Office for Education and Schools Diocese of Leeds

1. Office for Education and SchoolsDiocese of Leeds Religious Education Equipping Children for Life

2. WHAT IS RE ABOUT? • “IMAGINE” • Word of Jesus that begins the Parable of “The Sower” • Why does he use the word “IMAGINE”? • Is it to pretend? • Is it to make people happy? • Is it to help them think and understand?

3. IMAGINE… • Jesus is critical of the Pharisees • Speaks in Parables so that they won’t perceive or understand • Why can’t they understand? • Has it got something to do with their in-ability to “imagine”? • Are they ‘closed off’ (Pharisee ‘separated ones’), not open to change?

4. IMAGINE IS REAL • We have grown up with “Imagine” meaning ‘make believe’. • ‘PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP’ (Lk. 5:4) • Imagination is about a depth of understanding • It is about perceiving beyond the surface and seeing something much deeper • Great saints had the ability to “imagine”.

5. IMAGINE IS THE WAY • Saint Therese; St. Francis • Saw beauty and magnificence of God in a little flower/ ‘brother sun and sister moon’ • Therese recognised she was called to be something like the flower – to do her part in the service of God • Francis saw the imprint of God within creation: ‘seeing God in all things’ • Use of imagination – Perceive the height and depth

6. RE and IMAGINATION • Religious Education is about developing Imagination • In school it is about children and young people contemplating the depths of the mystery of God in the reality of their lives • Scripture, Tradition and Interpreted Experience will be the foundation of this task

7. THE TEACHER… • The task of the teacher is to tap into the “Religious Imagination” of our children who are by nature – receptive and open to the transcendent • To enable them to discover the heights and depths of the Mystery of God • Teachers have the task of facilitating this discovery through their ministry to the children

8. To Teach is To IMAGINE • What does the teacher need to do? • Need to be somebody who can answer that command of Jesus: “IMAGINE” • To see beyond the surface – to begin to perceive - like in the Parable of the Sower - the hidden meaning. • To be engaged themselves with RE • To continue to develop their religious imagination

9. How Do We Accompany the Children? • This is truly an adventure into learning • Need to have a good idea of styles of learning appropriate for RE and for the children we work with • Everybody has a learning style and we must identify this

10. What does a Visual Learner Look Like in RE? • “that looks right” – needs to see it (sees text in recall) • Sit near teacher to avoid visual distractions • Likes writing and drawing: remember that way • Neat handwriting and good spelling • Likes to read • Doodles • Struggles with the spoken word • Quiet and neat • Attention to detail • Awful at jokes!

11. VISUAL IN RE • Enjoy Demonstration • Watch DVD and Presentation • Read Religious Text: HIGHLIGHTER • Enjoys Visual Media – Art and Symbols • Draws Religious Pictures • Imagine what Things Look Like: thinks in pics • Imagine Narrative, Use Pictures to Explain, Discuss, Analyse Narrative

12. What does an Auditory Learner Look Like In RE? • “That rings a bell”: needs to hear it! • Talks to Self Aloud • Enjoys Talking • Easily Distracted • Likes to be Read to: - written info little meaning until it is heard! • Enjoys Music • Likes Listening Activities/Hearing Explanations

13. AUDITORY AND RE… • Likes to Sing Words • Mnemonics • Retell and Explain Narrative • Share Evaluations and Point of View • Work Well in Groups and in Partner Talk Sessions / interviewing • Listening to Demonstration / guest speakers • Engage in Discussion Lessons

14. What about our friend Mr Kinasthetic? • “I don’t follow you”: needs to touch, move, do it! • Taps Pencil or Foot… • Enjoys Doing… • Not a Great Reader • Outgoing by Nature • Hands While Talking • Walks Around and Daydreams!

15. KINASTHETIC AND RE • Working with artefacts, symbols • Role Play: Envoys; act out rituals / stories • Liturgical dance • Works standing up • Sign language • Listen to music while working • ‘Freeze Frame’: ‘meaning of things’, ‘Stations of the Cross’, reactions to events • Timelines • Write things down / scribing • Highlighting text • Modelling behaviour / instructing others • Making models etc • Story sacks

16. Implications…. Visual • Colourful Resources • Use of Religious Text • Links with Literacy and Guided Reading • Use of Symbolism • Importance of Artefacts

17. Implications… Auditory • Good Use of Reading Aloud • Discussion Groups • Trios and Envoys • Hot Seating • Role Play • Contributing to Discussion and Debate • Being Attentive to Speaking and Listening Skills

18. Implications… Kinasthetic • Lessons with Pace and Clear Expectations • Activities that Involve Different Skills • Inviting children to Move Around: Envoys • Discussion Groups • Working with IWB • Artefacts • Drama Work and using Lots of Different Media.

19. DEVELOPING RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION • Three Storey House • To Gather:- various sources of information using skills and media • To Explore - Interpret:- engaging in the media gathered –asking questions using skills to work with the sources; giving reasons, show understanding, explanation • To Apply:- make links to my life; engage and respond

20. Gathering Information • Who is the Greatest Resource?

21. What Do You Do With Your Information? • IMPORTANCE OF questions • What Type of Questions Do You Ask Children In RE? • Explore the Range • What Opportunities do we Give Children to Raise Questions? • To Model Good Questioning?

22. KEY SKILLS TO SUPPORT EXPLORATION AND INTERPRETATION • Importance of the Use of Skills • Skills Associated With All Learning Styles

23. Engage using Art: Questioning • Choose suitable image – National Gallery/Google • Use art to develop EXPRESSION / EMPATHY • Challenge spiritual imagination • Match scripture with art • Design CD cover with scripture / hymn words • Anything puzzling, interesting, surprising? • What’s missing? What would you add? • Prediction: what happened next or before?

24. Skills in RE Using Art INVESTIGATION: ~ find out about / from ~ sort ~ sequence INTERPRETATION: ~ draw meaning from ~ understand meaning of symbol EMPATHY: ~ recognise motivation, emotions ~ understand peoples’ circumstances and reasoning (bubble map, target map, bridge map, continuum line)