I am still thinking about what it would mean if we taught wonder rather than region. But before I get there, I want to share something I stumbled across.
Yesterday, while thinking about potential changes to the ICT curriculum, I went hunting for information on what schools actually do. I was asking myself the question: ‘how does RE work on the ground?’. In other words, how does all of that promising vagary really translate in the classroom. I found a website for a nearby school which had curriculum related links for students, parents and teachers.
Under ‘Christianity’ and ‘Christians’ it offered this:
Christian beliefs and traditions
Christian people believe
- There is one God.
- God made the world.
- God has three parts – The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
- Jesus is God’s son.
- When people die they go to heaven or hell.
- God sent Jesus to the world to save people.
- Jesus
- was born at Christmas.
- showed people how to live a good life.
- died on a cross at Easter.
- came alive again and went to heaven to live with God.
Now, you may think I’m about to have a go at that school’s RE curriculum. I’m not. I’m going to leave that to your imaginations, and to your comments. No, no. This is a failure of ICT. Someone found a link and assumed it was reputable. They trusted the nice people who provide resources for the hearing disabled, and forgot to ask whether they were equally conversant in Christian faith.
It’s a terribly difficult thing, teaching. And it’s tricky, too, identifying the right resources. So, I’m adding to my list. Let us teach wonder and discernment instead of RE and ICT. I’m sure I could make a course on wonder and discernment tick all the cross-curricular boxes. I’m willing to start tomorrow, so long as we can agree that there will be no exams, no red ink, and no end to the learning.
wonderful exchange 
I would *definitely* attend a Wonder and Discernment course taught by you! And I love your ideas for a better RE curriculum in your last post.
Lydia
How lovely to hear from you. I wish we could…
Are you blogging yet?
I blog in a Livejournally, ‘what-I-did-on-my-holidays’ way – I thought about starting a proper blog when I was, er, converting to Judaism, but I got all shy and never got around to it.
I’m going to send you an email, though – I’d love to catch up properly instead of just appearing on your blog at random intervals. I’ll do it tonight 🙂
excellent. and converting to Judaism is a worthy thing. I trust you got shy about the blogging rather than the Judaism itself?
I know a lot of people who would enjoy a blog written by an ex-high-church-anglican-ex-wiccan funny and articulate Jewish convert.
Readers: please confirm!
Oh yes indeed!
How courageous to convert to Judaism! I’d be a reader of such a blog.
This American Episcopal raising a Jewish child (conversion ceremony for him is this weekend) who swings between churchy and not would certainly be an interested reader!
Yes! Absolutely.
I would love to read it – I am sure there would be lots of different kinds of interest.
‘Conversion ceremony for him’ being a bit nippier than the weather?
Oh, all right then! I’ll let you know when I start..!
Excellent. Nothing like a bit of ecclesiastical bullying to provide fodder for your first post. I remember how well you write, and you have no shortage of interesting things to say. I’m really looking forward to it.
Right here: http://eishlevanah.wordpress.com/. WordPress is fun.
Lydia
Oh, very exciting. I’m off to look now. I’ll wait a week or two before I get out the trumpets so that you have had time to build it up a bit. But I’ll ring a small bell now, for those who are most interested.