Implementing a Critical Realist Pedagogy

Angela Goodman – Phd KCLFormer teacher at SSSO

Starter

In pairs:

1 person to explain critical realism to the other

The other person then needs to explain critical religious education (CRE)

2 mins

Developing knowledge and understanding

In the same pairs:

Read through the sheet you have been given on Critical Realism and CRE. Highlight anything you read which you consider to be WRONG. Some of this is pretty tricky so make sure you bounce ideas off each other.

15 mins

Critical Realism/CRE - Actuality

1. Ontological Realism2. Epistemic Relativity3. Judgemental Rationality

CRE (Critical Religious Education) = Three principles plus truthful living

Aim of CRE = To create religiously literate individuals who are religiously intelligent

20 mins

In groups – 2 4s, 1 3

• Discuss the academic debates surrounding CRE.

• Is it the best approach?• If not, what is?

• 10 mins

Plenary

• Feedback and discussion

Yr 7 SOW

• Embodies CRE

• Ontological Realism –Ultimate Questions. Worldviews. What is real?

• Epistemic Relativity – Ultimate Questions. How do we KNOW what is real? Worldviews. Tolerance.

• Judgemental Rationality – How do WE know what is real? Evaluating Worldviews.

• Truthful Living – Applying Worldviews.

Lesson 1 – Introducing the Ultimate Questions

• Introductions• Questionnaires• Questionnaires for others

• Does God exist?• Where did the world come from?• Where did human beings come from?• What is the purpose of our lives?• What happens when we die?• Do human beings have a soul?• Why is there evil in the world?• Do miracles happen?• Who was Jesus?• Does it matter how we treat other people?

Lesson 2 – Exploring the Nature of Ultimate Questions

• Stimulus – Ultimate Questions• 3 broad questions: 1. Who am I? 2. How should I live? 3. What is real?• Answer a question• Baseline assessment – Does God exist?

Lesson 3 – How do we know what is real?

• Card sort• Definitions of reality:1. Physical objects2. Human ideas3. Eternal principles4. What is most valuable• Response

Lesson 4 – How do we KNOW what is real?

• Blind man and the elephant• Plato’s Cave• Response

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJVBQefNXIw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69F7GhASOdM

Lesson 5 – How do WE know what is real?

• Who ate Richard’s chocolate?• Relate back to the Blind man and the Elephant

• E:\Lesson 5 Worksheet Freddy's Chocolate.doc

Lesson 6 – Introducing the worldviews

• Return to questionnaire• Introduction of worldviews:1. Theistic2. Secular3. Post-modern• Diagnosis by partner• Identification

Lesson 7 – Applying worldviews

• How might your worldview affect your life?• Statements – Theo, Sophia, Pete• Role plays – Should I go to the chicken shop?

Lesson 8 – Evaluating worldviews

• Students in groups – why do you hold your worldview?

• Dialogue arrangement• Strengthen arguments• RE boxing

Lesson 9 – The need for tolerance

• Diamond 9• Definitions – Scenarios• Implications for R.E.

• E:\Lesson 9 Worksheet.doc

Lesson 10 - Assessment

• Question – Does it matter if God exists?/Does God exist?/ Open ultimate question

• Philosophy channel• Structured writing• Written task

Questions……?!

• Any questions about the year 7 SOW?

What makes a good lesson?

• In pairs, bullet point elements which you think make up a good lesson.

• Feedback.

Important aspects of a good lesson• Challenging learning objectives (Blooms taxonomy)• Starter (engaging), Main (doesn’t have to be just one activity (!)),

Plenary (mini plenaries throughout)• A variety of teaching and learning styles (Visual, Aural,

Kinaesthetic)• Interaction (Pair work, group work, class discussion – student led)• Individual work (Preferably some writing)• Differentiation (By task, by grouping, by questioning, by outcome)• Exciting stimulus (May come through “video” clip, article, song,

text)• AFL (often through mini plenaries)• Technical language explained (Literacy)• Be time aware!!!!!

Outstanding lessons should include……

• E – High Expectations• P – Pace• I – Independent learning• C – Challenge

(According to Bill Stone…….)

Adding in the pedagogy…….

• Learning objectives key – What is “critical” about this lesson?

• Knowledge• Understanding• REFLECTION

Example – Was Jesus the Messiah?

• Not Christian beliefs about Jesus as Messiah (Phenomenology)

• Not different Christian beliefs about Jesus as Messiah – pft! (Ethnography)

• Not Jews believe…… Christians believe…... I believe…….. (Exam syllabus at KS4)

• WAS JESUS THE MESSIAH?

Was Jesus the Messiah? (Part 1)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson I will be able to:• Explain some Jewish expectations of the

Messiah• Explain why Jesus’ actions upon entering

Jerusalem were controversial• Reflect on whether it is ever right to get angry

Starter

1. What makes you angry?

2. Is it ever RIGHT to get angry?

The Messiah

• Messiah – Chosen one/anointed one The person God has chosen to bring peace to the worldMessiah (Hebrew) means the same as Christ (Greek)

The Messiah

• Ancient Jewish holy writings promised that a Messiah would be sent by God to save His chosen people. These writings included a prophesy that the Messiah would come to Jerusalem. Many people expected a king who would defeat their enemy, the Romans.

