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Shaping moral character: What stories are our boys living?

8/2/2022

 
In his landmark 1981 book, After Virtue, philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre describes two people, separated by centuries, looking up at the night sky: 

‘The twentieth-century observer looks into the night sky and sees stars and planets; some earlier observers saw instead chinks in a sphere through which the light beyond could be observed. What each observer takes himself or herself to perceive is identified and has to be identified by theory-laden concepts.’

This is not a comment on advances in science or the merits of the empirical method. Rather, MacIntyre’s point is that the way we perceive the world and act in it is inextricably bound up in the theories we have about how the world works. Or to put it another way, how we think and what we do depends on the ‘big story’ we carry around in our heads.

And this really matters. For, as MacIntyre argues, “I can only answer the question ‘What am I to do?’ if I can answer the prior question ‘Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?’” 

That was the question put to our staff as we began 2022 with our Term 1 All-Staff Professional learning Day on Thursday 27 January. We continued in our journey over the last few years to see how we might put our Brave Hearts Bold Minds philosophy of education into practice and become experts in ‘teaching for character’. This year year we focus on the ‘moral character’ qualities we aim to form in our boys: Our Faith and Tradition which inspire truth, honour, loyalty and commitment. Helping boys reflect on their understanding of right and wrong, of their place in the world, and their calling within it, starts with surfacing the stories that they (and we) believe about the world.
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To help us do that, we were joined by Dr Justine Toh, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity and author of the new book Achievement Addiction. Dr Toh engaged staff in a crash course in cultural criticism, sketching out four powerful stories that shape our culture and considering their appeal and their shortcomings. First, there’s ‘the meritocratic story’, which says that you are what you achieve — so be sure to try harder. There’s the ‘infinite browsing story’, where as in Netflix, so in life, we keep our options open but are plagued by FOMO — the fear of missing out. Then there’s ‘the technocratic story’, where everything can be 'solved', except, of course, it can’t! And last, there’s the Christian story of people created in the image of God with infinite dignity and special purpose, a story which challenges the reductive view of the human condition so often presented to us. 
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Dr Toh challenged our staff to consider the ways in which we reinforce various stories about the world as we talk with our students. Making a high ATAR the de facto goal of learning in the senior years can teach boys that success is about hard work, and not also a result of the blessings of their birth and opportunities, leading them to look down on those who ‘didn’t make it’. In undertaking group work, we can spell out how to relate well to those who we don’t necessarily like, and so tell a story about how relationships across differences are more valuable than tribalism. In encouraging boys to immerse themselves in the humanities and creative arts (even if they tend to be more drawn to mathematics and the sciences), we can help them see that life is more about asking good questions than trying to find neat solutions. 

Opportunities to teach character are everywhere. The great challenge that lies before us as teachers, and much more as parents, is to get beneath the surface of boys’ behaviours to the beliefs that drive them. And it starts with asking that question of ourselves. What story am I living?

In coming weeks I look forward to sharing more about how we are helping our staff understand and practice expert character education at Scots, that our boys will go on to live ‘a better story’.


Dr Hugh Chilton
Director of Research and Professional Learning

3 Minute Thesis Competition - 18th March 2018

25/8/2017

 
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Caption: Dr Hugh Chilton (far left) with the winners of the 3MT Competition - Matthew Pfeiffer (second from left), Dr Caitlin Munday (second from right) and Monique Fewkes (far right)
Last Sunday, the Scots Research Office hosted the 3 Minute Thesis Competition during the College’s 125 Years Open Day. This competition was open to all staff members who had big ideas to share or were engaged in ongoing research. They were each given 3 minutes to present their key ideas in a succinct and engaging manner with the audience. A number of staff members stepped forward and presented on a large array of fascinating topics as listed below:

1. Dr Caitlin Munday: Constructing Community Within the Creative Arts Classroom: A Case Study
​2. Mr Jeff Mann: Issues for Boys in Middle High School – What Can We Do About It?
3. Mr Matt Pfeiffer: The Effects of Outdoor Education on Adolescent Self-Concept, Life Effectiveness and Locus of Control
4. Mr Chris Metcalfe: Blended Learning – A Way Forward
5. Mr Toby Castle: Western Privilege and Its Anodyne Influence in Cross-Cultural Peace-
Making
6. Mr Reece Condon: Experiential Education, Flourishing and Emotional Intelligence
7. Mr Eric Gibbings: The Tyranny of Numbers
8. Ms Monique Fewkes: Serving the Under-Served in Education

It was a real inspiration to see the ideas and passion brought forth by the Scots educators, indicating the growing expertise across the College. Members of the audience that included staff members, Old Boys, parents and students were duly impressed with the quality and depth of each presentation. Winners were ultimately decided based on a live voting system, of which Dr Caitlin Munday came in 1st, Mr Matthew Pfeiffer came in 2nd and Ms Monique Fewkes came in 3rd. 

The Scots Research Office would like to thank all members of the College who have played a part in making this event a successful one.

