Staff Formation; A Case Study
From 2020-2021 I undertook post-graduate studies at Catholic Theological College and the University of Divinity in Melbourne. My Graduate Certificate in Research Methodology course included a 16 000 word Minor Thesis entitled "The Formation of Staff in Australian Lutheran Schools Challenges and Opportunities; A case study of one Queensland College". In this qualitative case study, I interviewed the school principal, pastor, a secondary and a primary teacher and coded the data to draw some general themes about the school's formation culture. A big thankyou to my supervisor Dr Rina Madden for her wisdom and patience.
| Minor Thesis Tim Jarick |
Mysticism, Monks and Marty
This document looks at what Martin Luther offers in terms of a contemplative meditative spirituality. It discusses what can be learnt from the Christian tradition of meditation that seems lost to many people in our culture today who are drawn more to eastern meditative forms. Other issues looked at include how meditation was practiced by Orthodox Christians and the Monastic communities of the Middle Ages. As well as what the Lutheran tradition teaches about meditation.
| Meditation in the Lutheran Tradition |
Positive Psychology and Lutheran Theology
This is a paper I have written for my own understanding and to reflect on my school's journey with positive psychology. As positive psychology and it's positive school's movement gains more traction in educational circles it is wise to reflect on how it dialogues with Lutheran theology and our own educational culture.
| Positive Psychology and Lutheran Theology |
Church-School Cultural Forces
What cultural forces are at play in your Church-School relationship? I have developed the following audit tool from Educationalist Ron Ritchhart of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. From his research in schools where cultures of thinking was evident, Ritchhart has formulated eight cultural forces which effect learning. For more information on Ritchhart click on http://www.ronritchhart.com. These cultural forces include time, opportunity, routines and structures, language, modelling, interactions and relationships, physical environments, and expectations. I believe these categories of culture can likewise speak into the realm of church-school relationships (thank you to Sue Zweck for the original idea!). You might find this audit tool useful to question what cultural forces are at play in your Church-School relationship and also to critically think where your partnership is spending its time and energy. This audit tool would be a great springboard for discussion between your principal and pastor, school and church councils, or mission and ministry teams.
| Church-School Audit Tool |
Models of Church-School
If you work in a church-school context, what is the nature of the relationship and what models do you work with? Historically in the LCA congregations have established primary schools and had a close relationship with them. Over time the Australian Federal government has funded independent schools and in Queensland especially in the 1980s there was a boom of new Lutheran schools opening including secondary colleges.
This discussion paper was established for my setting where a large K-12 College had outgrown a small aged congregation. In such an organisational dynamic there will be always be tensions especially if a congregation is worshipping on the school site as well as in another older church location. However what is beneficial for both groups is to agree on their common mission and ministry in the gospel and for deep trust to exist between school and congregational leaders. For a common approach to mission and ministry it is useful to unpack our understandings of what the church is, the models we might operate with, how Lutheran theology understands church, and how a community of faith exists within the school setting.
This discussion paper was established for my setting where a large K-12 College had outgrown a small aged congregation. In such an organisational dynamic there will be always be tensions especially if a congregation is worshipping on the school site as well as in another older church location. However what is beneficial for both groups is to agree on their common mission and ministry in the gospel and for deep trust to exist between school and congregational leaders. For a common approach to mission and ministry it is useful to unpack our understandings of what the church is, the models we might operate with, how Lutheran theology understands church, and how a community of faith exists within the school setting.