My 17 Years of Teaching My 17 Years of Teaching R.E. at CGS. R.E. at CGS.

15 of those years were focused 15 of those years were focused on R.E. topics and curriculum.on R.E. topics and curriculum.

At Year 8 level the curriculum At Year 8 level the curriculum covered the life of Jesus, Paul covered the life of Jesus, Paul and the early Church and and the early Church and modern Social Justice issues.modern Social Justice issues.

A wide variety of delivery A wide variety of delivery methods such as film, research methods such as film, research posters, documentaries, posters, documentaries, cartoons, role plays, interactive cartoons, role plays, interactive mapping and board game mapping and board game creation.creation.

This was professionally This was professionally satisfying and seemed to be well satisfying and seemed to be well received by students. received by students.

Suddenly in 2014 Suddenly in 2014 everything dramatically everything dramatically

changed…changed… R.E. no longer taught as a separate and R.E. no longer taught as a separate and

distinct subject, now merged with distinct subject, now merged with Personal Development (PD) to become a Personal Development (PD) to become a completely new subject: Life and Faith.completely new subject: Life and Faith.

Transition from specialist subject Transition from specialist subject teaching to team teaching, with staff who teaching to team teaching, with staff who had previously only taught PD.had previously only taught PD.

This felt uncomfortable and raised major This felt uncomfortable and raised major concerns.concerns.

Curriculum developed over many years Curriculum developed over many years was no longer relevant.was no longer relevant.

Would the Christian values and specialist Would the Christian values and specialist knowledge underpinning the R.E. be lost knowledge underpinning the R.E. be lost or greatly diminished?or greatly diminished?

Could a fair balance between religious Could a fair balance between religious and personal development topics be and personal development topics be achieved? achieved?

In 2014 I decided to explore In 2014 I decided to explore the possibilities despite my the possibilities despite my

doubts.doubts. Numerous staff meetings and Numerous staff meetings and consultant seminars.consultant seminars.

Key subject criteria, values and Key subject criteria, values and content were identified.content were identified.

The process has not been The process has not been easy…..Has required….easy…..Has required….

Team work and good will.Team work and good will. Willingness to go into the Willingness to go into the

unknown.unknown. Accept the delivery of a less Accept the delivery of a less

than perfect “ work in than perfect “ work in progress”. progress”.

Changing plans at short notice.Changing plans at short notice. often led to better than often led to better than

anticipated results.anticipated results.

A Cameo of What’s A Cameo of What’s Happening Now. Some Happening Now. Some

Encouraging Signs.Encouraging Signs. Opening myself to jointly Opening myself to jointly

develop lesson plans with my develop lesson plans with my team-teaching colleagues, as a team-teaching colleagues, as a creative, dynamic and shared creative, dynamic and shared process, has resulted in more process, has resulted in more positive outcomes than positive outcomes than individual teacher planning.individual teacher planning.

Having an open attitude to Having an open attitude to each others ideas need not be each others ideas need not be negated by differences in negated by differences in world view or personal faith world view or personal faith positions. An example of this positions. An example of this has been the unit on “Who is has been the unit on “Who is Jesus Really?”. Jesus Really?”.

A Case Study: The new A Case Study: The new version of the “Who is Jesus version of the “Who is Jesus

Really?” unit.Really?” unit.Key Strategy:Key Strategy: Learning as an interactive, evolutionary Learning as an interactive, evolutionary

process. process. Student responses can change over time Student responses can change over time

about the same topic.about the same topic.This involves:This involves:

a)a) The giving and receiving of feedback through The giving and receiving of feedback through input and questioning by both staff and input and questioning by both staff and students. students.

b)b) For the “Who is Jesus Really?” unit this For the “Who is Jesus Really?” unit this involved a series of steps.involved a series of steps.

Values as a Four Step Values as a Four Step Process.Process.

Step 1. Whole year level viewed the film “Jesus” in Step 1. Whole year level viewed the film “Jesus” in a single sitting before formal classes commenced.a single sitting before formal classes commenced.

Step 2. Values were explored in individual class Step 2. Values were explored in individual class groups. Key inquiry questions included what do we groups. Key inquiry questions included what do we mean by values and why are they are important.mean by values and why are they are important.

Step 3. Students developed a comparison chart: Step 3. Students developed a comparison chart: the values shown by Jesus in the film, their own the values shown by Jesus in the film, their own values and then difference and similarities between values and then difference and similarities between Jesus’ values and their own.Jesus’ values and their own.