Ms Rachel Pan
Research Projects Officer

The Clark Lectures with Professor David Smith

Last Thursday night a very large audience from the College and the wider public enjoyed a stimulating and engaging evening at the 2017 Clark Lecture by Professor David Smith. Exploring the 'social imaginary' - the values embedded in our actual practices and not just our stated ideals - he demonstrated the increasingly materialist and utilitarian themes in language textbooks since the Enlightenment. He challenged teachers and school leaders to rethink the habits in our classrooms and in our school life to better orient them towards the formation of character, service and a vision for human flourishing. You can read more of Professor Smith's thinking in this ABC Religion and Ethics article on 'Faith in Schools: What values are communicated in our teaching and learning?'

Professor Smith's visit to the College over the past two weeks also included seminars with staff on faith, language and teaching practices, keynotes on cultural difference at the Ethos Conference. we held at St Andrew's College, and other sessions with staff and students. The Clark Lecture Series, now in its fourth year, aims to inspire the best of thinking about faith, learning and leadership by bringing to Sydney the world's finest scholars. We look forward to seeing you at next year's Clark Lecture Series in our 125th Anniversary, with Professor John Haldane of the University of St Andrews, who has recently been named one of the 50 most influential living philosophers.

Find out more about the Clark Lectures here.
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Professor John Stackhouse in residence at Scots

27/7/2017

 
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Over the past two weeks, the College has been privileged to host eminent Christian scholar, Professor John Stackhouse Jr, Samuel J Mikolaski Professor of Religious Studies and Dean of Faculty Development at Crandall University, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Professor Stackhouse began his visit by speaking to all staff with nuance and grace, about the importance of 'vocation', or 'calling' to 'make shalom' and 'make disciples' in our work as a learning community. He explored this notion of vocation in more depth in seminars with each of the Senior School faculties, helping staff make the connections between what we teach (i.e. the subject), how we teach (i.e. the discipline and the pedagogy) and why we teach (i.e. our worldview and values). He also worked with Prep staff on the nature of the A Fine Scots Boy! The Positive Behavioural Plan and its connections to our Brave Hearts Bold Minds philosophy.

In sharing his own story with students at Senior School Assembly and House Chapels, Professor Stackhouse called for a greater epistemic humility - being aware of what we don't know or might have wrong - and an attention not just to our achievements but to our character. Such themes will be followed up in a special ScotsIdeas forum on 'Being a (Good) Man', this Thursday 27 July at 6:00pm. Professor Stackhouse's visit concludes with keynote addresses on Christian leadership at this weekend's Scots Leadership Program retreat, which involves a cohort of 20 staff, who have successfully won a place in this custom-designed 18 month training program.

It is a privilege to be in a learning community which draws on exceptional thinkers like Professor Stackhouse, reflecting our commitment to being recognised globally as a leading, caring school for boys. We look forward, in Weeks 4 and 5, to welcoming our annual Clark Distinguished Professorial Fellow, Professor David Smith from Calvin College, to speak on 'The World We Think We Live In: Schooling and Christian Imagination'. For more details and to register for the Clark Lecture, please click here: http://www.clarklectures.org/.

MIT's Professor Ian Hutchinson delivers the 2016 Clark Lectures

25/8/2016

 

The 2016 Clark Lectures - Teaser from The Scots College on Vimeo.

The beautiful Scots Church was filled to near capacity last Thursday evening as parents, students, staff and friends of the College were treated to an intellectual 'tour de force' by eminent MIT nuclear physicist Professor Ian Hutchinson. His 2016 Clark Lectures on 'Faith and Fusion: science and the sources of truth' addressed the putative clash between science and Christian faith. Surveying history, philosophy and contemporary science, he pointed to the religiously-inspired origins of science and the practice of modern scientists like him as strong reasons to view this clash as a myth. He answered a number of tough questions on nuclear fusion research, Genesis and the origins of the universe, and the relationship between science, relativism and truth.

To watch the full recording of his lecture and question time, simply copy and paste the following URL into your browser: www.vimeo.com/179854618/c71892c6b1.

The Clark Lecture brought to a conclusion a highly successful two-week visit during which time a wide range of boys, staff, universities, churches and the media engaged with the thought and faith of this superb scholar. For more information about Professor Hutchinson's other talks please visit www.clarklectures.org.

Initiatives like the annual Clark Lectures and Ethos Conference are run by the Scots Research Centre to inspire the best of thinking about faith, learning and leadership.
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We look forward to seeing you at the 2017 Clark Lectures and at upcoming ScotsIdeas events.

Professor John Haldane Speaks On Our Intellectual Heritage

22/5/2016

 
PicturePrincipal Dr Ian PM Lambert with Professor John Haldane, admiring a portrait of Rev John Dunmore Lang
The Scots College's identity as a Presbyterian, non-selective, holistic educator of boys owes a great deal to the intellectual genealogy of its founder. The Reverend A. A. Aspinall's mentor was the great Presbyterian clergyman, politician and nation-builder Reverend John Dunmore Lang, who was in turn the disciple of one of Scotland's most influential 19th century churchmen, Reverend Professor Thomas Chalmers. A brilliant philosopher, political economist and preacher, Chalmers held the Chair of Moral Philosophy at the University of St Andrews and the Chair of Theology at the University of Edinburgh.

