Teaching RE – the time has come
Award-winning speakers; Ian Jamison, Helen Cairns and Samantha Hunt
Teachers of religious education have a rare opportunity to raise the profile of their subject and influence the whole curriculum, given imminent changes at Key Stage 3. So said Helen Cairns, 2007 winner of the TDA Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year in the South, at an RE seminar organised by the Teaching Awards.
Intercultural understanding, relationships, and sustainable development - issues which had to underpin many subjects in Year 7 from September 2008 - had ‘massive overlaps’ with RE.
‘There’s no better time to influence the secondary curriculum and for RE to be at the heart of a whole school approach. It’s an exciting place to be,’ said Helen, head of RE at The Chalfonts Community College, Buckinghamshire.
At Chalfonts, where she is helping devise a new curriculum for Year 7, the word respect now underpinned all RE lessons with far-reaching effects. ‘Respect yourself, respect each other and the world around you. That’s become a whole-school message that carries into the playground and beyond.’
All collective worship at Chalfonts had a ‘Reflect and Respect’ weekly theme, with elements delivered to every form tutor group using interactive whiteboards and charity activities run by student leaders.
In December the theme of ‘What does Christmas mean to you?’ had resulted in visits to homeless shelters and gifts for the elderly.
Giving students more responsibility for learning had resulted in ‘Cover Kids’, a whole-school scheme whereby Year 12 volunteers are trained to cover lessons. Paid by the hour, they work alongside classroom assistants and cover supervisors when teachers are absent.
‘It’s been fantastic and very revealing,’ said Helen. ‘Year 8 pupils suddenly see a Year 12 student in their teachers’ shoes, handling behaviour and debating ideas like The Big Bang versus Creationism.’
Nor were the volunteers always the ones she’d expected. Year 12 boys who’d previously been reluctant at reading and writing in GCSE RE, were offering to cover her lessons and proving excellent role models.
