INTRODUCTION

The Purpose and Content of the Courseware

This manual is a Courseware in “Religious Experience and Spirituality”
(REEXSPI) as teaching guide/material for teachers in Theology/Philosophy area. It pro-
vides a description of the general steps to be undertaken in developing the material or
implementing the process improvement/innovation. The aim of the courseware project is
to produce informative and experiential teaching material and emphasize the im-
portance of spiritual elements in the life of both teachers and students in the community
of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde.

The course subject, “Religious Experience and Spirituality” (REEXSPI) must

find a permanent place in Catholic school and in the College curriculum. The truth of life
teaches us, that religion and spirituality matter a great deal in one’s life and the course
title is very essential especially in the today’s world full of secularism, where a timid in-
tellectual neutrality has effectively and totally ignored the importance of finding meaning
and purpose in one’s life (National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2015, p.179).

As an educational institution of the Church, the Catholic school like DLS-CSB

pursues the evangelizing mission of the Church as its unique, inclusive, innovative and
essential goal. Catholic teachers in the college are encouraged to participate in the mis-
sion by appearing as a witness to faith and guide students to discover and know the
meaning and purpose in their lives and help develop students beliefs and values (Con-
gregation for Catholic Education, 1997, Convey 1992). Therefore, this is a humble re-
sponse and acknowledgement to the commitment to Lasallian mission as one important
dimension of teacher’s commitment in the Lasallian educational institution.

Religion and Spirituality matters deeply as one of the main reasons why this
REEXSPI courseware originally created to guide teachers particularly in the theolo-
gy/philosophy area and associates in the CSB community to create a personal and pro-
fessional teaching materials in Religious Experience and Spirituality that also satisfies
ones struggling, imperfect longing for meaning and purpose in life. This courseware in

1
Religious Experience and Spirituality, as what the proponent want to share, as best he
can, the teaching material to bring into some kind of realistic, practical, ecumenical, in-
ter-cultural and yet compassionate perspective. The courseware manual is an oppor-
tunity among school area teachers/educators (and their students as well) in preparation
not just a helpful material but also to confront the spiritual dimension of their lives in a
formal classroom setting is an idea whose time has finally come in teacher spiritual ed-
ucation programs.

COURSEWARE AIMS and OBJECTIVES:

The aim of this COURSEWARE is to provide learning and guide materials for
teachers in the Theology/Philosophy area of DLS-CSB. The purpose of the learning
guide material is to develop and nourish the spirituality of the school and community as
vital partners in the character education of the youth in finding meaning and purpose in
one’s life. The aim is also to empower teachers in the area who is in the best position to
carry out the Lasallian-Benildian goals of character education.

The Courseware is also focusing on the inclusive and innovative educational en-
vironment of DLS-CSB and how this environment of inclusive education is contributing a
role in both teachers and students spiritual needs. To include the importance and incor-
poration of diverse spiritual measures and practices and considerations among stu-
dent’s needs, especially counseling and group works, which focuses to uplift religiosity
and spirituality among students within and outside the DLS-CSB community.

The main objectives of this Courseware as a tool to provide materials for teach-
ers are the following:

1. To provide directions and instructional guide/outline for teachers in explaining the

various approaches to personal and communal spiritual growth.

2. To indicate and determine the guidelines for assessment from the course/topic con-
tent, along with the Lasallian-Benildian core values that are to be transmitted creat-

2
 ing an online repository of spiritual education materials for teachers using Bigsky
and other website links.

3. To assist and perform a focus on spiritual formation that leads to develop an aware-
ness of personal spiritual gifts among students and understanding and appreciation
of life through diversity of people expressed in various spiritual practices.

THE LEARNING CYCLE:

The learning cycle is the flow of the courseware lesson plan which can not only
instruct students but guide them in developing and strengthening their personal and
spiritual growth through discovery of one’s meaning and purpose in life and relationship
with God and with one another. The learning cycle used in this courseware consist of
three separate movements: experience, information, and application. These three learn-
ing cycle taken together will assist students in learning the material, owning the con-
cepts, applying what they have learned to their lives, and changing their lives on the ba-
sis of what they’ve learned and discovered. For each week/lesson one, two or three
learning cycles are provided, depending on the number of major concepts to be taught.
It is possible to teach an entire week/lesson using a single learning cycle. (Catechism of
the Catholic Church, #40, 2010).

