2. Inclusion in Modern Britain
Much has been said about the responsibility of RE to promote the SMSC development of pupils and to prepare pupils for their experiences and roles later in their adult lives (Department for Education, 2013b: 5). Considering the 2011 Census data revealed that 25% of people in the UK define themselves as having no religion (as opposed to 59% Christian and 5% Muslim), it seems that modern life in Britain will involve experiences with individuals who do not align with a religious worldview. This equates to roughly 14.1 million individuals who do not align themselves with a religious worldview.
Hemming advises that regardless of the exact figures, it remains clear that the non-religious population of the UK is significant
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(2016) highlight the need for inclusion and call for religious education which is ‘…inclusive of religious diversity [and] promotes a pluralistic society that supports gaining a critical awareness and appreciation of our differences at a time when religion is being used as political and economic justification for segregation and exclusion’ (2016: 140). Although Aronson et al.. are writing in the context of an American viewpoint, the importance of inclusion and respect for diversity has never seemed more relevant to me as a teacher. Recent global events have drawn our attention to what appears to be widespread prejudice stemming from ignorance. They go on to say that, ‘schools serve as spaces where teachers have the potential to disrupt and recenter [sic] existing narratives related to religious diversity, religious (and ethnically connected) stereotypes’ (2016: 114). Which supports my view that primary education is key to stemming the flow of discrimination. We already teach a variety of religions which have faced high-profile discrimination over the years, but what I am suggesting is that it is the intent, not the content which may have the long term impact on pupils. Specifically, teaching and learning should come from a perspective of curiosity, positive religious pluralism, and celebration of all forms of diversity, religious and otherwise. Religious education is a unique subject with a responsibility to prepare pupils for the broad range of experiences they will encounter in the future in terms of social
In schools, the place where Americans first learned critical fundamentals and values of freedom, religion is separated from home life to school life. In the United States, 89% of public school teacher’s cannot lead a class in prayer, 36% can teach a class comparing religions in different countries, and only 23% can read from the Bible for examples of literature (citation). Without religious instruction in schools, students are not granted with the option to display their faith and practice their religion in a school setting. Despite the advantages, some Americans argue that teaching religion in public schools can be dangerous and harmful to students. Schools disapproving of students practicing
Example 3: My colleague is a wife of her husband, parent of her children, teacher for her children.
Children may have to attend a school that is associated with their religion. It is always possible that this gives the child a different quality/balance of education. They may struggle to understand other people‘s religion or lifestyle choices. They may become confused or isolated and
Within a school, equality, diversity and inclusion is very important. It is their duty to make sure all children have equal access to the curriculum. Whether they are a different race, culture, gender or have a special need or disability, it is important that they are supported and have a right to participate and be treated equal; this is known as inclusion. As part of this it is important that schools and other professionals support and promote cultural diversity in schools and the wider society, breaking down any discriminatory barriers to learning.
In recent years teaching or the individual practice of religion in school has become a very controversial topic. There are many different views on this matter and even more opinions on how it should be handled. There are people on both sides of the spectrum, there are those who believe that it should be taught and allowed in school, and there are those who believe it should not be taught or practiced in school. There have been cases brought to court about how religion should be taken out of schools, or if it should be allowed. There are many differences that cause concern between public schools and private or religious schools regarding education. For example, could it be that single – sex schools (which are only seen in private
I volunteered at Chiefland Elementary School, under Ms. Sidorenko’s supervision. After doing my twenty hours of volunteering at Chiefland Elementary School, I have gained new knowledge on how religion works in schools. If you grew up in a small town area like I did, you would know that religion around here is not a touchy subject with many people. Many faculty administrators who work in the school system happen to be Baptists or Christians. Therefore, people are able to throw in religious assessments here and there without getting into too much trouble. In this case, at this school, everyone goes to the same church or partners with each other’s churches. Before I go on, let me just say, even though I am a Christian, I think that religion shouldn’t be a topic talked during school hours. My reasoning for this is because children are there to get an education and to learn about the world around them. Teachers barely have enough time to teach the concepts that are mandatory, if we add religion it will just offend students and teachers won’t be able to get their job done. Now that society is changing and is starting to accept individuals more, I have noticed this school is having a hard time accepting that.
