[ JSS 2.1 (2012) 61–76] (print) ISSN 2044-0243 doi:10.1558/jss.v2i1.61 (online) ISSN 2044-0251 © Equinox Publishing Ltd 2012, Unit S3, Kelham House, 3 Lancaster Street, Sheield, S3 8AF. Spiritual Education: A Teacher Development Initiative Bernadette Flanagan 1 All Hallows College, Dublin City University, Republic of Ireland blanagan@allhallows.ie James Nelson 2 Stranmillis University College, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland J.Nelson@stran.ac.uk; Aiveen Mullally 3 Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland Aiveen.Mullally@mie.ie Abstract: here has been much discussion of the growing need for spiritual education in school settings, but less investigation of the form and shape that such a practice might take. his article begins by recalling Hannan Alexander and Terence McLaughlin’s distinction between religiously ‘tethered’ and ‘untethered’ spirituality, but it then eschews these distinctions in favour of an anthropological, inclusive approach. he research question then focuses on the challenges and opportunities for introducing practices such as sensory awareness exercises, relective practices or mindfulness meditation in educational settings in Ireland, North and South. Given the observation of Brenda Watson and Penelope hompson that the disposition of the teacher is fundamental to the spirit of a subject, we focused the investigation on the experiences of teachers 1. Dr Bernadette Flanagan is director of research at All Hallows College, Dublin City University. Over the past ten years she has developed a range of graduate programmes for the academic study of spirituality. Her forthcoming publication is M. O’Sullivan and B. Flanagan (eds), Spiritual Capital – Spirituality in Practice in Christian Perspective (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012). 2. James Nelson (Stranmillis University College, Belfast) is a lecturer in Religious Education and experienced author of Religious Education textbooks for the Post-Primary classroom. 3. Aiveen Mullally has a master’s degree in Religion and Culture from Mater Dei Institute of Education in Dublin. She began her career as a teacher of religious education and is currently working in Marino Institute of Education, coordinating the School Ethos initiative, and lectures in world religions and religious diversity in the classroom.