St Ignatius’ College Riverview hosted 26 delegates from Jesuit schools across the Asia Pacific region last week for the annual Ignatian Teachers’ Program.
The Jesuit Asia Pacific Conference organises the program each year as a way of bringing senior teachers and administrators together for formation and dialogue, and to help create a sense of partnership among Jesuit educational institutions in the region.
This year’s program drew together representatives from Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan and Micronesia.
Riverview’s Director of Religious Formation Mr John Gillies said 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 program in the senior school.
Presenters included Riverview Rector Fr Ross Jones and Province Education Delegate Ms 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. Ms Hickey spoke of the overall vision of education in the Province.
Participants also learned something of the history of the Catholic Church in Australia on a visit 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 Mr Gillies.