| supporting the moral and spiritual dimension in learning environments; sensitivity; inclusive behaviour; setting clear boundaries; understanding that spirituality does not need to be consistent with a structured belief system
Providing students to explore one’s religion or spirituality can begin to bridge the separation that exists between faith traditions in institutions. Dr. Casey mentions repeatedly that “the term religion is problematic,” and although this is true, this perspective can change. Religion is so deeply engrained in individuals and this does not have to form a type of “war zone,” but instead, it can provide us with an opportunity to learn about other citizens, rather than creating a sense fear or anxiety within us. Although we may be living in “an age of chaos today,” building understanding amongst global citizens is the prominence of religion in this
Although Canada is a multiculturalist nation practicing secularism, there are still struggles on religious diversity in schools. Consequently, segregation of students’ base on their religious beliefs precedes typecasting, thus a division in social groups happens. Students when singled out from their peers can have an adverse effect on their self-esteem, more importantly, when they have difficulties adapting in a new and diverse school community. More likely when teachers ask students to say some insights or overview about their religion, some students may cringe from getting too much attention, hence making them feel uncomfortable. For that reason, handling issues of diversity with sensitivity can make students feel safe and prone to learn
This is evidence that practicing a religion other than Islam in the Middle East comes with a large risk that many are unwilling to take, which is why Christianity only makes up 4% of the entire Middle East (Ben-Mei, 2017, ¶1). Nevertheless, learning about this type of religious discrimination and about religions in general is an important aspect of a student’s life. By learning about other religions from a nonbiased perspective, students are far less likely to discriminate against religions other than their own and can reduce bias later on in life. This is perfectly summarized by the Washington Post when it states, “The study of religion from an academic, nondevotional perspective in primary, middle, and secondary school is critical for decreasing
For this essay, I have researched what, if any, effect faith schools have on society. To investigate this I have looked at arguments from both the perspective of faith schools and from the views of academics who have expressed concerns over the possible consequences of children being segregated at such a young age. From these I hope to obtain a better understanding of the issues surrounding faith schools as well as the nature of this interdependence between the two institutions. To give some background information on this: as of 2009 around one-third of maintained primary and secondary schools in England are faith schools and just under one-quarter of pupils attend such schools. House of Commons Library website, published in 2009.
In addition to the areas of ambiguity, there is the problem of religious ignorance (Giess, 2012; Haynes, 2011). There is a marked and dramatic ignorance among Americans about religious traditions including their own (Giess, 2012). Ignorance is no virtue and especially so when the opportunity to harm one’s students through intolerance and ignorance is more prevalent than ever before. The US, the predominance of the Christian religion notwithstanding, is becoming more and more diverse religiously (Gunther & Purinton, 2011). This type of ignorance is a contributor to the escalation of religious intolerance that has manifested itself in increasing numbers of hate crimes (Haynes, 2011).
Some teachers may have a personal bias against certain faiths or religion in general. These problems can be dealt with. According to this article, “To address the challenge of teaching about religion without proselytizing, we must explore the assumptions and causes underlying each set of factors…” (Passe, J., & Willox, L. 2009). We should ask ourselves what lies beneath the problems of teaching religion. We should look to see if prejudice and impartiality are factors motivating against religious teachings.
By the year 2050, nonwhites will represent close to half of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau projections. By 2005, the ethnic minority share of the workforce is expected to grow to 28 percent, up from 18 percent in 1980 and 22 percent in 1990. Although the African American population is now the largest minority group, the Hispanic and Asian populations are growing much faster. In 1994, the African American population was estimated to be 33 million, or 12.7 percent of the total population, up from 11.7 percent in 1980.
One of the avenues of influential learning is in school. The place where students spend half of their life. Going to school aids students in acquiring knowledge, establishing rapport and developing skills. When students attend school, they showcase not only their characters traits and attitudes, but they also carry with them their cultural differences and religious practices. (Green & Oldendorf, 2005). Looking at how diverse our society is, the question of teaching religions and their ideologies at a school-level rise. Whilst the state practices neutrality towards religion, there are still issues and challenges when it comes to accommodating religious diversity and its integration in the education system (Berger, 2013, p.104). Therefore, integrating religion in the education system can lead to