Enquiry-based RE:

The pitfall ofhappy answers

RE Topic titles

Places of Worship

Signs and Symbols

Places of Worship

Leaders and teachers

Celebrations

Holy Books

Special Stories

RE Topic titles

RE Topic titles

Places of Worship

Leaders and teachers

Celebrations

Holy Books

History topic titlesWhy did the Spanish armada fail?

King Arthur – fact of legend?

What were the causes of the 1st World War?

Special Stories

Enquiry-based approach to history

History topic titlesWhy did the Spanish armada fail?

King Arthur – fact of legend?

What were the causes of the 1st World War?

Key question which is pursued over several lessons

honesty, frankness,

ask challenging questionsabout views which one might favour

rigorous examination of the evidence

heroiclucky with the weather

noble

honourable

chivalrous

aggressive Germans

tensions in Europe

provisional truths

Leaders and teachers

Holy Books

History topic titlesWhy did the Spanish armada fail?

King Arthur – fact of legend?

What were the causes of the 1st World War?

Special Stories

Is it important for Muslims to have the Qur’an?

RE Topic titles

Why do some people think Jesus is inspirational?

Why did Jesus tell stories?

Leaders and teachers

Special Stories

RE Topic titles Professor David Leat

Is it important for Muslims to have the Qur’an?

Why did Jesus tell stories?

Enquiry-based approach

solid

liquid

gaseous

The enquiry answer is thought to be known. Little or no room for an alternative view. Closed enquiry.

The enquiry answer is thought to be more open. Some room is permitted for an alternative view.

The enquiry answer is very open. Lot of room for alternative views. Answers tend to be provisional.

Prof. of Curriculum InnovationNewcastle University

Holy Books

Why do some people think Jesus is inspirational?

Leaders and teachers

Happy Answers

Special Stories

Is it important for Muslims to have the Qur’an?

RE Topic titles

Why do some people think Jesus is inspirational?

Why did Jesus tell stories?

Yes

easy to remember

a good teacher

perform miracles

I am the light of the world

I am the bread of life

easy to understand

a good teacher

because the Qur’an is their special book

Holy Books

Leaders and teachers

Holy Books

Challenging enquiry

Special Stories

Is it important for Muslims to have the Qur’an?

RE Topic titles

Why do some people think Jesus is inspirational?

Why did Jesus tell stories?

Holy Books –

revelation or inspiration?

Jesus’ lost stories – what do they mean?

Was Jesus God on earth?

‘It's about getting pupils to engage with the big questions of life.’

‘I don't think it should be about filling children with facts and figures – it should give them a chance to engage with the big questions of life, such as 'how did the world begin, and what happens after we die'?’

It is important for young people, ‘to get a different perspective on the big issues of life – issues such as where we come from, what happens to us after we die, why poverty and war exist in our world, and so on.’

Joanna Moorhead

What should children learn in RE lessons?

3 Dec 2012

Rosemary Rivett National Association of Teachers of RE

Andrew CopsonBritish Humanist Association

Leslie PriorSenior lecturer in religious education at the University of Roehampton

Communitycohesion

Big Questions

Where have we come from?

What happens

to us after we

die?

Have we been created for a purpose?

Is there a God?

How are we to live?

Why is there so much suffering?

And religious education, still for all its failings, is the only site that systemically and systematically tries to give a place in the curriculum for that.’

‘something absolutely fundamental to the education of young people. The creation of a space for serious critical exploration of the meanings and values by which we live.

RE provides…

To live good lives, individually and collectively, we need to be able to make sense of the world and of ourselves.

Prof. James Conroy

University of Glasgow