#sschat is a network of educators, resources, and ideas that started on Twitter, but has expanded to Facebook, an annual NCSS unconference, and more. Join us to chat asynchronously on Twitter or Facebook, or chat with us live on Mondays from 7-8pm EST.
Welcome to #sschat and our discussion about Preparing Students for a Religious World.
We will be using the Q1/A1 question and answer format for tonight's chat.
Please introduce yourself, where you are from, what you teach and what you hope to learn tonight.
Hey everyone! My name is Walter Chevalier, and I am a Sophomore Social Studies/History Secondary Education major at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. I am excited about how to incorporate religion into education because it is so important in the Social Studies realm. #sschat
I'm Chris from Bloomington, IN. I teach world history for a private online HS affiliated w/ Indiana Univ. I'm also on the leadership team of #sschat. I'm always looking for new ways to teach world religions . . . without getting fired. ;)
Hey #sschat this is Jon from Irvine California hoping to learn how each of you incorporate religion in your classroom. I need fresh ideas and inspiration!
Welcome to #sschat and our discussion about Preparing Students for a Religious World.
We will be using the Q1/A1 question and answer format for tonight's chat.
Please introduce yourself, where you are from, what you teach and what you hope to learn tonight.
Joanne from Missouri. 7th grade world history and 11th grade modern global issues. I am always looking for ways to increase understanding and promote dialog. #sschat
Hi my name is Andrew Rodenbeck and I am a middle level history and science major at Grove city college. I hope to learn more about religion in education . #sschat
Hi! Joining #sschat from the wicked freeways of Los Angeles. Traveling with my 8th grade students after visiting the Museum of Tolerance. Religion and tolerance, what a pair ?
Hi everyone! I'm Kate Soules and I'm a religious literacy and liberty educator and a PhD candidate @BostonCollege researching teachers' professional development about religious diversity #sschat
I am a world history curriculum writer and staff developer in New York State, living in Buffalo. I'm here to see what thought provoking questions get put out there and what everyone has to say about it. You never know what you'll discover in #sschat
A1: Tyler Pray and I teach 8th grade SS in Seymour, IN. I hope to get ideas on how to make my students more tolerant/open-minded about other religions. #sschat
Hi, #sschat! I'm Linda K. Wertheimer, author of Faith Ed, Teaching About Religion In An Age Of Intolerance, from @BeaconPressBks . I teach workshops for educators based on my reporting around the US. Call it lessons learned from controversies, missteps. Hope I can be of help.
Welcome to #sschat and our discussion about Preparing Students for a Religious World.
We will be using the Q1/A1 question and answer format for tonight's chat.
Please introduce yourself, where you are from, what you teach and what you hope to learn tonight.
How's it going #sschat?!
Andrew, co-moderator, 8th gr US Hist/Govt in Mass., always eager to learn new ways for teaching/facilitating tough topics in the classroom
A1: understanding that there are different religions that have different beliefs from one’s own and being open and accepting of those different beliefs #sschat
A1) To me, religious literacy is knowing some basics information about different world religions and also having some ideas about where to go to learn more. #sschat
A1 - The never ending search to learn about and understand the vast realm of religious beliefs in the world. And a tolerance for many religious beliefs including the idea that we should not tolerate all religious beliefs. #sschat
A1) 1st attempt. definition- religious literacy is to have a comparitive understanding of different tenants of faith, religious texts and their context in a historical/modern world. #sschat
A1: I view religious literacy as a critical skill for students and adults alike. It's a combination of understanding basic facts about world religions, their similarities, their differences and also the diversity within a faith. It includes learning about atheism, too. #sschat
A1 For me it means not only having an understanding of world religious beliefs and practices, but also a respect for beliefs and practices that are different from your own. #sschat
The obvious answer is the ability to understand and comprehend religious . I feel in today’s world many religions are far apart and it is important to have a knowledge of different religions, not just yours . #sschat
A1) I would define religious literacy as the ability to both understand the fundamental concepts of a religion, comprehend why people choose to follow this religion, and respecting the beliefs of the religion different from one’s own religion. #sschat
Hi, #sschat fam! My name is Dan and I hope to find salvation in this chat. 😜 Seriously, I see understanding & living with differences across religious, spiritual, & non-religious planes as critical components of culturally responsive pedagogies. #sschat
Hello #sschat - I’m Kim from Kentucky, been a teacher for 30 years, now working with teachers as an instructional specialist. Hoping to learn how to help my fellow teachers create a curriculum that addresses the religion standards more effectively.