Experience:

Meaningful learning is rooted in the life experience of students. As the Catechism

of the Catholic Church states, “We can name God only by taking creatures as our start-
ing point, and in accordance with our limited human way of knowing and thinking” (#40).
Our knowledge of our own existence and our relationship with God will be meaningless
unless we understand its relevance to the rest of our lives. The experience portion of
each learning cycle is intended to help students identify the issues and questions which
are already a part of their lives and to which the information being taught will speak. It is
worth noting that the primary purpose of the experience section is not to “teach’ some-
thing new, but to help students identify those things which are already a part of their

3
lives and which will give meaning to what they will learn. (The Church Our Story: Patri-
cia Morrison Driedger, 1999, Teachers Manual, p8. Ave Maria Press).

Information

The primary information for this courseware is provided by the teachers in power
point. A list of key concepts are/were highlighted and is provided for each week/lesson
in this courseware. The courseware manual also provides a variety of strategies for
helping students to engage the lesson. In addition to the strategies offered in this
courseware, Study Questions are included that can help the students to apply and/ or
report information that is covered either through class discussion or as a writing as-
signment.

Application

In order for students to make what they have learned and experienced their own,
they must apply it to their lives. In this learning cycle students manipulate the infor-
mation which has been presented in such a way that it speaks to their own context. For
example, students will be asked to apply what they learned to teach or persuade others,
to analyze arguments and events, and to evaluate strategies and behavior. (The Church
Our Story: Patricia Morrison Driedger, 1999, Teachers Manual, p9. Ave Maria Press).

PLANNING THE COURSEWARE

Religious Experience and Spirituality: The first half of the Courseware on

Reexspi consists of (9) nine lessons. Lesson One serves as an introduction to the
course, house rules, reality of man’s existence, as a person and man’s natural longing
for God. Lesson Two through lesson Three each have two sub topics. The second les-
son in each sub-topics presents the foundation and meaning of religious experience, the
varied views of the nature of religious experience as they relate to a particular under-
standing or aspect of religious experience. Third lesson, those classifications and char-
acteristics of religious experience which explain or illustrate the different classifications
through examples from the authors and the saints. The last sub-topic in lesson three is

4
film analysis with two or more than three movie options to choose, which relate to reli-
gious experience and spirituality. Lesson four focusses on the nature and importance of
prayer, it’s forms and expressions.

The second half of the courseware, begins with lesson five on the nature and
basic understanding of spirituality, the benefits of practicing spirituality and human feel-
ings. Lesson six discusses the spirituality of major religions, the belief system, rules of
behavior and practices which help to understand and appreciate the different views and
spiritual practices of other beliefs. Lesson seven focusses on the richness of Christian
spirituality particularly the Lasallian spirituality its mission and charism that views the life
of the founder St. John Baptist De La Salle and the life of St. Benilde Romancon. Les-
son eight is a review unit on spirituality, particularly signs and benefits of spiritual well-
ness and learning from realities and lessons of life. Lesson (9) is the synthesis of the
courseware which involved the whole class to an inter-faith or ecumenical gatherings
with several activity options.

If you are teaching the course in a fourteen week semester, the following sched-
ule provides a tentative plan for covering the text material. Each lesson with weeks and
time duration generally is scheduled as follows:

Lesson 1: Week 1 (3 hours)

Lesson 2: Week 2 and 3 (6 hours)

Lesson 3: Week 4 and 5 (6 hours)

Lesson 4: Week 6 (3 hours)

Week 7 MIDTERM EXAM and CONSULTATION

Lesson 5: Week 8 (3 hours)

Lesson 6: Weeks 9 and 10 (6 hours)

Lesson 7: Week 11 (3 hours)

Lesson 8: Week 12 (3 hours)

5
Lesson 9: Week 13 Synthesis

Week 14 FINAL EXAM and CONSULTATION

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

According to research on brain and behavior (P.M. Driedger, 1999) shown that
people think and learn in different ways. Studies have identified seven (7) different ways
of learning and knowing: verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, physical-
kinesthetic, musical-rhythmic, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Most people are profi-
cient at only one or two of these ways of learning. Also, each student is likely to have
difficulties in learning and/ or expressing knowledge in one or two of these areas.

There is no best way to learn. In planning the lessons keep in mind the different
ways in which students learn and think, and provide as wide a variety of teaching strat-
egies as possible. A variety of teaching strategies are suggested in the learning cycle
for various lessons. These strategies are described as follows. (P.M. Driedger, (1999)
The Church. Our Story. Catholic Tradition, Mission and Practice.)

