July 2015: British Values, Unique Challenges & Judaism

The democratically chose topics for this month are:

1. What does the inclusion of British Values in the curriculum mean for RE? (Particularly in light of the new legislation on extremism and radicalism)
2. The unique challenges of being an RE teacher

Bonus Topics:

• How do we teach pupils to be religiously literate about Judaism? What do they need to know? #REchatUK
• NEW RE REPORT: “Encountering Faiths and Beliefs: the role of intercultural education in schools and communities” Download <here> or Press Release <here>

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• Alan Brine writes “Challenges, what challenges?” on the unique challenges of RE: http://www.reonline.org.uk/news/alans-blog-challenges-what-challenges-alan-brine/
• Charlotte Vardy discuss religious literacy and Judaism: http://candleconferences.com/how-do-we-teach-pupils-to-be-religiously-literate-about-judaism/
• Neil McKain writes about the 7/7 Anniversary: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/neil-mckain/7-7-anniversary_b_7736980.html 
• Waqar Ahmedi writes about the new anti-terror legislation: http://www.onreligion.co.uk/blogs/i-became-a-teacher-not-to-gather-intelligence-but-to-enhance-it/
• Andy Lewis reflects on extremism, radicalism and RE: http://tdreboss.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/re-radicalism-and-extremism.html
• Danielle Lynch describes the challenges of teaching RE: https://theologyofmusic.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/challenges-of-teaching-religious-education/
• Nikki Mann on the unique challenges of teaching RE (her first blog post!): http://rsteacher1.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-unique-challenges-of-being-re_12.html
• Neil McKain writes a follow up blog explaining how he taught about 7/7: https://thecursedfigtree.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/teaching-77/
• James Holt on educating against extremism: http://jamesdholt.com/2015/07/13/educating-against-extremism/ 
• Andy Ford on Radicalism: http://behindtheteachersdesk.weebly.com/ive-been-reading/ive-been-reading-the-islamist-by-ed-husain
• Danielle Lynch on British Values: https://theologyofmusic.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/values-british-aussie-or-human/ 
• Waqar Ahmedi on Prevent strategy: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/waqar-ahmad-ahmedi/prevent-strategy_b_7840690.html 

Other Blogs

• Rob Orme on the importance of teaching the Bible: https://www.tes.co.uk/news/blog/importance-teaching-narrative-bible-0 
• Neil McKain discusses what he should teach for Y6 induction: https://thecursedfigtree.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/year-6-transfer-day-what-should-i-teach/ 
• Mary Myatt documents some of what students she has encountered say about RE: http://marymyatt.com/blog/2015-07-12/what-students-say-about-re
• Neil McKain on how to use Periscope in RE: https://thecursedfigtree.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/thoughts-on-periscope-in-re/
• Gillian Gerogiou on religious truth: http://gilliangeorgiou.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/encountering-faiths-and-beliefs.html
• Alan Brine on Faith Schools: http://www.reonline.org.uk/news/alans-blog-the-faith-schoolsre-debate-more-heat-than-light-alan-brine

Philosophy Blogs

• Bella Carter on why there shouldn’t be a Philosophy GCSE: https://missavecarter.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/changing-education-paradigms-why-there-shouldnt-be-a-philosophy-gcse/ 
• Tom Bennett on Philosophy for Children: https://www.tes.co.uk/news/blog/philosophy-children-when-thinking-requires-thinking-about-something
• Peter Worley responds to Tom Bennett: https://philosophyfoundation.wordpress.com/2015/07/24/response-to-tom-bennett-on-tes-blog-philosophy-for-children/