The publication of The Characteristics of Jesuit Education in 1986 aroused a renewed interest
in Jesuit education among teachers, administrators, students, parents and others around the
world. It has given them a sense of identity and purpose. That document, translated into 13
languages, has been the focus for seminars, workshops, and study. Reactions have been
overwhelmingly positive.
In recent years a question has been heard from diverse parts of the world. How can we make the
principles and orientation of The Characteristics more useable for teachers? How can Ignatian
values be incorporated in a practical pedagogy for use in the daily interaction between teachers
and students in the classroom?
The International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) has been working
for over three years to respond to this question. With help from reactions and suggestions of lay
and Jesuit educators the world over, seven drafts were written for this paper introducing the
Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm. From the outset, however, we were convinced that no
document alone would help teachers to make the adaptations in pedagogical aproach and
teaching method required in Ignatian education. To be successful in bringing the Ignatian
Pedagogical Paradigm into regular use in Jesuit schools, members of the International
Commission are convinced that staff development programs in each province and school are
essential. Teachers need much more than a cognitive introduction to the Paradigm. They require
practical training that engages and enables them to reflect on the experience of using these new
methods confidently and effectively. For this reason, ICAJE has worked, from the start, on a
project to help teachers.