COURSE NUMBER: |
EDUC 567 |
COURSE TITLE: |
Religion in the Classroom |
NAME OF
INSTRUCTOR: |
Dr. Margie Patrick |
CREDIT WEIGHT
AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: |
credits 1.5 (hrs lect 1.5 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 0) |
COURSE
DESCRIPTION: |
This course equips teachers to teach about religion in
a variety of school contexts. We examine the legal parameters, study
the religious diversity existent in Canada, and explore various issues
involving religion that arise across the curriculum. Teachers able to
confidently and comfortably discuss and teach about religion create
welcoming spaces for all students and enable students to critically
engage with diverse ideas, their neighbours, and the world in which
they live.
Same as EDUC 367.
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REQUIRED TEXTS: |
- Online articles as listed in the topical
outline.
|
MARK
DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT: |
|
Aspect discussions and summary papers (4) |
60% |
Presentation incorporating religion in subject
area issue |
40% |
|
100% |
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COURSE
OBJECTIVES: |
Encourage pre-service teachers to:
- Develop confidence in teaching curriculum that
involves religion;
- Be aware of the various religious issues that may
emerge when teaching curriculum in religiously diverse classrooms;
- Discern one’s own religious autobiography and how
personal views and experiences of religion inform one’s responses,
fears, and biases towards religion;
- Learn how to teach about religion in a fair and
balanced manner that creates a safe classroom environment;
- Apprehend a framework with which to develop one’s own
thinking about religion in the curriculum and classroom.
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COURSE OUTLINE: |
- Course Structure: The What, Who, Why, and How
- Tues. Sept. 4: The What - Introduction to the course
- Thurs. Sept. 6: The What - What is “religion”?
- Tues. Sept. 11: The Who: Introduction to “the big six
plus one” religious traditions
- Thurs. Sept. 13: The Who - Caricatures and
misunderstandings
- Tues. Sept.18: Religious Aspect Discussion #1
- Thurs. Sept. 20: The Why - The secularization theory
and return of religion
- Tues. Sept. 25: The Why - The history of teaching
about religion in Canada (choose one of following)
- Thurs. Sept. 27: The Why – Population, demographics
and religious illiteracy
- Tues. Oct. 2: The Why – Citizenship
- Thurs. Oct. 4: The Why – Unexamined teacher biases
- Tues. Oct. 9: Religious Aspect Discussion #2
- Thurs. Oct. 11: The How - A Possible Framework:
Creating plural public schools – Worldviews
- Tues. Oct. 16: The How - A Possible Framework:
Creating plural public schools – Multiculturalism
- Thurs. Oct. 18: The How - A Possible Framework:
Creating plural public schools – Toleration, power, and social justice
- Tues. Oct. 23: Religious Aspect Discussion #3
- Thurs. Oct. 25: The How – Challenges
- Tues. Oct. 30: The How – Lessons from English RE
- Thurs. Nov. 1: The How – Case Studies (Pluralism
Project/AAR)
- Tues. Nov. 6: The How – A Teacher’s Perspective
(Guest speaker)
- Thurs. Nov. 8: Religious Aspect Discussion #4
- Thurs. Nov. 15-27: Presentations – 3
- Thurs. Nov. 29: What are teachers saying and doing?
- Tues. Dec. 4: Implications for the classroom
- Thurs. Dec. 6: Conclusion/Wrap Up
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