Boring, irrelevant RE? June 13, 2008
Posted by smartley in Uncategorized. add a commentHave you got students (or parents) who ask why it is necessary to study RE? Check out this YouTube video!
RecREate April 21, 2008
Posted by smartley in Uncategorized. add a commentFollowing the Culham conference today at York St John on using storytelling and poetry to engage learners in RE, here is a post where delegates can add comments or suggest good resources which you might like to share with others.
As a starting point, here is a link to David’s presentation [slideshare id=363562&doc=recreate-york-1208728456297056-9&w=425]
and also to his blogsites at Carmel College: Sixth form, Rome and International.
You will find also find information about blogging and podcasting on this blog, as well as a link to Nodehill Middle School’s RE blog.
Here are some links to find out more about: Comic Life Deluxe, Evans Publishing for RE and Multi Faith and The Works 6 (poems for asssembly) edited by Pie Corbett
I look forward to reading your post, comments and suggestions!
Podcasting for GCSE RS revision April 18, 2008
Posted by smartley in Uncategorized. add a commentThe RS department of Graham School in Scarborough use fresh, innovative and student-friendly techniques to aid revision GCSE RS revision. Recently, I spent a day working with RS Subject Leader Mrs Mandy Head and a class of Year 10 students to create a series of podcasts. Students were already familiar with how to podcast, but they were introduced to alternative software which, because of its simple to use design, meant that the focus could be on the content, rather than technology. Students worked in pairs or small groups to research their information, prepare and rehearse scripts before creating their podcasts.
Afterwards, Mandy asked them about the experience. The majority of students found this a very worthwhile and positive experience, and it appealed most to those who are auditory learners. Here are some of their responses:
“I enjoyed the podcasting exercise as it was something different and fresh. It was also more modern and appealed to young people as a way to revise than text book revision. I think I learned more and will use this tool to revise from in future.”
“I managed to learn the key words to this topic by listening to my partner reading them I would use the pod casts to learn from as I am an audio learner. It was easier to learn the key words as I picked up the rhythm in the person’s voice and use the beat to learn these words. I would recommend podcasts to others.”
“It was valuable as I think I learnt a lot on the day about how to ‘podcast’ but more about RS. I think I would use this technique to revise from because I like listening to my friends and it would be good to hear them when I was revising. I would recommend the experience to others as I feel it is well worth while. I do sometimes revise using audio.”
“I had a good day. It was different and new. I think it was a valuable idea to have access to. It will spur me on to try this at home. I think I am an auditory learner so I will benefit from this day. I think I will use it to learn my Science facts as wall as I think it is suited to this kind of subject. “
“I thoroughly enjoyed the day as it provided a unique way to learn, that I believe I would benefit from. I have made revision cards but I would make podcasts to revise from. I found the day helpful and would definitely want to try these techniques in other lessons that I find challenging. I would like to know if there are podcasts on the internet that I could listen to for this and other subjects.”
Click here if you would like to listen to one of the podcasts which were produced.
Web 2.0, digital resources and ideas for RE December 29, 2007
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. 1 comment so farI came across these recently and thought they might be worth noting.
Have you heard? REFuel has a very useful audio glossary, where you can listen to the correct pronunciation of religious vocabulary and also hear an explanation of the meaning.
Do you know about TrueTube? This website provides engaging and authentic materials on subjects which are relevant and real to young people. In addition to watching videos, students are encouraged to develop their own and submit them to the site. This offers opportunities for students to:
• develop key skills – in ICT and communication
• increase awareness of spiritual, ethical, social, cultural, environmental and political issues.
As the site is moderated and there is a list of house rules to be observed, great care is taken to ensure that material with an offensive, obscene, racist or libellous will not be uploaded.
Voki enables users to express themselves on the web in their own voice using a talking character. You can customize your Voki to look like you or take on the identity of lots of other types of characters… animals, monsters, anime etc. Voki can speak using your own voice which is added via microphone, upload, or phone.
Using Web 2.0 in Religious Studies Mark Woolley from Australia posted this presentation on Slideshare.
[slideshare id=154921&doc=web-20-ideas-in-religious-education-1194169618982941-5&w=425]
In Our Time, the BBC Radio 4 programme, hosted by Melvin Bragg, often broadcasts on religious or philsophical themes. The archive means that you can listen to programmes at an appropriate point in your GCSE or A Level syllabus which were broadcast earlier.
Photos
Wikimedia has a section of free to use (under a Creative Commons Licence) religious images.
EveryStockPhoto also has a large number of photos. I put “religious” into the search, but narrow it down with a specific word – you’ll be surprise what you can find! (I tried Zoroastrian and Bahá’í, though you need to put it in as “bahai“).
