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Who’s scared of Sacred space?

Who’s scared of Sacred space?. Joyce Miller Lancashire primary RE conference, 2009. What do we mean by sacred space?. The natural world. cemeteries. memorials. Places of worship. Sacred space.

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Who’s scared of Sacred space?

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  1. Who’s scared of Sacred space? Joyce Miller Lancashire primary RE conference, 2009

  2. What do we mean by sacred space?

  3. The natural world

  4. cemeteries

  5. memorials

  6. Places of worship

  7. Sacred space • Sacred space is any space - within the school grounds, the local community, the region, the nation, the world - where children can explore religious, spiritual and moral questions...

  8. Learning outside the classroom -LOtC • Major government initiative to promote learning outside the classroom • Eight separate sectors working together • ‘Out and about guidance’ • Health, safety, risk and benefit • So, who’s scared............?

  9. Religious communities? • Confidence and competence • Visitors’ expectations • ‘Representation’ – religion as it is, warts and all.

  10. The quality badge scheme for lotc • There are six quality indicators for ‘providers’: • has a process in place to assist users to plan the learning experience effectively; • provides accurate information about its offer; • provides activities, experience or resources which meet learner needs; • reviews the experience and acts on feedback; • meets the needs of the users; • has safety management processes in place to manage risk effectively.

  11. The new LOtC council

  12. Benefits for ‘providers’ • Contacts with community members • Links with local (and other) schools • Contributing to children’s learning • Sharing of outcomes – pupils’ work displayed • Money!

  13. Are the Children scared? • Fear • Prejudice • Boredom

  14. Benefits for children (1) • Children can engage first hand with religious communities: visits, interviews and research- i.e. Engage in ethnographic research • Enables study of real people and breaks down stereotypes • They can become ‘skilled cultural navigators’

  15. Benefits for children (2) • ‘Edification’ - the application of experience to their own lives • Opportunity for reflection and the development of empathy • Spiritual moral social and cultural development • Aesthetic experience

  16. As it says on our website... • ‘... getting pupils outside the classroom and into sacred space can not only improve the quality of religious education but contribute to pupils' spiritual development as well as giving many opportunities for exciting cross-curricular learning.’

  17. Parents? • Fear • Prejudice • Withdrawal clause • Advice on how to pre-empt problems see www.reonline.org.uk/sacredspace

  18. Benefits for parents • Gives their children knowledge of the outside world • Contact with difference in a safe space

  19. Teachers? • Confidence • Competence • Bureaucracy

  20. Benefits for teachers -1 • Contribution to pupils’ cognitive development • Understanding of religious concepts • Interpretation of religious language and symbols • Cross - curricular learning opportunities • See this term’s RE Today for 10 tips on LOtC in sacred space

  21. Benefits for teachers - 2 • Contribution to duty to promote community cohesion • Appreciation of difference and awareness of commonality • Opportunity to explore key concepts of identity and community

  22. 1. Community cohesion - characteristics • A common vision and sense of belonging for all • Diversity is appreciated • Similar life opportunities • Strong and positive relationships are developed

  23. Commission on integration & cohesion • Shared futures – an emphasis on articulating what binds communities together • A new model of rights and responsibilities • A new emphasis on mutual respect and civility – strengthening social bonds within groups • Visible social justice – prioritising transparency and building trust

  24. 2. Commonalities as well as differences • Through exploration and engagement, find what is held in common between religions and beliefs • Avoid focusing on the different and the ‘interesting’ • The shared heritage of Judaism, Christianity and Islam should be explored.

  25. 3. Identity(ies) and community(ies) • Key concepts • They are organic, fluid and multiple • They are not fixed and unchanging • Explore what they mean with children and young people

  26. Finally.... • Two reminders and words of warning:

  27. Avoid assumptions... • Learning about religions will not necessarily promote community cohesion. At worst, it will increase alienation by focusing on ‘otherness’ • Pupils bring their own preconceptions, prejudices and misinformation to the classroom. • If they are not challenged, they will remain.

  28. And remember that... • Teachers are not defenders of faiths • Don’t sanitise or homogenise religions • Respect is not synonymous with indiscriminating tolerance • Not everything religious is worthy of respect

  29. Essential websites • www.lotc.org.uk • www.reonline.org.uk/sacredspace

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