The influence of adventist school education on the identity and faith of teenagers

Abstract

The objective of this research was to comprehend the influence of Adventist school education on the formation of the identity and faith of teenagers. Twelve teenagers from the senior year of High School were interviewed. The students were between 17 and 18 years of age, females, studying at the Campinas’ Adventist Academy and at the Hortolândia Adventist Academy, two cities in the interior of the state of São Paulo. The analysis was realized based on the theoretical models of Erik Erikson and James Fowler. Qualitative methodology was applied, based on the analysis of the content of the information obtained in the interviews. The interviews were semi–structured, using volunteers chosen from a list provided by the Academy, and by direct invitation. The analysis of the data revealed that Adventist Education influenced the identity of the teenager, favoring the formation of identity, promoting the formation of a mature and healthy teenager, able to question and think on possibilities and alternatives, capable of confronting crises, and secure about who they are and who they wish to become. It was also verified that the faith of the teenager is influenced by experience with the environment of Adventist education, which provided, in a significant way, a foundation him, with a valor structure, a meaning structure, and meaning for life. It was also observed that it had no impact on faith in terms of religious creed – at least not with regard to open adherence to the IASD – being that six non–Adventist interviewees, who studied during their entire High School term in Adventist Schools, left High School even more convinced of their own religious concepts. As to the crisis of identity that teenagers face, the interviews indicated the possibility that the dialogue practiced by professors and their posture as positive models, at times taking on a parental function, were important for the teenagers, helping them to make appropriate decisions at critical moments, as well as with personal valuation in situations when low self–esteem flourished. Some of the teenagers indicated the need for some professors to improve their relationships with students, believing that such proximity could help optimize learning. Finally, the research offers observations regarding Religion Classes, and that they address more directly the needs of the students instead of focusing on religious discourse.