Powerful Knowledge T Jenner Powerful Knowledge T Jenner.
- 1. Building on rock: The importance of disciplinary knowledge in shaping an RS curriculum Tim Jenner Head of Humanities Allerton Grange School
- 2. What might be the difference between a subject called: And: Buildings Architecture And: Past events History And: Religious Studies Theology
- 3. History is: A particular content domain (i.e. human action, human societies in the historic past) e.g. World War Two A particular set of methodological approaches, e.g. the use of evidence, construction of narratives, analysis of causation A range of potential meta-historical assumptions, e.g. human agency, structuralism Therefore, History teachers, drawing upon knowledge of their subject from specialist study (usually degree-level) apply agreed criteria of what is (and crucially is not) History to curriculum design. This: - Establishes what the subject can consist in - Resists erosion or distortion of the subject - Suggests progression models within the subject Fundamentally, teaching these disciplinary tools are what distinguishes the History curriculum from a list of facts or events
- 4. Evidence of distortion in the RS curriculum: Knife crime Tolerance Thinking skills Sex and relationships Content: Tools to shape the content: Some would agree that divorce is wrong. This is because it says in the Bible ”a man and a woman are united in one flesh”, which means that marriage is very important to Christians. Another reason to agree is because Catholics believe that marriage is a sacrament. This means that it is a gift from God and so it shouldn’t be thrown away. A reason to disagree is because some people might have an unhappy marriage and it would be cruel to make them stay married. Christians might say “love thy neighbor”. Another reason to disagree is Protestants. They would argue that divorce is allowed when somebody commits adultery. This is because this is what Jesus taught. In conclusion, I think that religious people should be able to get divorced if their marriage is really difficult because it is the most loving thing to do to let them have a second chance.
- 5. Why is there an identity crisis in RS? RS only exists in schools, it is actually an amalgamation of multiple academic disciplines which are rarely explicit in RS curriculum models. Theology Philosophy Social Sciences/ sociology History The ‘phenomenological compromise’ – problems of conceptualizing the study of religion in liberal secular society Recruitment, subject specialism and ITT shortages Political/ societal demands on school curriculum These factors have combined to weaken the disciplinary identity of RS to a greater degree than has been the case in other subjects, all of which have faced challenges to their identity (from GCSEs, accountability, cross- curricularism et cetera)
- 6. Why is the disciplinary identity of RS a problem? A lack of a clear disciplinary identity means that RS: - Can be too-easily shaped by current school and national concerns (e.g. PSHE) - Lacks the basis for a challenge to genericism in pedagogical approaches - Can be seen as less academic or rigorous - Is more likely to have curriculum time reduced than subjects like History - Is more likely to be taught by non-specialists - Can lack support for non-specialists or subject-specific professional development - Can struggle to recruit subject-specialists - Can lack clear progression models
- 7. Embracing the disciplines Theology Philosophy Social Sciences/ sociology/ history Phenomenological (Questions lacking a clear disciplinary toolset) Or…
- 8. Embracing the disciplines Theology Philosophy Social Sciences/ sociology/ history How do your own schemes or study units lie with regards these disciplines? Are there units which are not clearly related to any discipline? Are there units which draw from more than one discipline? How prominent are the disciplinary aspects of these units? Is there an overarching progression model relating to the development of students’ disciplinary thinking?