A1: I view religious literacy as a critical skill for students and adults alike. It's a combination of understanding basic facts about world religions, their similarities, their differences and also the diversity within a faith. It includes learning about atheism, too. #sschat
A1. Facility with topics common to most religions- answers to questions like how should one act? where do we come from? what happens when we die? and the skills to engage in those conversations with understanding, respect, and inquisitiveness #sschat
Our #projectbasedlearning culiminated with a market simulation of economics, consumerism & globalization in class today. What better way to understand the effects of economic globalization & wellbeing than turning into business owners..
#edchat#sschat@bucketstep
A1: To get a sense of just how religiously ignorant Americans are, check out the results of a @pewresearch survey on religions. The public's lack of knowledge about religion can make it challenging for teachers. https://t.co/5qFmM13n5i#sschat
A1: #religiousliteracy, especially for teachers, includes understanding 1st Amend. principles, ability to recognize intersections of religion and society, content knowledge, & understanding of ways for approaching religion as an academic subject #sschat
A1. Facility with topics common to most religions- answers to questions like how should one act? where do we come from? what happens when we die? and the skills to engage in those conversations with understanding, respect, and inquisitiveness #sschat
Way back in 1963, a Supreme Court justice in the Abingon v. Schempp case noted that it might as well be an imperative that Americans learn about comparative religions. It's part of being a citizen of the world. #sschat
A1: I view religious literacy as a critical skill for students and adults alike. It's a combination of understanding basic facts about world religions, their similarities, their differences and also the diversity within a faith. It includes learning about atheism, too. #sschat
A1: I would think religious literacy might also involve engaging in deliberations in the U.S. where Christianity is not privileged as normative, but the teacher affirms religious/spiritual diversities. #sschat
A1: To get a sense of just how religiously ignorant Americans are, check out the results of a @pewresearch survey on religions. The public's lack of knowledge about religion can make it challenging for teachers. https://t.co/5qFmM13n5i#sschat
A1 I would define religious literacy as gaining the insights & skills to be able to understand & empathize w/ how ones' religious lens influences her/his past, present, & future views, culture, & actions #sschat
The garments wrapped through the Anne Frank exhibit and by the end the colors had faded to greys and black. The exit returned to vibrant fabrics to represent the hope in her story and how we can all be upstanders. #sschat
A1: #religiousliteracy, especially for teachers, includes understanding 1st Amend. principles, ability to recognize intersections of religion and society, content knowledge, & understanding of ways for approaching religion as an academic subject #sschat
That second part is crucial! We'll never know everything about religions, but we can learn about the questions to ask, sources to seek out, to continue learning. And teach our students the skills to continue learning about religion #sschat
It's important, as @KateSoules says, that students learn about 1st Amendment, church/state separation. It's also important that they develop knowledge to better interact with people of different faiths, too, and just understand the news. Religion intersects with so much. #sschat
A2) Having an understanding of different religions should help students be able to call out misinformation about different religions and practitioners of them whether that comes from people they know, media, elected officials, etc. #sschat
A2) Absolutely I agree with Professor Prothero. Religious literacy can empower our students to be better citizens because they would not have to rely on the over exaggerations and misconceptions from the media about other religions. #sschat
A2 Absolutely. Peoples' religious beliefs impacts their decision-making, their cultures; therefore, religious literacy is imperative in order that citizens better know how to communicate w/ one another. W/O that literacy, we're susceptible to fear-mongering & stereotyping #sschat
A2: Being knowledgable about one’s neighbors, their traditions, beliefs, & worldview makes Ss better people & better citizens. We must get back to tolerance & acceptance of those who have differences in viewpoint & be able to talk about those differences in a civil manner #sschat
A2: Yes, @sprothero is right. Politicians who are religiously ignorant risk messing up diplomatic relations or worse. When people are religiously literate, they can become knowledgeable 'upstanders' and eloquently speak against anti-Semitism & Islamophobia. #sschat
I definitely agree. Through religious literacy the students themselves can learn about the religions as opposed to learning from bias sources like the media . #sschat
A2. Showing the complexities of religion and how much religious practice varies within one religion demonstrates that a simple narrative of any topic is not sufficient. When a topic is put in simple terms (religious or otherwise) the whole story is not being told #sschat
A2: You need only look at the work of teachers like @mcshep8 in Modesto for exs of how this education can help mold better citizens. Students of hers have railed against stereotypes of Hindus, for ex, at gatherings. They have become advocates for educating children, too. #sschat
A2 ) Agree with Prothero. When students develop religious literacy they don’t have to just listen to the talking heads. These action verbs from @musoftolerance become viable options. #sschat
Is it the religion or is it some adherent's interpretation of the religion? I tend to believe it is usually the adherents, not the religion, that are the ones promoting those things. #sschat
Q3: One of the most difficult decisions to make in teaching religion is which religions you teach and which aspects of those religions should the students pay attention to.
