Learning social literacy

Abstract

how these individual teachers are ‘in line with current trends and practices socially, but their professional context is in a different place which is at odds with, but not outside of, these influences.’ (p. 63). As Gillespie writes (p. 20), ‘it is clear that one’s past and the relationship between self and family affects the ways in which one identifies oneself and, in turn, how spirituality, or the spiritual aspect of one’s life, is understood,’ though more examination of the varying influences of community, culture and traditions would have been valuable. The focus is on teachers’ views rather than children’s. However, the emphasis on relationships, connectedness and the search for identity and belonging, with children having multiple identities and a less certain sense of belonging, fits well with recent trends in work on children’s spirituality and the importance of relational pedagogies. While a short book inevitably can cover only a limited range of issues in a very complex area, future work could usefully fill out the arguments made. For instance, while there are numerous ways in which the teachers’ spiritualities and professionalism ‘misalign’ (p. 29), specific examples and consideration of different views of professionalism would strengthen the claims being made. More discussion of the implications throughout the school curriculum and beyond – and the dilemmas that this poses – and the suggestion, which I found somewhat surprising, that these teachers associated spirituality with a call to social action, outside as well as within their classrooms, would similarly help to fill out the case presented. While Spirituality in Education is well written, thoughtful and nuanced, a brief conclusion to highlight the key points would have been helpful. It tries to link the academic discourse and how practising teachers think about spirituality and how to nurture this; and mostly does so successfully, though. Gillespie describes clearly how understandings of spirituality have changed from being almost exclusively linked with religion to a process in which everyone, whatever their age or background, is engaged and draws out the potentially radical nature of spirituality and how this challenges many of the assumptions which underlie current policy. While the focus is on the English system, much of the discussion will be of interest to a wider, international readership, especially academics and graduate students.