Full Description
For far too long Catholic teaching sisters have been denied their rightful place in the history of education. It is only during the past twenty-five years that researchers in many countries have begun to reveal the fundamental role played by these women in the schooling of children of both the masses and the elite during the 19th and 20th centuries. This essay provides for the first time a detailed overview of the historiography of the teaching sisters in Western Europe, North America, Latin America and Australasia, surveying scholarship since 1985. It reviews the literature on six major themes: contribution to schooling, teaching orders and schools, educational philosophy, content and practice, life and lived experience of teachers and students, the professionalization of teaching, and changes in the composition of the teaching staff. Very rich in bibliographical references, this book is indispensable for all further research on this significant but underexplored group of women teachers.
Contents
Contents
Acknowledgements 7
Chapter 1
Introduction 9
Background of the research 9
Scope 10
Aims and objectives 11
Organization of the study 11
Chapter 2
Evolution of scholarly interest in the educational work
of women religious 13
A tale of historical neglect and marginalization 13
The discovery of women religious as a historical 'subject' 14
Elements of a new historiography 16
Chapter 3
Overview and assessment of the literature 19
Contribution to schooling 19
Teaching orders and schools 24
Educational philosophy, content and practice 29
Educational philosophy 30
Educational content 32
Educational practice 40
Life and the lived experience of teachers and students 41
The professionalization of teaching 46
Training, competence and experience 47
Life-long career and career patterns 49
Specialization and corporate identity 50
Relationship with associations and unions of teachers 51
Involvement in textbook production 52
Changes in the composition of the teaching staff 53
Chapter 4
Conclusions 55
Notes 57
Bibliography 87