Tapping Prior Knowledge

Teachers can use prior knowledge to make teaching and learning more meaning-
ful. Many researchers (Peshkin, 1992; Protheroe & Barsdate, 1992; and Lee, 1992)
emphasize the importance of incorporating a learner's cultural background into the cur-
riculum. As the world changes, learners must learn to understand and appreciate the
experiences and contributions of people from different backgrounds. A culturally-
responsive education links curriculum, teaching and learning, and assessment to the
learners' experiences, language, and culture, in other words, to their prior knowledge.
(Peshkin, A. (1992). The relationship between culture and curriculum: A many fitting
thing. In P.W. Jackson (Ed.), Handbook on research on curriculum, (pp. 248-267). New
York: Macmillan and Protheroe, N. J., & Barsdate, K. J. (1992, March). Culturally Sensi-
tive Instruction. Streamlined Seminar, 10(4), 1-4).

6
 Prior knowledge is the proper entry point for teaching and learning because it
builds on what is already known, supports comprehension, and makes sense of new
learning (Kujawa and Huske, 1995). Tapping learners’ prior knowledge is an effec-
tive way to start a new lesson or topic and an even better way to get students involved
right from the start with classroom discussions and activities. Referring back to this
knowledge throughout a discussions will keep students engaged in their learning and
keep the lesson relevant. (Kujawa, S., & Huske, L. (1995). The Strategic Teaching and
Reading Project guidebook (Rev. ed.). Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Educa-
tional Laboratory.)

Cooperative Learning

The primary goal of group work is to get students actively involved in their learn-
ing where there is an accepted common goal. This grouping allows students to work to-
gether to maximize their own and each other’s learning. “In a co-operative learning situ-
ation, interaction is characterized by positive goal interdependence with individual ac-
countability.” (Johnson & Johnson, 1998). In order for co-operative grouping to be effec-
tive and make good use of classroom time, group work must have clear role responsibil-
ities, goals, and individual accountability. (Johnson, D. & Johnson, R.
(1998). Cooperative learning and social interdependence theory: Cooperative learn-
ing. www.co-operation.org/pages/SIT.html*).

With time and patience, any teacher at any level/courses can incorporate co-
operative learning into teaching and learning. The keys to success are maintaining high
expectations, keeping learners individually and collectively accountable, and creating a
classroom environment where co-operation is encouraged. (Kagan, L., Kagan, M., Ka-
gan., S. (1997). Cooperative learning structures for teambuilding. San Clemente, CA:
Kagan Cooperative Learning).

7
Reflection Writing

Individual reflection writing can be particularly helpful for those students who
learn best by reflecting on the personal aspects of what they have experienced, learned
and by applying their learning to their self-understanding. Reflection activities should be
kept private. The teacher may check the reflection papers to see and identify if students
have honestly written them, but not read entries in class unless the student indicates the
teacher may. This can be done by having the student code marker if he or she wishes
to be read in class or big event. (P.M. Driedger, 1999).

Peer Feedback

Students value each other’s opinions and ideas. In most cases, they enjoy work-
ing with one another. If given the opportunity, students can give and receive important
and valuable ideas from a peer. When set up correctly, structured peer-to-peer meet-
ings give students time to get suggestions, ideas, and compliments on their work. When
meetings are productive, students are aware of what to look for and have specific crite-
ria to follow as they work with their peers. Evaluation guides or checklists can be handy
tools to keep students on task and remind them to offer positive feedback as well as
suggestions and ideas. With practice and modelling, teachers can implement this strat-
egy into the classroom at any time for a variety of purposes and activity options. (Mar-
zano, Pickering and Pollock (2001).

Recognition

Recognition of students work can take place in many different ways across all
level courses and learning areas. Providing students simple opportunities to display
work or organize event in the vicinity of the school or in a simple classroom activity,
displays exemplary work to peers and fellow Benildians. Holding Ecumenical/Interfaith
gathering and Community discussions, inviting experts into the classroom to see the
work of students have completed, and sharing work with younger and older buddy clas-

8
ses are all significant ways in which students can be recognized for their hard work and
effort. Not only do students, teachers and associates share the work effort but the im-
portant learning that took place as well.

More teaching strategies…

BIBLIOGRAPHY
MATERIALS