It’s More than Just Religion: Teaching History in a Catholic School

Abstract

This study explores how one teacher, Rebecca, makes sense of teaching history in a Catholic school. This Catholic school had a clear religious mission and did not have required curriculum or high-stakes tests. Yet, findings indicate that Rebecca did not attend to the religious mission in her teaching and, in absence of curricula or high-stakes tests, she relied heavily on the textbook. Findings demonstrate the need for a greater understanding of what curricular content is being taught and learned in Catholic elementary and secondary schools and how it aligns with the mission and purpose of Catholic schools.