How should social studies educators go about making these difficult decisions? #sschat
Religious literacy and media literacy can go hand in hand. Both ask students to use critical thinking, and overcome assumptions and generalizations #sschat
They can, but religions that at one time promote peace, and be taken over by those who change the orientation to practices that attack it. Individual religions change. #sschat
In reply to
@Mrjonresendez, @caranowou, @sprothero
Religious texts are written in an ancient context most of the time and the world in which they are written must be considered. However, like history, we need to teach the hard religion and the nice religion in order for our students to become effective citizens. #sschat
A2: The one part I'd quibble w/ in @sprothero's stance is the comments about media? I'm not sure how the ignorance makes the press more powerful. But I do believe religious literacy and a more informed citizenry makes a huge difference. Media need religious literacy, too. #sschat
A2: Still thinking about Q2, but my initial reaction is that isolating people, press, and media fails to see religious discrimination, bigotry, & affirmation as ecological. Cycles of hate, do example, grow & spread through all these channels. #sschat
A3 That's a great question! The problem w/ the answer is time. Personally, I believe their should be a mandatory comparative religions course, as a foundation for world history, but, again, time gets in the way to give it enough justice to dive in as deep as we should #sschat
We must all teach our Ss to promote and value human rights. How will you inspire your students to start a ripple effect to change the world? #sschat#edchat
A3: I thinknfirst address any religions that are present in the classroom and community. From there, look for others that are common in the surrounding area and/or those with large numbers of believers worldwide. You can’t get them all #sschat
A3: I've seen various models of how school systems pick the religions to teach. Some base it on the religions that overlap with what they're studying in world history or geography. Others base it on a combo of that and who lives in their community. #sschat
I don't see how it is possible to separate the religion from its adherents. Religions, like all human institutions, exist only in the minds of men. #sschat
Q3: One of the most difficult decisions to make in teaching religion is which religions you teach and which aspects of those religions should the students pay attention to.
How should social studies educators go about making these difficult decisions? #sschat
A3
As a 7th grade global studies teacher, I struggle with this.
Our curriculum doesn’t build in that much time to talk about religions, so I try to give my Ss the bare bones of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, & Islam. It is not my proudest teaching moment.
#sschat
Q3: One of the most difficult decisions to make in teaching religion is which religions you teach and which aspects of those religions should the students pay attention to.