Step 4. A class jigsaw was constructed: identified Step 4. A class jigsaw was constructed: identified values were written on pieces of the jigsaw. A time values were written on pieces of the jigsaw. A time lapse movie was made of the jigsaw construction. lapse movie was made of the jigsaw construction.

Time Lapse Jigsaw.Time Lapse Jigsaw.

Class Questions About Class Questions About “Who is Jesus Really?”“Who is Jesus Really?”

Following the “Jesus Jigsaw”, students Following the “Jesus Jigsaw”, students brainstormed a series of questions they brainstormed a series of questions they would like to investigate about Jesus.would like to investigate about Jesus.

To stimulate the brain storming process, To stimulate the brain storming process, questions were written on different questions were written on different coloured sticky notes which represented coloured sticky notes which represented different categories of questions.different categories of questions.

A team of students and the mentor A team of students and the mentor synthesized the many questions into just synthesized the many questions into just one for each category.one for each category.

I then developed a set of responses to each I then developed a set of responses to each representative question which I explained representative question which I explained in the next lesson whilst students took in the next lesson whilst students took notes. notes.

I was careful to explain that students were I was careful to explain that students were not required to believe my responses, just not required to believe my responses, just to know what they were.to know what they were.

Examples of Staff Examples of Staff Response to Student Response to Student

Questions.Questions. Student Question: Was Jesus adopted or was Mary Student Question: Was Jesus adopted or was Mary lying about who his father was? lying about who his father was?

Teacher Response: There are different points of view Teacher Response: There are different points of view about this. Only one of the gospels records the idea of about this. Only one of the gospels records the idea of the virgin birth, the idea that God miraculously caused the virgin birth, the idea that God miraculously caused Mary to get pregnant without a human male causing Mary to get pregnant without a human male causing the pregnancy………..the pregnancy………..

Student Question: If there was evidence that Jesus really Student Question: If there was evidence that Jesus really didn’t exist…what life would be like for Christians didn’t exist…what life would be like for Christians (you?) (you?)

My life would not be that different because I still see My life would not be that different because I still see value in the teachings of Christianity, such as loving value in the teachings of Christianity, such as loving your neighbour, and even your enemies, treating other your neighbour, and even your enemies, treating other people as you would like to be treated, etc…………….. people as you would like to be treated, etc……………..

Examples of Final Examples of Final Student Responses.Student Responses.

…….Jesus was a controversial man in his era, some .Jesus was a controversial man in his era, some people wanted him dead and others followed him people wanted him dead and others followed him wherever he went ………… he brought him self back wherever he went ………… he brought him self back from the dead…..but many people argue that this from the dead…..but many people argue that this cannot be possible! Some people even believe Jesus is cannot be possible! Some people even believe Jesus is still alive today!still alive today!

My opinion My opinion I believe and don't believe in Jesus. I believe that there I believe and don't believe in Jesus. I believe that there

was a man in that era named Jesus who was said to be was a man in that era named Jesus who was said to be the messiah but I don't believe in any miracles that he the messiah but I don't believe in any miracles that he performed because there is no proof. I believe in what performed because there is no proof. I believe in what Jesus stood for and his values, I try my best to follow Jesus stood for and his values, I try my best to follow these values because I respect them.these values because I respect them.

Reflections on the Whole Reflections on the Whole Process.Process.

Team teaching with the student mentors has been Team teaching with the student mentors has been positive, but has still cost a significant loss of R.E. positive, but has still cost a significant loss of R.E. content.content.

The creative expertise of other staff can greatly enhance The creative expertise of other staff can greatly enhance the level of engagement of students, and positively the level of engagement of students, and positively impact those staff: a mentor shared her personal impact those staff: a mentor shared her personal journey from skepticism to understanding with my class.journey from skepticism to understanding with my class.

The formative process of feedback, through a cycle of The formative process of feedback, through a cycle of questioning and response, has enabled students to questioning and response, has enabled students to develop positive openness to faith from initial positions develop positive openness to faith from initial positions of skepticism.of skepticism.

With the “Who is Jesus Really?” unit there has been a With the “Who is Jesus Really?” unit there has been a successful merging of two subjects and topics into one: successful merging of two subjects and topics into one: the values component of PD and the Jesus component of the values component of PD and the Jesus component of RE.RE.