective concerning its basic
values and concerning its beliefs about what
constitutes healthy spiritual growth.
If spiritual development is to be tackled across the
curriculum with any coherence, then it is not just
individual teachers but school governors and whole
school communities which need to be engaged in
reflecting on their basic beliefs and values. As it is
increasingly recognised that education can never
be value-free, schools need to become more open
and explicit about the visions of life which are
reflected in their curriculum and in the life of the
schooL
-------------------------------- ..~..U
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
Schools which are explicitly based in the context
of a particular faith, such as Christian, Jewish or
Muslim schools, will look to that faith for the
framework within which reflection on the
curriculum and the life of the school will take place.
Such a framework offers enormous resources for
exploring how spiritual growth can be provided
for.
Most schools do not have such an explicit spiritual
identity. That does not, however, mean that no
beliefs or values shape their curriculum. A secular
stance is not a view from nowhere but a particular
perspective with particular implications for
spiritual development. Processes such as the
development and review of the school's mission
statement provide opportunities to clarify and
communicate the basic commitments which
inform the school's educational approach.
If schools are to contribute to spiritual growth in
a responsible way; they will need to examine what
values and stances they assume and to be willing
to question their adequacy. They will also need to
attend in an ongoing way to the connections
between such stances and what actually goes on in
the curriculum in relation to spiritual development.
They will also need
to face the issue of
how to deal with
differences in
belief and
commitment.
------------------------------­
 (iv) Dealing with difference
One of the things which can make people reluctant
to attention to questions of belief is their
controversial nature. How do we
deal with the fact that people
commit themselves to diftering,
even conflicting beliefs, and choose
different directions for their livesl
One way of dealing with it, which
has been mentioned and found
wanting earlier, is to ignore the
differences in belief. Keep our
attention on experiences for their
own sake or children's self­
expression and we will avoid the
controversies. This must be seen
as a recipe for superficiality ­
looking at what and how without
ever asking why.
Another tactic is to act as if all
options were equal, with one
person's spirituality as good as
anyone else's. While this sounds
attractively democratic, it ignores the fact that not
all spirituality is good. It fails to face up to the
If we are not to leave pupils with the impression
that spirituality is really just a matter of personal
taste (and therefore largely irrelevant to the
important issues in life) then we must give them
a sense of the need for careful reflection, honest
self-searching, wise choice and discerning
commitment
- - - - - - - - - - - - -~~
IJ[- _
. . ._ . - - - - . . . . . . . . - - - - ­
reality of evil and it shows scant regard for the
question of truth, which surely ought to be
somewhere near the heart of education. It reduces
spirituality to the level of differing personal tastes.
Controversial questions should be
dealt with by facing them honestly,
Rather than ruling
in all their difficulty. If we are not
commitments out to leave pupils with the impression
of court before we that spirituality is really just a
start, we can matter of personal taste (and
therefore largely irrelevant to the
proceed in a way
important issues in life) then we
which takes must give them a sense of the need
people's for careful reflection, honest self­
commitments searching, wise choice and
discerning commitment. Pupils
seriously, explores
can be made aware that the reason
their fruits and why there are such deep-seated
consequences,and differences is because spiritual
encourages a questions matter.
serious seeking
Indoctrination is therefore not the
after truth only alternative to superficiality.
We can lead pupils to appreciate
how particular spiritual
commitments have shaped art without requiring
them to share those opinions uncritica1ly. We can
reflect together on how our culture's faith in
science is expressed while still being able to
question that faith. We can convey a sense that it
matters whether the claim that Jesus made to be
the way; the truth and the life, which has so deeply
impacted 'Western history; is true without taking
away the space in which pupils can make their
own positive or negative response to that claim.
Rather than ruling commitments out of court
before we start, we can proceed in a way which
takes people's commitments seriously, explores
their fruits and consequences, and encourages a
serious seeking after truth.
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
(v) Faith and spirituality
This brings us back to an issue which has threaded
its way throughout this booklet. vVhiJe spirimality
is not the same as belief, we found repeatedly that
if we are to make sense of it then basic belie£~ and
commitments need to be taken into account. \Vhile
faith and spirituality can be distinguished, they
are nevertheless connected. While spiritual
development is more than a new name for religious
education, religion is far from irrelevant to it. We
will therefore close with some suggestions
concerning how faith communities can contribute
to the process of seeking to provide for spirimal
growth. This booklet is written from a Christian
perspective, and so the examples given are mainly
Christian ones, but the points will apply in similar
ways to other faiths.
First, it should be underlined that the renewed
concern for spirimal growth in schools does not
mean that spiritual growth is the preserve of
schools. Faith communities provide a cont~~1: for
the spirimal growth of many children which is
broader and more cohesive than that of the school,
both in terms of the role of faith in family life and
in terms of the wider worshipping community.
