“The mind (soul) must become capable of bearing the sight of real being and reality at its most bright, which we’re saying is goodness. That’s what education should be: the art of orientation.” (Republic 518c)
Religious Educators as Educators
Plato continued
‘Education should devise the simplest and most effective methods of turning minds around. It shouldn’t be the art of implanting sight in the organ but should proceed on the understanding that the organ already has the capacity, but is improperly aligned and isn’t facing the right way’ (Plato: Republic, 518c/d)
Adolescence
Loss of childhood binary concepts and innocent trust of authority
Religious Educators as Educators
Adolescence
“As the roaring of the waves precedes the tempest, so the murmur of rising passions…warns us of the approaching danger. A change of temper, frequent outbreaks of anger, a perpetual stirring of the mind, make the child ungovernable”. (Rousseau, Emile, NY: Dutton, 1955, first published 1762)
Middle school teachers might be tempted to say: ‘make the child unteachable’!
Religious Educators as Educators
Adolescence
It is naturally a time of disorientation and re-orientation.
This is what makes middle school teaching so full of possibility. What matters is that we provide safe passage for our young people from childish simplistic notions towards being capable of the complexity and ambiguity of human (and religious) life.
Religious Educators as Educators
Adolescence
‘To become capable of reality at its most bright’
To become capable of God
Heidegger: What is called Thinking?
Thinking is not merely having an opinion or an idea about a state of affairs. Thinking is not developing a chain of premises that lead to a valid conclusion…Thinking is not so much an act as a way of living or dwelling. It is a gathering and focussing of our whole selves on what lies before us and a taking to heart and mind these particular things before us in order to discover in them their essential nature and truth”.
Thinking
Thinking is the orientation of beings towards being
‘The Woodcarver’
Heidegger continued
‘Teaching is even more difficult than learning. We know that; but we rarely think about it. And why is teaching more difficult than learning? Not because the teacher must have a larger store of information and have it always ready. Teaching is more difficult than learning because what teaching calls for is this: to let learn’. (p15)
preserve the inner truth of the individual story. It is not the type of
‘objective’ explanations of science and psychology that that must deny
subjectivity or individuality to be valid. Abstract/3rd person vs lived truth
Put simply: spirit cannot be put under a microscope or
understood by research or presented in statistics
C.S.Lewis ‘Don’t go to sea without a map’ (in handout)
Purposeful pedagogical tools
As Soren Kierkegaard put it:
“To be spirit is to be I. God desires to have I’s, for God
desires to be loved. Mankind’s interest consists in alleging
objectivities everywhere; this is the interest of the category
of race. “Christendom” is a society of millions – all in the
third person, no I.” (Journals, 4350)
This is his ‘Attack on Christendom’
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Spirituality is not statistics
Only an individual can hear the divine voice:
“Come here to me, all who labour and are
burdened and I will give you rest”
Kierkegaard’s reflections on Christ’s words in Practice in Christianity
are some of the most beautiful and profound in all Christian writing
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Spiritual Literacy
‘That to which your heart clings or
attaches itself, that is your god.’
Martin Luther
Student question: How does one distinguish between a
true God and idols or substitutes? Why does it matter?
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Spiritual Literacy
Scientists are the Guardian of the Laws of the
Physical Universe
Religions are Guardians of the Laws of the
Spiritual universe
[ask students to identify some of these laws]
Purposeful pedagogical tools
2. Biblical Literacy – ‘What God is…’
How would you deal with the following questions?
Why is God the way he is?
Why is the God of the New Testament so
different from the God of the Old Testament?