How should social studies educators go about making these difficult decisions? #sschat
A3) I think that your state and/or local standards can be helpful here but shouldn't be the end all and be all. Know your community. What religions are students likely to experience beyond what are covered in the standards? What are students interested in? #sschat
A3) I think Social Studies teachers should be able to try to teach a fundamental understanding of all religions. However, due to time, they must choose religions that most directly impact the curriculum being taught and overlap in various regions taught in the course. #sschat
@sprothero would agree with this statement. My experience has been that even in a single semester course, students can learn how to be religiously literate. It would be great to embed it in our history course as well. #sschat
A3 That's a great question! The problem w/ the answer is time. Personally, I believe their should be a mandatory comparative religions course, as a foundation for world history, but, again, time gets in the way to give it enough justice to dive in as deep as we should #sschat
A3: No easy answers here. Trying to cram in more than a half dozen religions to satisfy your community sacrifices depth. One of best exs I saw in my travels was Wellesley, MA middle school's approach: four major religions, three to four weeks on each - from Jan to June. #sschat
Most school districts I observed made an attempt to mention non-believers and how they make up nearly 25% of America. Some call them the nones. #sschat
That is a good point! The students might have family or neighbors from other religions that they want to learn about. Put the kids in the drivers seat #sschat
A3 I look for materials that explain the historical dimension and basic beliefs. This is where well-prepared curriculum is helpful. I also watch out for the role bias plays in resources. #sschat
All religions are internally diverse AND change over time. Can be peaceful & violent. Buddhism is a great example, often assumed to be peaceful, but Buddhists are also persecuting the Rohingya in Myanmar. Avoiding generalizations is critical when teaching about religion. #sschat
In reply to
@classroomtools, @Mrjonresendez, @caranowou, @sprothero
A3 I think that religious history needs to be taught as an artifact of the time period being studied. Only when one knows the context of the period (language, institutions, etc) can one understand any aspect of a historical period, religion and religious institutions too. #sschat
Q3: One of the most difficult decisions to make in teaching religion is which religions you teach and which aspects of those religions should the students pay attention to.
How should social studies educators go about making these difficult decisions? #sschat
Maybe not. Maybe it's semantics, but even within religions adherents vary widely in their actions and beliefs. The religious right and progressive Christians are perfect examples. I would argue one has some members inclined towards fear mongering while one is the opposite #sschat
A3: It can also be useful to group similar religious philosophies such as Hinduism and Buddhism or the Monotheistic religions together. Focus on the essential components of each group. #sschat
A3: If you're teaching about China, wouldn't you want to mention the place religion plays or doesn't? You'd naturally talk about Buddhism. Some educators pick religions based on relevance to countries, historical periods studied as part of regular social studies class. #sschat
This is a great point! Many of our students are Atheists or Agnostics. Religiosity is declining in the industrialized world. These ideas must also be discussed. #sschat
Q4: How do you currently integrate religion in your classroom and how would you like to improve your teaching of religion?
Make sure to mention the course and the purpose of those lessons. #sschat
A3: Coverage of all religions is impossible. Instead, what are the goals of teaching about religion and how can they be accomplished, backwards design! Equip students with the tools to continue learning. #sschat
Maybe not. Maybe it's semantics, but even within religions adherents vary widely in their actions and beliefs. The religious right and progressive Christians are perfect examples. I would argue one has some members inclined towards fear mongering while one is the opposite #sschat
A4: Integrate most major world religions into world history lessons. Revisit info about religion as times change Try to show how religion affects society affects religion #sschat
I would agree that it can't be separated from its adherents (which means I may be countering my own argument, I'm not sure), but this is certainly yet another reason for having enough time to teach a comparative religions course & diving deeper into religion's influence #sschat
A3: Focus on teaching students to be able to analyze religion &its many expressions in the world. Ability to identify internal diversity, change over time, intersections with culture, complex understandings of religion rather than a chart of beliefs, holidays, & texts. #sschat
So agree. School system & teachers need to have a goal. That's why Wellesley, MA approach is so interesting - and I believe - successful. They long ago decided what their goal of their course was. They weren't trying to teach all religions. They were planting seeds. #sschat
A3: Coverage of all religions is impossible. Instead, what are the goals of teaching about religion and how can they be accomplished, backwards design! Equip students with the tools to continue learning. #sschat
Hey-Blake from Auburn joining late
A4) I teach APUSH & strive to show how religions evolved with America, notably 2nd Great Awakening BUT also love showing religious leaders prominence in protest movements #sschat
A4) I would try to integrate the major world majors that have had the most impact on the world. Regarding the class and time period, use it in the time period’s context and show the dual-sided impact of religion on society and vice versa. #sschat
A4) I primarily cover world religions in World History 1 (first semester) in the context of "classical civilizations" - Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Confucianism, Legalism, Daoism, etc. Would like to include Jainism, Sikhism, etc. but meaningfully. #sschat
A4: I offer a class called Religion and Society as an elective for juniors and seniors. That is one way to do it, if you have a teacher that is passionate about religion. #sschat
A3
Kind of same here. We challenged the kids to make a connection to the role that religion plays in their lives and compare it to places in Asia, middle east. Also to recognize that religious beliefs are incredibly diverse. #sschat
A3
As a 7th grade global studies teacher, I struggle with this.