- 9. Theology ”Theology is the science of faith. It is the conscious and methodical explanation and explication of the divine revelation received and grasped in faith” Karl Rahner Knowledge of the aims and purposes of religion (the “ontology” of religion) What does this religion claim is “broken” about the world; how does it claim to “fix” it What the religion claims about the nature and purpose of human beings and their relationship to their creator, themselves and the world Knowledge of the diversity and origins or diversity within religion (interpretation and its role) The role and nature of interpretation within a religion The specific origins of religions, and their historical narrative in the real world Knowledge of the nature and role of different kinds of revelation and authority The nature and role of how religious knowledge has been and is imparted Knowledge of how the metaphysical claims of a religion directly impact the behaviour within a religion How do different understandings about the self, the universe, right and wrong lead to certain behaviours and traditions Knowledge of how to evaluate different interpretations and truth claims within religions Providing students with the tools to evaluate the different interpretations of the “internal architecture” of religions and the truth that result
- 10. Disciplinary understanding in the secondary classroom Theology From McGrath: - Analogies - Analysis of scripture (not support) - Unpicking concepts - Types of questions – e.g. why do Christians call God a shepherd? - Sub-genres of theological writing, exposition and hermeneutics
- 11. Disciplinary understanding in the secondary classroom Theology • Using ‘big questions’ which give disciplinary shape to content • Using academic theology as a loose model for student outcomes • Reflecting theological approaches through subject-specific pedagogy
- 12. Subject-specific pedagogy Theology - Analysis of scripture - Engaging with formal criticisms - Assessing the coherency of religious views - Explaining the theological basis for practice - Comparing interpretations - Placing religions in historical context
- 13. Disciplinary understanding in the secondary classroom Philosophy Social sciences What types of questions might shape content for students in ways which reflect philosophical thinking? How might pedagogy help students engage with and develop subject-specific approaches and modes of thought? What sorts of outcomes might represent progression in students philosophical thinking and argument?
- 14. Theological Philosophical Historical/ Social science Phenomenological
- 15. Does God exist? What are the Five Pillars of Islam? Who am I? (self and identity) What is the nature of God? How does religion help people get through tough times? Is it ever right to kill? What does it mean to say Jesus is God on Earth? Should Christians take the Bible literally? Is Britain really becoming more secular? Do I have free will? Should actions be judged by their outcome? What do Buddhists believe about suffering? What do religious people believe about abortion? How has religion changed over time? What does it mean to know something? Is the Qur’an the most important authority for a Muslim? How do religious people express their beliefs? Is Buddhism a religion? What does it mean to submit to Allah? What is life like for Muslims in modern Britain?
- 16. The Bible uses many analogies to speak about God. To explore some of the issues that arise from using analogies in theology, we may turn to consider one of the most familiar biblical verses: Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd.” This image of God as a shepherd is encountered frequently in the Old Testament (e.g., Psalm 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:12), and is taken up in the New Testament to refer to Jesus, who is the “good shepherd” (John 10:11). But what does this analogy tell us about God? How can we develop this image theologically? The easiest way of answering this question is to wrestle with the image and see what happens. What ideas come to mind when we talk of a “shepherd”? For most people, four ideas come to mind, as follows. First, there is the idea of the loving care of the shepherd for the sheep. The shepherd was committed to his flock of sheep on a full-time basis. Indeed, the shepherd tended to be regarded as a social outcast in Israel, precisely on account of the enormous amount of time he was obliged to spend with his flock, which prevented him from taking part in normal social activities. To speak of God as a shepherd thus conveys the idea of the total commitment of God to Israel and the church. Second, thinking of God as a shepherd affirms God’s guidance. The shepherd knows where food and water are to be found, and guides the sheep to them. To liken God to a shepherd is to emphasize God’s constant presence with the Church. It is to affirm God’s ability to protect from the dangers which life offers and to bring people to a place of safety. God “tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (Isaiah 40:11). Third, the image of God as shepherd tells us something about ourselves, from a Christian perspective. We are the sheep of God's pasture (Psalm 79:13; 95:7; 100:3). We are like sheep, incapable of looking after ourselves, and continually going astray. We are not self-sufficient: just as the sheep rely upon the shepherd for their existence, so we have to learn to rely upon God. Finally, just as the shepherd goes to look for his lost sheep, so God came to find us in our lostness and bring us home. The parallels with the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). McGrath, Alister E.. Theology (p. 21).
Editor's Notes
- #3: Despite this, range of practice in History which has distorted the subject. Particularly the focus on GCSE.