Purposeful pedagogical tools
2. Biblical Literacy – ‘What God is…’ – Multiple metaphors
Political leadership – King, Lord, Warrior, Judge, Lawgiver
Everyday human life – Builder, gardener, shepherd, potter, healer, father, mother, lover, wise woman, old man, friend
Nature and inanimate objects – Eagle, lion, bear, hen, fire, light, cloud, wind, breath, rock, fortress and shield
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Biblical Literacy – ‘Imaging God’ – Why it matters
King:
Grandeur, majesty, glory
Power and authority
Lawgiver and judge
Justice
Protection
Male
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Biblical Literacy – ‘Imaging God’ – Why it matters
Fire:
Safety, protection, warmth
Danger, destruction, fear
Purifying agent
Light
Mysterious, wild, powerful
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Biblical Literacy – ‘Imaging God’ – Why it matters
Mrs Beaver from Narnia:
‘Aslan is good but not safe’
Purposeful pedagogical tools
2. Biblical Literacy – ‘Gospels as portraits’ – Perspective and truth
1. What does the word "gospel" mean?
2. Why are the Gospels more like portraits than photographs?
3. Fill out the following table
Gospel Date writtenFor Whom Portrait of Jesus
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Purposeful pedagogical tools
2. Biblical Literacy – Perspectives and Truth - Suggestions
Rewrite a story from the Hebrew scriptures from the ‘other’ point of view (for example, a resident of Jericho who survived or a citizen of Nineveh when Jonah turns up),
Examine texts where scholars suggest two traditions of authorship have been merged (for example, Genesis 1 and 2 or Moses crossing of the Red Sea) – see handout
Write an account of your time as a disciple of Jesus (Judas?)
Try to imagine being Saul, the good Pharisee, who undergoes the conversion experience on the road to Damascus and becomes Paul (could relate that back to and explore in terms of one of the ‘salvation’ concepts)
Visual: Analyse images of Christ across cultures and eras
Purposeful pedagogical tools
3. World Religions and ‘Truth’
How religions begin and what they are:
‘The source, the bore, the well and the brickwork’ exercise
Abraham was an exemplar model for monotheism and a mentor for all believers in One God. His faith and submission to One God was equal to the faith of a whole nation as described in the Holy Qur’an.
Hajj - Significant Practice in Islam
Purposeful pedagogical tools
HINDUISM SHORT STORY (Could have any religion as focus)
Write a short story in which at least one character is a Hindu. During the course of the story, you must display an understanding of at least 10 features of Hinduism. These must be footnoted and explained in the footnote. For example, “Indira’s grandfather died after a long illness. She wondered whether he had moved up in the cycle of Samsara or whether his Karma had not been good enough for this. Indira found the Hindu belief in reincarnation difficult to understand and yet at times, it also seemed to make sense.”
Purposeful pedagogical tools
3. World Religions and ‘Truth’
Year 9 (girls) exam question: Short essay
“The soul of religion is one but is encased in a
multitude of forms”. (Gandhi)
Discuss with reference to exclusivism, non-
exclusivism and pluralism
Purposeful pedagogical tools
4. Socrates and thinking well
Alain de Botton – Guide to Happiness
Purposeful pedagogical tools
4. Philosophical thinking and reasoning
Arguments for and against the existence of God
Evidence
Rational proof
The problem of evil
The limits of science
Faith - ‘seeing is believing’
Purposeful pedagogical tools
4. Philosophical thinking and reasoning
Robert Kirkwood books are an excellent resource
Looking for Proof of God
Looking for Happiness
The Confused Me
If I was God I’d say sorry
Peter Vardy resources too (books, p/pts and dvds)
Purposeful pedagogical tools
4. Philosophical proofs – sample test question
1.The question of God’s existence can arise and be debated because life’s experiences are ambiguous with regard to whether or not there is a God.
Explain what the word ‘ambiguous’ means in this context.
When people ask for evidence of God’s existence, what kind of evidence do you think they mean?
Would any evidence prove one way or another whether there is a divine being? Explain your answer.
Could science ever prove God doesn’t exist? Explain your answer.
Purposeful pedagogical tools
4. Philosophical proofs (con’t)
2.a) A German philosopher of the 19th century thought he could prove God didn’t exist. What was his name?
b) Why do human beings ‘project’ the idea of God according to this argument (you should provide and explain 2 reasons).
c) What kind of God do human beings ‘create’ this way?
d) Has this philosopher proved God doesn’t exist? Explain your answer.
