Paradoxes, parallels and pedagogy: A case study of Ignatian pedagogy and of teachers' perceptions of its implementation in Australian Jesuit schools

In 1986 the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) produced a document titled The Characteristics of Jesuit Education. This document was an attempt to define the distinctive nature of Jesuit Education. Seven years later, Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach (1993) was written by the same body in response to the following questions: How can the principles and orientation of The Characteristics be made more useable for teachers? How can Ignatian values be incorporated into a practical pedagogy for use in the daily interactions between teachers and students in the classroom? This study investigates the nature and origins of Ignatian Pedagogy, and its implementation in Jesuit schools in Australia.