Our curriculum doesn’t build in that much time to talk about religions, so I try to give my Ss the bare bones of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, & Islam. It is not my proudest teaching moment.
#sschat
Q3: One of the most difficult decisions to make in teaching religion is which religions you teach and which aspects of those religions should the students pay attention to.
How should social studies educators go about making these difficult decisions? #sschat
The goal of the academic study of religion is not to determine the truth of religion, but to understand how and why religious individuals and communities act in the world. Normative claims about religion do not belong in the public school classroom. #sschat
Great comment. The way I explain it to the kids is that I teach what people believe and why they believe it. I don't tell them what to do with the information or even how they should feel about it. #sschat
The goal of the academic study of religion is not to determine the truth of religion, but to understand how and why religious individuals and communities act in the world. Normative claims about religion do not belong in the public school classroom. #sschat
I sometimes forget this truth for middle (and even high) school:
We absolutely cannot teach *everything* about our topics; we are 'planting seeds' for these teenagers' later reference & understanding.
#sschat
So agree. School system & teachers need to have a goal. That's why Wellesley, MA approach is so interesting - and I believe - successful. They long ago decided what their goal of their course was. They weren't trying to teach all religions. They were planting seeds. #sschat
A3: Coverage of all religions is impossible. Instead, what are the goals of teaching about religion and how can they be accomplished, backwards design! Equip students with the tools to continue learning. #sschat
A4: Some school districts, both Wellesley and Modesto, have revamped their social studies curriculum to put more emphasis on study of world religions. They teach for weeks on religions rather than just days at a time. Both, in different ways, try to go beyond bare bones. #sschat
Ha! I declare that above my pay grade & pass. Although, realistically, I'd probably argue it should be tied to what societies are being studied in the school district's curricula. If American History is a course, then American Indian religions should be included #sschat
A3 also teaching kids how to identify different religious symbols, dress, even dietary guidelines simply to raise awareness and build empathy for differences. #sschat
A4: Christianity & the role it played during the build up to the Civil War. My 8th SS look at how Christianity was used to advocate for/against slavery. I would like to improve this lesson by looking at how other cultures used religion to advocate for/against slavery. #sschat
Grouping traditions can be helpful, but you also want to avoid essentializing religions and presenting them as monolithic or disconnected from the world. Instead teach the diversity of religious expressions, even within a single tradition #sschat
Q5: What strategies do you use to get your students to respect the diverse religious perspectives of their peers in your classroom or to empathize with the holders of other belief systems if your classrooms are religiously homogeneous? #sschat
A4) Would love to dive into extensions looking at current Constitutional arguments. 8th grade students examine religion through the lense of colonial settlement, constitutional rights & as a catalyst for migration/survival tool for the oppressed...#sschat
Q4: How do you currently integrate religion in your classroom and how would you like to improve your teaching of religion?
Make sure to mention the course and the purpose of those lessons. #sschat
A4 My 7th grade world history class incls the 5 main world religions. We teach monotheistic religions together & Hinduism & Buddhism together. We focus on role of religion in civilzations. Using The Story of God materials. I worry that I am doing each justice. #sschat
In the past, I have had Ss tell me that I can't teach them about religion. My response was that I could because we were learning about religions, not converting people. #sschat
Great comment. The way I explain it to the kids is that I teach what people believe and why they believe it. I don't tell them what to do with the information or even how they should feel about it. #sschat
The goal of the academic study of religion is not to determine the truth of religion, but to understand how and why religious individuals and communities act in the world. Normative claims about religion do not belong in the public school classroom. #sschat
A4: @ckschools includes instruction on religions in grades 1 and up and has set units for teachers to follow. I saw it in action in Wichita, KS, elementary school. The 1st-graders in photo are learning what a temple, mosque, church are as part of lesson on 3 religions. #sschat
Does you include contemporary connections or examples? Don't want students to think that religions only existed in the ancient world or haven't changed since then #sschat
A5: That’s a tough one since we are pretty removed from religious diversity. Ss are either Christian or nothing. Try to expose Ss to the positives and negatives of each throughout history. #sschat