Year 9 webquest – aimed at developing their understanding of Christian denominations and also deepening their grasp of history as the unfolding of a human drama – individuals, actions, conflicts, resolutions, decisions etc., ‘make history happen’
Melbourne Grammar is an ANGLICAN school. There are more than 200 independent schools in Victoria from various Christian denominations just like our own and they are attended by about 30 per cent of all Victorian students. So, …why Christian and …why Anglican?
How could the life and death of an individual who lived more than 2000 years ago be connected to the existence of some of the major schools in Australia?
In this WebQuest you will identify the major denominations of the Christian Church in Australia and the people and factors that led to their formation and come to an understanding of some of the forces that influence the development of any ‘institution’ over time.
You will work in cooperative Expert Research Groupsof two to explore each of the Major Denominations in APS schools. The history of the denomination, the key individuals who had a major influence in its development, etc.
You MUST cooperate to:
Read through the WWW files linked to your group plus other relevant resources ,
Create a clear synthesis of what your group has learned in response to the focus questions
You will present it visually using Inspiration, Powerpoint, Videostory etcto communicate the essential points in answer to your research questions
What Christian denomination does your school belong to?
What is the specific history of this denomination? Here you must identify the founder and outline its development – historical events and points of theological significance
How were they established in Australia?
Who were the key individuals who had a major influence in its development? (In deciding on this your presentation must include a justification for your choices)
Roman Catholic Church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic
Christian denominations (wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_denomination
Xavier College – History http://www.xavier.vic.edu.au/AboutXavier/history.htm
Society of Jesus (Wipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Jesus
History of Jesuits http://www.sjweb.info/webguide/cat_list.cfm?SubCatLkUpID=24
St Kevin's - History http://web.stkevins.vic.edu.au/stkevins/history.php
Edmund Rice online http://www.edmundrice.org/
Edmund Ignatius Rice http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13040b.htm
Roman Catholic | Baptist | Uniting Church | Anglican
Purposeful pedagogical tools
5. Christianity and Church history
Recommended Resource (especially for year 7 and 8):
All about Faith 1, 2 (and 3)
Anne and Niall Boyle
Publisher: GILL & MACMILLAN DISTRIBUTION
Purposeful pedagogical tools
An (important) aside….
Choose real resources where possible (newspaper articles for example)
Bring the real world into the classroom where possible (real people and events)
Any meaningful examination of concepts, texts or people that concerns what it is to make sense of experience is fit RE fodder
Purposeful pedagogical tools
For example
Year 9 – we do Rwanda (read article, watch film, explore themes)
In year 10 – we do suicide terrorism. Read article (arguing national identity not religion is primary motivator), watch dvd on psychology of bombers, look at what it means to be ‘economically, politically and socially disenfranchised’ (Israel/Palestine, South Africa apartheid)
Purposeful pedagogical tools
Aims
To understand why it is too simplistic to say ‘he did a bad thing because he is a bad man’.
To understand the complexity of forces at work in human lives in context
To deepen one’s understanding of what it means to be human (homo religiosus)
To promote historical and factual literacy
To help them grow up, orientated towards the light of reality (heliotropism)
Purposeful pedagogical tools
In Sum
Not merely heliotropism but phototropism:
Phototropism is directional growth in which the
direction of growth is determined by the direction
of the light source. In other words, it is the growth
and response to a light stimulus (or source).
Purposeful unit planning session
Afternoon session ideas
Brain storm ideas. Groups to choose one and work together
Pick a topic from the ‘matters of profound importance’ exercise and construct a unit of work that will produce greater clarity for your students
Work on a scope and sequence for a year level or across levels
Take a theological concept (like salvation) and create a unit that develops an understanding across the 5-strands
Work on a unit on biblical literacy.
Construct a unit around a film study
Art and image – how to incorporate into existing units?
Work on a world religions unit
Purposeful unit planning session
Developing resources and expertise
Charles Sturt Graduate Certificate in Religious and Values Education:
