RE & Citizenship Education Webinar Series

1. Webinar Series 2015 RE & Citizenship Education How RE & citizenship education can help pupils develop skills of empathy, critical thinking and problem solving 4.00pm - 4.45pm Thursday 26th November 2015 http://www.interfaithexplorers.com/webinars

2. www.interfaithexplorers.com • Supported by UNESCO • Helps pupils understand the world around them & respect cultural and religious diversity • Offers high quality cross-curricula resources to use with pupils at Key Stage 2 and those embarking on their Key Stage 3 transition • Supports core personal and social skills development as well as self-directed, exploratory learning • Promotes universal core values & the development of ethical thinking • Designed to compliment RE and PSHE teaching, alongside citizenship education

3. Webinars • Support teachers in their work around interfaith dialogue and RE; as well as PSHE and Citizenship learning in schools • Offers a space for teachers to come together and think about issues arising from classroom practice in these areas

4. Webinar Presenter • Claire Clinton • An experienced teacher within EYFS, Primary and Secondary education • She has over 20 years of classroom experience, and 16 years of advisory work at a national and local level • For the past 10 years has been the Religious Education Advisor for the London Borough of Newham • Sarah Kilou • Programme manager at the Citizenship Foundation, which inspires young people to take part in society as equal members • Manages the delivery of Go Givers - its flagship Citizenship programme across the Southern Region (www.gogivers.org)

5. Session objectives • Show how RE can promote citizenship education in your schools; • Understand how RE and citizenship lessons can: • Benefit your pupils when they engage with interfaith activities; • Embed Fundamental British Values of tolerance and mutual respect within your school.

6. What is Citizenship Education? • Citizenship education: • Encourages active and responsible citizens • Helps pupils develop knowledge, skills and understanding • Teaches politics, parliament and voting • Affirms universal human rights and principles • Promotes respect for other cultures and the value of difference • Effective citizenship teaching is supported by using real life issues and events in local or global contexts • Helps pupils to think through important values and principles.

7. Citizenship & RE • Citizenship and links with RE: • Laws, rights and responsibilities • What matters to us in our society? • Understanding different cultures • What makes us and influences us to be the people we are? • How decisions are made within a family/community/ country • How beliefs are put into action in society

8. Promoting citizenship in RE (1) Think about: • How can cohesion be fostered by celebrating the similarities which unite people of different faiths; and the differences that enrich us • How social action projects can empower children to make a positive contribution in their local community • How religion can inspire ethical living • Ways in which religious leaders have tackled social issues (e.g. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, PandurangShastriAthavale)

9. Promoting citizenship in RE (2) • Promote citizenship interfaith activities: • Showing how compassion is expressed through the Golden Rule • Using Interfaith Explorers resources to encourage critical thinking (based on evidence); • Showing respect for people with different views – asking pupils: Where do you stand? • Use of activities such as: • ‘Mind Maze’ scenarios to stimulate dialogue e.g. Should animals have rights? Does that apply to all animals and all rights? Is war ever justified? • Pandora’s box: what are children’s hopes for the world? • Wonder wall/Question wall • Stories from different faiths/cultures, e.g. ‘Chopsticks’: a Korean story which illustrates the negative effect of selfishness and asks How can we make heaven or hell on Earth?

10. Citizenship & Fundamental British Values (1) • What do we mean by values? Principles or standards of behaviour; one's judgement of what is important in life • Within the context of SMSC, all schools now have a duty to ‘actively promote’ the fundamental British values of: • Democracy • The rule of law • Individual liberty • Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

11. Citizenship & Fundamental British Values (2) • Democracy: Taking into account the views of others • The Rule of Law: The rules that govern different religions. Why are rules needed? Balancing rights and responsibilities. • Individual Liberty: Enabling students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. The freedom to choose and hold a faith is protected in law

12. Citizenship & Fundamental British Values (3) • Promoting mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, can be achieved through the provision of SMSC • Schools should: • Further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures • Encourage respect for other people

13. Citizenship & Fundamental British Values (4) • Ofsted assesses provision of SMSC in schools and pupils are expected to gain: • An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law • An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour • An understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

14. Citizenship & Fundamental British Values (5) • Promoting mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs helps pupils: • Identify and be comfortable with their multiple identities • Connect with their wider community (e.g. through inviting visitors from various faith groups to speak with pupils and organising visits to places of worship) • From different faiths share their knowledge to enhance learning* • Learn about the nature and effects of prejudice in an age appropriate manner

15. My identities: Citizen of Bradford Indian British Male Sikh Me Eldest son Yorkshireman Punjabi Grove School pupil

16. Reggae Music lover Baptist European N7 Londoner This is ME!

17. The onion that is me! British N.Irish Catholic Geordie Durham Chorister Scout

18. Useful resources • www.interfaithexplorers.com: register for access to ‘For Teachers’ section and guidance: • Making Choices guide and scenarios 1 & 2 • Advice of Dealing with Difficult Issues • Rul Top Tips: ‘Responsible Citizen’ • I can Statements (1 – 6) • www.gogivers.org

19. Wrap up Any questions?

20. Contact us For further information about the webinar series and how Interfaith Explorers can support you visit: www.interfaithexplorers.com or contact Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Chief Executive Maimonides Interfaith Foundation rokhsana@maimonides-foundation.org