Thanks for bringing this up. I think that it is important not to generalize all believers of a religion. Some believers use their religion to discriminate, many others don't. I think you acknowledge the issue and be honest about it. Let them draw their own conclusions. #sschat
A4 Since I teach university pedagogy courses for future teachers, my courses aren't about which ones, but more about how to & why it is imperative that we do teach religion in social studies (i.e. because of its influence on culture, in order to counter stereotyping, etc) #sschat
A motto of Modesto teachers: Teach, don't preach. Sometimes, both parents and students need a lesson on what the 1st Amendment and separation of church, state actually means. Schools can teach 'about' religion. They can't promote 1. #sschat
In the past, I have had Ss tell me that I can't teach them about religion. My response was that I could because we were learning about religions, not converting people. #sschat
Great comment. The way I explain it to the kids is that I teach what people believe and why they believe it. I don't tell them what to do with the information or even how they should feel about it. #sschat
The goal of the academic study of religion is not to determine the truth of religion, but to understand how and why religious individuals and communities act in the world. Normative claims about religion do not belong in the public school classroom. #sschat
This @NPR story focuses on an exhibit that includes a Bible used for enslaved people in the U.S. that omitted sections that could encourage revolts. Think that could lead to some really interesting discussions. #sschathttps://t.co/1UyREqoq5R
A4: Christianity & the role it played during the build up to the Civil War. My 8th SS look at how Christianity was used to advocate for/against slavery. I would like to improve this lesson by looking at how other cultures used religion to advocate for/against slavery. #sschat
Does you include contemporary connections or examples? Don't want students to think that religions only existed in the ancient world or haven't changed since then #sschat
A4 Here's a sample of a Ss work
I already used this answer but we were simply trying to build empathy and awareness by learning more about Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
#sschat
There are so many possibilities here! Another example of how religious literacy is critical for citizenship -- understanding our foundational rights in history and today #sschat
A5: One strategy that has been successful for me is to identify the students that are passionate about their own religions and use them as a resource. They can teach the class about their own interpretations and even vet my curriculum. It can be very empowering. #sschat
A5) I think exposing students to as objectively as possible to both positives and negatives of religions, including the classroom homogeneous religion. At the core, I would convey that we are all humans, and everyone dererves humanly respect. #sschat
A4 Here's a sample of a Ss work
I already used this answer but we were simply trying to build empathy and awareness by learning more about Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
#sschat
My wife was in the Peace Corps in Ghana and we had her students & my students be pen pals. I think any type of personal experience such as pen pals, field trips, skype sessions, etc. is the best way. #sschat
A5 When I taught a comparative religion elective, I found the best way for me to do this was to humanize the religion by bringing in peers to share their stories. Was always most powerful when my Ss didn't previously realize the other person's background #sschat
A5 Put them info diverse sets of religious believers, ask them to share their beliefs with each other. Then ask the students to share what they learned from the other students. #sschat
A5) As a teacher, I have to model this first...when teaching a faith I do not know much about, I try to conference w/ students of that faith first to ensure I am accurate in my own referencing of their beliefs #sschat
Q5: What strategies do you use to get your students to respect the diverse religious perspectives of their peers in your classroom or to empathize with the holders of other belief systems if your classrooms are religiously homogeneous? #sschat
In Faith Ed, I share stories from numerous schools on how they teach about religion and at times how they have dealt with controversies, particularly over lessons on Islam. Some were proactive in educating communities about why they teach about religion. #sschat@BeaconPressBks
Q6: In your opinion, is the study of religion an interdisciplinary experience for our students? Does the study of religion demand the use of other content and skills? If so, which ones? #sschat
A few years ago, I read about a school in northern Virginia (Chantilly, maybe) that was using a curriculum that included videoconferencing with students from different parts of the world, but it focused on religions. #sschat
My wife was in the Peace Corps in Ghana and we had her students & my students be pen pals. I think any type of personal experience such as pen pals, field trips, skype sessions, etc. is the best way. #sschat
Yet, even within Christianity, the diversity of beliefs is large...As a Catholic, I sometimes struggle with the generalizations Protestant teachers make in discussing the Church history #sschat