Make virtual visits to places of pilgrimage using Google Earth. You will need to download the program, then have a look at the additional photos and information which has been added at sites such as Makkah, Lourdes or Jerusalem.
You Tube now has an RE Teachers group with some interesting videos which could be used in the classroom. Here are a couple of examples.
16 – 19 Christian Spirituality October 9, 2007
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. add a commentDare2Engage – an organisation supported by the Jerusalem Trust, provide a great number of ideas and resources for developing Christian education with 16- 19 year olds. There are a large number of resources, ideas and reports available the Dare2Engage website.
Watch the Teachers’ TV programme of work on Body Theology filmed at a 16-19 conference run by d2e which helped students look at the relationship of the physical and the spiritual and to consider a range of values and commitments – for themselves and others.
Asbojesus is a website on which there are some challenging cartoons on a range of Christian or church issues, some of which could be used as a discussion starting point in the classroom. Here is an example.
Holocaust Memorial Day 2008 September 27, 2007
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. add a commentDownloadable materials to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day 2008 for both primary and secondary, are now available on the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust website.
The theme for 2008 is Imagine … Remember, Reflect, React.
They have produced a short video The Dignity of Difference (in two parts) which can be viewed here, on the HMDT website or on YouTube.
Every year, in time for Holocaust Memorial Day, HETI or the Holocaust Education Trust of Ireland run the Crocus Project. Aimed at 11-12 year olds, it involves pupils in planting yellow crocuses to commemorate the 1.5 million children who died during the Holocaust. HETI send bulbs to participating schools together with a pack which gives guidelines and suggests classroom activities which encourage tolerance and respect for others.
Not in my name July 7, 2007
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. add a commentIt is interesting that two of the great Abrahamic faiths have almost identical quotations in their sacred texts:
“Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.” Jerusalem Talmud
“… Whoever kills an innocent soul.. it is as if he killed the whole of mankind, And whoever saves one, it is as if he saved the whole of mankind” Qur’an 5:32
Muslims United has begun a campaign which aims to address the negative perceptions and stereotypes of Islam and British Muslims. On 6th July, full page advertisements in national broadsheet and tabloid newspapers aimed to disassociate a coalition of Muslim organisations with terrorism and violence. Further phases of this campaign are planned to comabat racism and Islamophobia and to engage diverse communities in interaction.
If we each searched our souls for “Not in my name” actions, how would the world be?
Podcasting in RE June 8, 2007
Posted by admin in Uncategorized. add a commentEither click here, or on the orange icon in the sidebar to listen to the Bible Heroes podcast created by Year 6 pupils at St Francis of Assisi VA Primary School in Ingleby Barwick (link to school website). Click on Episode 1.
Link works with Internet Explorer 7.
To listen to this podcast with iTunes:
Open iTunes>Advanced>Subscribe to podcast. In the window which opens, copy this URL:
http://www.podiumpodcasting.com/~182439/Y6atSTF210607000355/rss.xml
and paste it into the iTunes URL window.
The eight Year Six pupils I was working with, had chosen the theme of Bible Heroes. They first listened to a podcast in the role of “audio critics”, selecting elements which they thought were good, but also made comments about where there was room to improve.
Pupils worked in pairs to write their scripts, then loaded these into the Podium software to rehearse and record. The ease of use of the software meant that the children could concentrate on their speaking and listening skills, practising and performing until they were satisfied with the result. They also evaluated each other’s podcasts and made useful points to improve the quality.
When asked at the end what they had learned from the experience, they made comments such as:
- it made me realise how important deadlines are
- you need to work as a team
- it’s important to speak slowly and clearly
- you have to make it sound interesting
- you have to be responsible, otherwise it doesn’t work
- it makes you think about what you are going to say and how you say it
During the remaining weeks of the summer term, these eight “podders” are now going to teach podcasting to Year 5 pupils and so pass on the expertise they have learned.
If you want to know more about what podcasting is or read some ideas for how it can be used in RE, then click to watch this slideshow. (You can see a larger version by clicking on the SlideShare icon.[slideshare id=60810&doc=podcasting-and-religious-education-7393&w=425]
Blogging in RE
Posted by smartley in Uncategorized. 1 comment so farIf you want to know more about what blogging is and how it can be used in RE, then watch this slideshow.
(You can see a larger version by clicking on the SlideShare icon).[slideshare id=61422&doc=blogging-and-re234&w=425]
DigITal May 22, 2007
Posted by admin in digITal. 1 comment so farIf you are between 7 and 18 years of age and would like to tell me how you use digital technology – post your diary here. I am very interested to know the types of technology you use during the week.
Go to the DigITal page to watch a video which gives an insight into the ways that young people are being engaged by digital technology.
