The St. Anthony’s RE program recognises
and supports both dimensions of Religious Education, the classroom
learning and teaching of Religion and the Religious Life of the school.
The Vision for Religious Education is realised in a contemporary context
where we strive to deliver quality education in Religion to all our
students as we do for all other subjects.
At St Anthony’s teaching people
religion and teaching people to be religious draw upon the Catholic
Christian tradition in ways that are mindful of local contexts and the
ecumenical and multi-faith realities of contemporary culture. The
distinct and complementary nature of both dimensions of Religious
Education has been conceptualised in the following Model for Religious
Education.
Diagram taken from The Shape of
Religious Education, Model for Religious Education BCE website
http://www.rec.bne.catholic.edu.au/The%20Shape%20of%20Religious%20Education/Pages/Model-for-Religious-Education.aspx
We recognise the distinctive and
complementary aspect of these two dimensions of Religious Education as
part of a holistic education and the formation of the students at St
Anthony’s. The activities and experiences for the classroom learning and
teaching of religion and the religious life of the school are
responsive to religious diversity, while being faithful to the Catholic
Christian identity of the school.
Some examples include:
- Class Masses in year 3-7 each term and reconciliation in year 4-7.
- Prep to 2 liturgy of the word based on what is being taught in classroom religion.
- Franciscan values poster promotes the Franciscan Ethos and Charism.
- Annual Walk to Make a difference Project compassion fundraiser is tied to units on Social Justice and Action.
- Opportunity for involvement in different types of prayer and celebration during the school year.
A Reconceptualist approach to the Religion Curriculum P-12
At St Anthony’s teachers follow a
reconceptualist approach to the teaching of Religion, it operates out of
and educational framework rather than from a catechetical or ‘shared
Christian praxis’ framework. In a reconceptualist approach the classroom
teaching of religion a primary area for dealing with the critical
religious issues and concerns for life. There are three key
considerations for teachers using this approach: the Avoidance of Presumptive Language, Teaching ‘about’ the Tradition and Powerful Pedagogies.
In a reconceptualist approach, teachers
avoid using presumptive language and do not start with assumptions
about students’ faith development based upon their particular religious
affiliation. At St Anthony’s during planning teachers always begin with
the needs of the students in their class. This can change from class to
class and year to year. Teachers consider the background and abilities
of their students in planning units of work. Careful consideration is
given to ensuring that teachers use language that is invitational and
educational to better engage students in the religion classroom. When
using non-presumptive language, teachers provide students with
the freedom to respond in ways that do not assume a programmed response.
Teaching about the tradition entails
“exploring the meaning of one’s own religious life in relation to both
those who share that life and those who do not” (Scott, 1984, p.334).
This educational focus requires the students and staff to have a
critical appreciation of their own religious traditions and an
empathetic understanding of the religious beliefs and practices of
others. It is not merely the transference of facts and knowledge or a
values driven philosophy of religion. In teaching about the Catholic
Christian tradition we give witness to the value we place on our
personal religious beliefs and the authenticity of the teaching process.
St Anthony’s follows the pedagogical
practices embedded in the Brisbane Catholic Education Model of Pedagogy.
These practices are consistent with a reconceptualist approach to the
teaching of religion. Five practices provide a common language for
planning and reflecting on learning and teaching in the religion
classroom: focusing on learners and their learning; establishing clear
learning intentions and success criteria; activating multiple ways of
knowing, interacting and opportunities to construct knowledge;
responding with feedback to move learning forward; and evaluating
learning with students as activators of their own learning and resources
for others.