• Jesus’ entering Jerusalem was a way of showing that he was the Messiah, that he was a man of peace, and that he did not match the image of a Messiah held by others.

Two prophecies…..

• Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious,lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

• The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him… Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat. Isaiah 11:2

Miracle Maker

• As you watch the clip from the miracle maker, consider why Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his behaviour in the temple may have been controversial – Do they suggest that he was the Messiah?

Plenary – Hot seating

The disciples of Jesus would think he had demonstrated that he was the Messiah. Many of the Jews did not accept this.Come up with a question which you would like to ask a disciple who was present at these events and a Jew who did not accept Jesus’ Messiahship who was also present at these events.

Was Jesus the Messiah?

To understand and evaluate the evidence for whether Jesus was the

Messiah

• A celebrity is in trouble with the police• On the next slide you see a number of

suspects, then a number of clues• You will have to work out who is wanted

• The crime was against her famous partner• The suspect immediately texted a female

friend who used to sing in her band• The victim was wearing an England football

shirt• The singer left evidence that she was wearing

a wedding ring

WHO IS TO BLAME???

Victoria heard David laughing about her fashion sense, so she took off her stiletto and beat him about the head with it. In doing so, her ring cut his face. She then texted Geri Halliwell to help her clean up the blood…

What’s this got to do with Jesus?

• When Jesus was alive, the Jewish people were waiting and hoping for a Messiah.

• They had lots of clues from the Torah (Old Testament)

• Some decided that the clues definitely pointed at Jesus; others didn’t

What’s this got to do with Jesus?

• Messiah – Chosen one/anointed one The person God has chosen to bring peace to the worldMessiah (Hebrew) means the same as Christ (Greek)E:\Messiah evidence.docx• Study the evidence on the worksheet – was he

the Messiah they wanted????

Think/pair/share

• Why did many of the Jews at the time of Jesus NOT think this was good evidence?

• Explain your answer in your book

Homework

• Research and explain in your own words the Muslim view of whether Jesus was the Messiah.

• You may wish to try the following websites:

And finally…

• Human Continuum – Was Jesus the Messiah?

YES– this side of

the room

NO– this side of

the room

Starter

• Without looking at your notes…….

• What elements might you see in a good (outstanding) lesson

• In a circle…………

In groups

• Plan a lesson on women’s dress in Islam.• Lesson time: 50 minutes

TIPS:Start with Learning ObjectivesConsider your success criteriaFor starter – What will engage ?For main – What is the key issue you want to address?For plenary – How are you going to assess what they have learned?

Plenary - Feedback

• Lessons feedback…………

An example……..

• In context………

Islam and women

Learning objectives

By the end of the lesson I will be able to:• Explain Islamic ideas about gender roles• Analyse Islamic teachings on hijab• Critically discuss whether Muslim women

should wear headscarf/niqab/burka and create a law based on this

Starter

• Watch this clip. What does it suggest about men and women?

• From what we have already studied, what do you think Islam may teach about men and women?

Islam and womenAccording to Islamic teaching, men and women are equal in religion:

The Qur’an refers to the ‘believing men’ and the ‘believing women’. This is because its message is for both sexes equally.

Whoever works righteousness, man or woman… verily to him will We give a new life.

Surah 16:97

It teaches that all should be treated equally and likewise will be judged equally by Allah.

‘Equal’ in IslamIn Islam, being ‘equal’ does not necessarily mean being ‘the same’. What do you think this means?

traditionally, the principle role for women is to keep a halal home and bring up the childrenthe traditional role of men is to work in a halal way to provide financially for the home.

Men and women have a different biological nature and different biological functions. As such, they have different, but equally important roles which complement each other.

For example:

Teaching from the Qur’anSurah 24:30-31:Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex;

Evidence• And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and

guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests

• And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms

• Abu Dawood narrates that `Aishah (RAA) said: "Asmaa' the daughter of Abu Bakr (RAA) came to see the Messenger of Allah (SAAWS) wearing a thin dress; so Allah's Messenger (SAAWS) turned away from her and said: O Asmaa', once a woman reaches the age of menstruation, no part of her body should be seen but this-and he pointed to his face and hands.

E:\hijab.doc

Current issues

• In France…• In 2004 a law was passed in France that made it

illegal to wear any items of religious clothing such as the Hijab in schools.

• The French Government says it wants to make all children equal.

• More recently the French government have passed a law banning the wearing of the niqab or burka in public. Women who wear such items can be given a fine.

Current issues

• In Britain….• In 2006 there was a controversy after MP Jack Straw

stated that he would rather that women didn’t wear the niqab when they came to speak to him in his open hours.

• In 2007 Aishah Azmi was sacked from her job at a C of E school for refusing to remove her niqab. This was upheld by the law and guidance followed stating that face veils could be banned in schools on security or learning grounds.

Plenary – your response

What do you think the law in Britain should say about Islamic womens’ dress and WHY?

Key terms:Hijab, Headscarf, Niqab, Burka

I think the law in Britain should allow/ not allow….This is because………Qur’anic evidence/Evidence from the Hadiths suggests……….However, some people may argue that……..In response…………….