This is a tricky area for educators, who need to be careful about putting religious minority youths on the spot especially if they're the only one or one of just a few. Some don't want to be put on spot. Others may not be that knowledgeable. #sschat
Students can be a great resource! But definitely don't want to put them on the spot. Sounds like you pick willing students & emphasize individual nature of their experiences, not asking them to speak for a whole tradition, one of many examples of diversity in a religion #sschat
A5 i use the dialog curriculum from @we_are_GGlobal early in the year to teach the students to respect differences. The goal of dialog is understanding. #sschat
Q6: In your opinion, is the study of religion an interdisciplinary experience for our students? Does the study of religion demand the use of other content and skills? If so, which ones? #sschat
A6: Yes! History, literature, views on science, music, art - all are reflected by and reflected in religion. Ss need to have an open-mind, empathy, ability to synthesize info #sschat
For I have asked my Ss to discuss their religion on the first day to start a conversation about religious vocabulary. My students usually say they have a religion, but also admit that they don't know much about it. I have found that to be a profound point of departure. #sschat
Absolutely! And we look at the nuances from Catholicism to Lutheranism to Baptists and Methodists. The non-denominational kids make it really interesting b/c they subscribe to different combos of beliefs. #sschat
A6: Religion can be an interdisciplinary experience for students, but I rarely saw examples of that in middle, high schools in my reporting. I did see it in elementary school with art & music teachers, who complimented classroom instruction on world religions. #sschat
A6 - art, science, math (proofs of god's existence), literature, music, civics, geography - hard to find one not included. Maybe shop - wait there is that carpenter guy. #sschat
A6) YES! Religion is so interconnected to various disciplines in academia. It is important for students to learn religions in their context, how religions impact society, and how to empathize with them if it is not your religion. #sschat
A6: My ELA department chair and I have had profound collaborations around the purpose of myth for all people. She teaches Greek Lit and I Religions. We read Karen Armstrong's A Short History of Myth and discuss the need for mythology in a logos driven world. #sschat
A6: The study of religion is naturally interdisciplinary. Religions influence and are influenced by all aspect of life and culture. Can find connections across the curriculum #sschat
A6 - art, science, math (proofs of god's existence), literature, music, civics, geography - hard to find one not included. Maybe shop - wait there is that carpenter guy. #sschat
Thank you all for participating in our chat tonight. I know that these discussions can be very difficult and I admire all of you for being willing to discuss bringing religion into your classrooms and increasing the religious literacy of our students. Peace. #sschat
Religion is part of history. It backed major cultural achievements in art and architecture; it drove people to war; it seized power; and it used money to maintain control. It is not only about a cultural history, but also about social hierarchies. #sschat
A1)Role of religion as a survival tool is a consistent theme in our SS/ELA unit examining how people have survived injustice throughout US History . From the significance of Harriet Tubman’s hymnal to the work of Langston Hughes - this empowers Ss. #sschat
Q6: In your opinion, is the study of religion an interdisciplinary experience for our students? Does the study of religion demand the use of other content and skills? If so, which ones? #sschat
This hasn't come up in tonight's #sschat, but it is December, and in ele schools, the December dilemma comes up. Teachers want to 'celebrate' the holidays. I wrote this a few years ago, but still relevant: the need to educate , not celebrate. #sschathttps://t.co/EIWagTYeyD
A6 Yes. Interdisciplinary. As religious studies is a very complex issue, many skills are needed. Some include media literacy skills, analytical skills, understanding author bias, interpretive, synthesizing, etc. #sschat
A6) it certainly can be interdisciplinary BUT does not have to be. When teaching religious traditions, beliefs, I find incorporating art & architecture as a great way to enhance the beauty of each faith #sschat
Q6: In your opinion, is the study of religion an interdisciplinary experience for our students? Does the study of religion demand the use of other content and skills? If so, which ones? #sschat
A6) Role of religion as a survival tool is a consistent theme in our SS/ELA unit examining how people have survived injustice throughout US History . From the significance of Harriet Tubman’s hymnal to the work of Langston Hughes - this empowers Ss. #sschat
Q6: In your opinion, is the study of religion an interdisciplinary experience for our students? Does the study of religion demand the use of other content and skills? If so, which ones? #sschat
Yes! Was just writing some religion related lessons and there were so many possible ELA standards to include! Analyzing primary sources, identifying perspectives, using evidence to support arguments and more #sschat
