Religious rite should keep to own 'sacred space'
I think I may have discovered what’s been throwing off my karma all these years: If a new survey of Wisconsin public educators is to be believed, a disturbing fraction of my teachers have been praying for me without my knowledge or consent.
As reported in the State Journal, James Hartwick, a social studies professor at UW-Whitewater, polled state grade school teachers on the role prayer plays in their lives as part of his dissertation research. Of the 882 teachers Hartwick contacted, 317 responded. Among participants, 91.5 percent reported they pray.
Of those who pray, half said they pray for their students at least once per month. Seventy percent said they believe praying makes them better teachers, and 60 percent reported believing they had been “called by God” to teach.
Hartwick uses his results to argue for an “intelligent design”-style breach of the church-state wall in the name of intellectual freedom, calling for schools to pony up their public funds to send teachers on religious retreats and provide, in the vein of hospital chapels, “sacred spaces where teachers can privately draw upon inner resources.” (Apparently their thoughts don’t suffice.)
He also invites further study on whether prayer makes students higher achievers. Placebo effects and third variables aside, decades of studies have consistently indicated people with more education and higher IQs tend to be less religious. However devotees feel their faith enhances their lives, sectarianism does not a scholar make.
Still, according to Hartwick, by praying for their pupils, teachers can become more in tune with students’ needs. But unless you’re George W. Bush, prayer tends to be a one-way communication channel. Wouldn’t the direct approach–actually talking to students–accomplish that end minus the metaphysics?
The last thing I wanted in grade school was a conclave of teachers cloistered away in a “sacred” supply closet making divine entreaties on my behalf. I would have been content to have had any of them initiate a single cerebral discussion outside of class.
But that takes effort. The State Journal piece on Hartwick’s dissertation also quoted a Madison elementary school teacher who said she likes prayer because it “makes teaching easy,” and helps her realize she doesn’t have to bear the cross of educating the next generation by herself.
Though having the good Lord pick up teachers’ slack puts a decidedly fresh spin on “No Child Left Behind,” surely serving up prayer with pre-calculus is not the best way to catalyze students.
When schools across the state are resorting to referendums to keep their arts programs, electives and extracurriculars running, it makes little sense to argue their resources and energies should be further diverted from enriching the mind to stoking the spirit.
Besides, to those of us who are not religious–10 to 15 percent of the population–proselytizing is patronizing. Teachers should keep their prayers and give students of all spiritual persuasions material they can use to intellectually ascend.
If they put their minds to it, mere mortals can make classrooms “sacred spaces” for illumination and reflection without hosting otherworldly guest speakers–they just need to have faith in themselves.
As reported in the State Journal, James Hartwick, a social studies professor at UW-Whitewater, polled state grade school teachers on the role prayer plays in their lives as part of his dissertation research. Of the 882 teachers Hartwick contacted, 317 responded. Among participants, 91.5 percent reported they pray.
Of those who pray, half said they pray for their students at least once per month. Seventy percent said they believe praying makes them better teachers, and 60 percent reported believing they had been “called by God” to teach.
Hartwick uses his results to argue for an “intelligent design”-style breach of the church-state wall in the name of intellectual freedom, calling for schools to pony up their public funds to send teachers on religious retreats and provide, in the vein of hospital chapels, “sacred spaces where teachers can privately draw upon inner resources.” (Apparently their thoughts don’t suffice.)
He also invites further study on whether prayer makes students higher achievers. Placebo effects and third variables aside, decades of studies have consistently indicated people with more education and higher IQs tend to be less religious. However devotees feel their faith enhances their lives, sectarianism does not a scholar make.
Still, according to Hartwick, by praying for their pupils, teachers can become more in tune with students’ needs. But unless you’re George W. Bush, prayer tends to be a one-way communication channel. Wouldn’t the direct approach–actually talking to students–accomplish that end minus the metaphysics?
The last thing I wanted in grade school was a conclave of teachers cloistered away in a “sacred” supply closet making divine entreaties on my behalf. I would have been content to have had any of them initiate a single cerebral discussion outside of class.
But that takes effort. The State Journal piece on Hartwick’s dissertation also quoted a Madison elementary school teacher who said she likes prayer because it “makes teaching easy,” and helps her realize she doesn’t have to bear the cross of educating the next generation by herself.
Though having the good Lord pick up teachers’ slack puts a decidedly fresh spin on “No Child Left Behind,” surely serving up prayer with pre-calculus is not the best way to catalyze students.
When schools across the state are resorting to referendums to keep their arts programs, electives and extracurriculars running, it makes little sense to argue their resources and energies should be further diverted from enriching the mind to stoking the spirit.
Besides, to those of us who are not religious–10 to 15 percent of the population–proselytizing is patronizing. Teachers should keep their prayers and give students of all spiritual persuasions material they can use to intellectually ascend.
If they put their minds to it, mere mortals can make classrooms “sacred spaces” for illumination and reflection without hosting otherworldly guest speakers–they just need to have faith in themselves.
posted by Holly at 7:19 PM
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