​A group of staff and Senior boys had the privilege last Thursday 12 May of hearing the scholar who occupies the same Chair of Moral Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. Professor John Haldane, one of the most respected moral philosophers in the world, delivered a special address on Thomas Chalmers and the Scottish tradition of moral philosophy. He explained the vital role of moral philosophy in integrating the disparate disciplines, exploring several pressing contemporary issues such as healthcare, economics and the future of the welfare state through its lens.

Along with the group of boys attending the annual St Andrews Summer School in June and July, the College is delighted to be hosting a number of guest academics and admissions representatives from the University of St Andrews across 2016, reminding us of our rich intellectual heritage and exploring opportunities for boys and staff to study at Scotland's oldest (and one of the UK's finest) universities. For more information or to discuss your interest in St Andrews please contact Dr Hugh Chilton at h.chilton@tsc.nsw.edu.au.

Leading economist and theologian Professor Paul Williams speaks at ScotsIdeas on business, ethics and leadership

17/11/2015

 
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On Thursday 12 November, ScotsIdeas, with the Institute for Business and Economics, welcomed Professor Paul Williams, Research Professor of Marketplace Theology and Leadership at Regent College, Vancouver, for a special Business Breakfast on Ethics and Leadership.

Professor Williams trained as an economist at the University of Oxford and worked in economic consulting for several years before undertaking theological training at Regent College. He then returned to the marketplace, working as an economic advisor for major international corporations and government agencies. In his most recent role before coming to Regent College, he served as Chief Economist and Head of International Research for DTZ Holdings, an international real estate consulting and investment banking group headquartered in London, UK. His key clients included JP Morgan, MetLife, Pirelli, Prudential, GE Capital, the Government of Estonia, and the Spanish Social Security Agency. Professor Williams has written numerous articles on Christian faith and the marketplace. His research interests include capitalism and globalization, the theology of public discipleship, marketplace mission, and workplace spirituality. 

Professor Williams addressed such questions as whether markets are moral, how theology has shaped economic thought, and the consequences of the Global Financial Crisis, in a discussion moderated by Economics teacher Mr Stephen Thompson. Professor Williams also met with a number of College staff to further our thinking about the nature of leadership and vocation in a Presbyterian school.

Eminent historian Professor David Bebbington delivers 2015 Clark Lectures

23/8/2015

 
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Over 200 members of The Scots College community and friends were treated to a stimulating evening at the 2015 Clark Lectures last Thursday, the centrepiece of the two week visit to the College from the eminent historian Professor David Bebbington, of the University of Stirling in Scotland. Professor Bebbington delivered a masterful overview of the development of higher education in Europe since the 12th century, connecting this story in seven acts to changing expressions of Christianity. He raised some critical questions about the nature of contemporary education at schools and universities, particularly the consequences of teaching young people functional skills without helping them think through the big questions of life: Why are we here? What is our purpose? What is right and wrong? What makes life worth living?

In many ways these questions lie at the heart of what we aim to do at Scots, as we challenge young men to develop brave hearts and bold minds, to seek and pursue what is good with all their might. Through programs like The Clark Lecture Series, ScotsIdeas, student university pathways, and a number of cooperative research programs, the Research Centre aims to help us as a College in 'lifting our gaze' and thinking harder about how the big questions shape our daily educational mission.

For more information about the annual Clark Lecture Series please visit clarklectures.org.

The 2015 Clark Lectures with Professor David Bebbington from tscdigitalmedia on Vimeo.

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Prof Darrell Bock, world expert in New Testament studies, visits Scots

25/7/2014

 
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On Thursday 17th July The Scots College welcomed leading academic and theologian Dr Darrell Bock to deliver a lecture on the Jewish background of Jesus Christ. Dr Bock is currently Executive Director of Cultural Engagement and Senior Research Profession of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in the US. He is a leading international scholar of theology and has written over thirty books on topics related to the Bible, including the New York Times bestselling Breaking the Da Vinci Code and a new book entitled Truth Matters: Confident Faith in a Confusing World written specifically for students thinking about the place of faith and truth in the University. Dr Bock joined us as a guest of the Centre for Public Christianity, and as one of a number of public and academic speaking engagements during his visit to Australia.

Over 50 students and staff gathered from Year 11 Studies of Religion and Years 10 and 11 Theology to hear Dr Bock speak. He addressed the presence and use of cultural script, evidence for Jesus’ Jewish heritage before providing a cultural historical context for his identity and life. Students were invited to converse with Dr Bock following the lecture and responded with insightful and reflective questions. This was a unique opportunity for students to engage with matters of faith: to be challenged in their understanding of Christian values in a context of intellectual rigor and excellence. 


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Professor Bock with senior Studies of Religion and Theology students, Rev Conrad Nixon (Senior Chaplain) and Hugh Chilton (Research Fellow)

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