Schools should acknowledge, affirm, and where
appropriate cooperate with these wider contexts
of spirimal growth, rather than undermine them.
Faith communities can contribute resources which
can help schools to provide for spiritual
development. These may be human resources, for
instance, through a school inviting a local artist or
scientist who is a Christian into the classroom to
talk about the connections between their faith and
their work. Christian teachers are deeply concerned
with spirituality and familiar with a spiritual
tradition which is deeply intertwined with our
culmre's history.
nO
------------------~------------------
THE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
Other contributions include curriculum resources
such as this booklet, or the teaching materials
developed by the Charis Project, from which a
number of the examples in this booklet have been
drawn (for further information, see page 24).
Christian believers, like those of other faiths, have
a long history ofexploring the connections between
spirituality and everyday life, and therefore have
much to offer to schools.
Faith communities are also significant voices in
the discussion concerning what healthy spirimal
growth is. A concern for spiritual development
involves exploring the ways in which beliefs matter
in relation to different areas of the curriculum.
Christians hold particular beliefs about healthy
spiritual growth. Such growth will be
characterised more by humility than by self­
assertion, more by faith and hope than by suspicion,
more by worship and gratimde than by mastery
and independence. It will involve engaging with
the Bible and responding to the God revealed there.
Ultimately it will find its true roots in the character
of Christ, and in love of God, of others and of the
natural world. This, in briefest outline, is the
perspective which Christians commend to
educators who are concerned with spiritual
growth.
Finally ...
This booklet has not provided a detailed set of
instructions for encouraging spirimal development
across the curriculum. It has not answered all the
difficult questions which arise when we focus on
spirimality - in fact it has suggested that those
questions are part and parcel of what spirimal
development is all about. We can evade them, we
IDD.:
DD
Further Reading
The literature concerned with spiritual development is wide,
diverse in perspective and growing. The following list
includes some representative examples of the approaches
surveyed in this booklet.
Best, R. (Ed.). (1996). Educatwn, spirituality and the whole
child. London: Cassell.
Bradford, J. (1995). Caring for the whole child: A holistic
app1'oach to spirituality. London: The Children's Society.
Carr, D. (1995). Towards a distinctive conception ofspiritual
educatwn. Oxford Review of Educarion, 21(1), 83-98.
Carr, D. (1996). Rival conceptions of spiritual education.
Journal of Philosophy of Education, 30(2), 159-178.
Hay, D., & Nye, R. (1998). The spirit ofthe child. London:
Fount.
Hill, B. V. (1989). «Spiritual de!'ekpmmt" in the Educatwn
Reform Act: a source of acrimony, apathy or accord? British
Journal of Educattonal Studies, 37(2),169-182.
Marfieet, A. (1992). ~Vhose spirituality? SpectrurrJ, 24(1),
21-27.
References
The quote from Alan Brown, (Frontispiece) was in a letter
to the Church Times 'Teaching not just facts) but values',
3.10.97
Published resource materials from which examples have been
talcen are the Charis Project books (see the nnT page) and
the following:
4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ijU- - - - - - - - - - - - - -..- -
TilE STAPLEFORD CENTRE
can water them down, or we can face them
creatively. If we have any success in following the
last approach, it may turn out to have greater
significance for the lives of our pupils than many
other things which fall under the umbrella of
education.
Mott-Thornton, K. (1998). Common faith: Education,
spiritnolity and the state. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Nye, R., & David, H. (1996). Identifying children's
spirituality: hmv do you start without a 5tartit;g point? British
Journal of Religious Education, 18(3),
144-154.
Palmer, P. J. (1983). To know as we are known: A spirituality of
education. San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Priestley, J. G. (1996). Spirituality in the curriculum. Frinton­
on-Sea: Hockerill Educational Foundation.
SCAA (1995). Spiritual and moral de!'clopment. COM/95/
311. London: SC&:\.
SCAA (1996). Education for adult life: the spiritual and
moral devektpment ofyoung people. C0Mj96/509. London:
SCAA.
Wright, A. (1998). Spiritual pedagogy: A survey, critique and
reconstruction of contemporary spiritual education in England
and Wales. Abingdon: Cuiham College Institute.
Entry Pointsfor Christian reflection within educatw11 by Pamela
MacKenzie with Alison Farnell, Ann Holt and David Smith
(London: Care for Education, 1997)
Jesus through Art: A Resource for Teaching Religious Educatilm
and Art' by Margaret Cooling v,'ith Diane Wallcer and Jane
Taylor (Norwich: RMEP in association with National Gallery
Publications Limited and the Stapleford Project, 1998)