Twenty-six delegates from Jesuit schools across the Asia Pacific region converged at St Ignatius’ College Riverview (Riverview) in Sydney, Australia for the annual Ignatian Teachers Program.
The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific organises the programme each year as a way to bring senior teachers and administrators together for formation and dialogue, and help create a sense of partnership among Jesuit educational institutions in the region. This year saw participation from teachers from Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan and Micronesia.
Over the course of the week of November 12 to 18, participants engaged in a number of experiences at the college, including interacting with students doing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) projects, and looking at the development of the Magis programme in the senior school.
They also learned from the experience of several presenters including Riverview Rector Fr Ross Jones SJ and Australian Province Education Delegate Jennie Hickey. Fr Jones introduced the teachers to the school’s Companions Programme, which partners teachers with experienced mentors in order to support their professional development through conversation. Hickey spoke of the overall vision of education in the Province.
The participants also learned something of the history of the Catholic Church in Australia on a visit to St Mary’s Cathedral.
“The educational community at Saint Ignatius’ College is enriched by the diversity of experience that the delegates share and the facilitators from the College learn much from our sisters and brothers in ministry,” said Riverview’s Director of Religious Formation John Gillies.