THE earthquake in Haiti has no doubt concentrated the minds of schools across the land. Not only will there have been charitable giving on a scale seen only at times of disaster such as this, but also the various subject disciplines will have had to address some serious questions.
The geography department is an obvious candidate. Many of us, if we are honest, probably had only a very sketchy idea of where Haiti was. Even pronouncing its name correctly was too much for some. We may have vaguely heard that it has a French colonial past, and that Papa Doc and “Baby” Doc were at one time its dictators, but the history department will have had a largely unknown story to tell.
But it is one thing to explain to children why Haiti is susceptible to earthquakes, and why grinding poverty has been its fate — it is quite another to attempt to reconcile religious faith with such unimaginable suffering.
The religious-studies departments in our schools will have faced some tricky moments in recent days. Very few, however, will have been caught napping. Facing the “new atheism” syndrome à la Richard Dawkins and the new emphasis on the philosophy of religion has left us well equipped, particularly with older children. Christian Philosophy and Applied Ethics by various authors (Heinemann, £13.50; 978-0-435-50158-7), is a good example.
This text is a wonderful resource for teachers of the 14-16 age groups. It is geared towards the OCR GCSE syllabus, but flexible enough for all RS groups. It incorporates the changes in the 2010 exams, and will save hard-pressed teachers hours. The “Exam café” is a particularly innovative feature, and the problem of evil and human suffering is sensitively and comprehensively covered.
“WHY is the kettle boiling?” will be answered in different ways by a thirsty person, a physicist, and an electrician. So says Test of Faith: Science and religion meet (Resources for schools) (+DVD), from the Stapleford Centre (£11.99; 978-1-902243481-6). This remarkable resource is based on a series of three films produced by the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. At its heart is the debate about “How do I obtain reliable information about the world?”
Although it overtly uses Christians who are also scientists, this is no polemical diatribe from creationists. Any resource bearing the imprimatur of Canon John Polkinghorne can be guaranteed to disarm even the most ardent Dawkins disciple. The really clever thing about the resource’s worksheets and schemes of work is the way in which they have been framed to cover the full age and ability range 14-19. This is the Stapleford Centre at its best.
The Haiti disaster will also have featured prominently in hundreds of assemblies. The tone of Our Earth, Our Home: Green assemblies for Key Stages 1-2, by Ellen Teague (Kevin Mayhew, £15.99; 978-1-84867-226-0) is gentle, and perhaps a little worthy, but the “Our world turned upside down” assembly is perfect for times such as these.
ALTOGETHER livelier — buzzy, even — is the newly published Done ’n’ Dusted: Ready-to-use assemblies for Key Stages 3-4, by Rob Hurd (Kevin Mayhew, £16.99; 978-1-84867-197-3). The words “ready-to-use” have a particular attraction when your assembly-taker has just called in sick. The themes are spot on, and the quiz sections are just right for the intended age-groups. The downloadable images are well chosen: the attempted jokes, however, are terrible, and very, very old. For example: “Where was the world’s first ice-cream company?” Answer: “Walls of Jericho.” You know the kind of thing. Best avoided, especially on a cold, wet Monday morning.
Tony Castle, a prolific assembly-writer, has produced a typically no-nonsense addition to the series, also on the Kevin Mayhew label, which is highly recommended: Assemble Together: 100 topical assemblies for Key Stages 3-4 (£24.99; 978-1-84867-227-7).
“SEE” RE: Stories from Christianity (Guided visualisations for children aged 7-11) by Mary Stone and Jill Brennan (RMEP, £9.99; 987-1-85175-455-7), is an intriguing series of 12 lessons based on stories found in the New Testament. The visualisation asked of the children — “sit alert and relaxed with your hands placed gently on your knees. Close your eyes and imagine” — is done for you in the text.
“SEE” RE: Stories from Christianity (Guided visualisations for children aged 7-11) by Mary Stone and Jill Brennan (RMEP, £9.99; 987-1-85175-455-7), is an intriguing series of 12 lessons based on stories found in the New Testament. The visualisation asked of the children — “sit alert and relaxed with your hands placed gently on your knees. Close your eyes and imagine” — is done for you in the text.
The Parable of the Lost Coin leads naturally into, first, a meditation about what is precious, and second, art and literacy opportunities. It is beautifully done, but the teacher will need full control of the class for this technique, and a vivid imagination. Another thing to avoid on a wet Monday, perhaps.
Written in a punchy style but based on original research, by Mark Lofthouse (University of Oxford Department of EducFaith, Class and Politics: The role of the churches in teacher training 1914-1945ation, £15; 978-0-9035-3505-2), offers more than the title suggests; for his story begins in the Victorian period and ends with the Blair years. Lofthouse believes that the mission of the church colleges (some now universities) after the harsh closures of the 1970s is “to re-affirm and re-interpret Christian values” and “to light candles in the darkness of an enveloping secularist gloom”. He tells a sobering story that all concerned with Christian education would benefit from reading.
Alan Wilkinson