Peyton and Jalongo (2008) suggest that in order to encourage respect for different faiths, teachers need to ) familiarize students with others’ beliefs, (a That may sound complicated, but Fostering a Culture of Respect offers suggestions on how to do just that. Is there a difference between accommodating, tolerating, and encouraging religious differences? Another difference comes in the fact that girls are more often praised for good behavior, whereas boys are criticized more for bad behavior in the classroom. For this reason, another subculture in the school is the classroom where one teacher’s preferences may not be shared by his/her colleagues. Religious Differences in the Classroom. Finally, studying religion with as much depth as issues such as race, class, and gender allows students to glimpse its complexity. It improves academic outcomes To some, religion and the classroom are a toxic mix to be avoided at all cost. Strong EdD programs teach educators to value the unique aspects of what makes each student different, and helps them embrace those differences in the classroom. For students being prepared for the New York State Regents, for example, Judaism, is typically presented as just three things: monotheism, covenant, and Torah. advantage in the classroom. Teaching Tolerance and the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding teamed up to offer educators a free webinar series: Religious Diversity in the Classroom.The five-part series and accompanying resources (described in detail below) examine how awareness of religious diversity affects global citizenship, and how teaching about religion across grade levels and … Just … Religions, in this closed discussion, become fact-bundles. A student should never feel ostracized on the basis of his or her religious beliefs. Public school teachers have the power to tear down these walls and to use religious topics to help us better understand ourselves and each other. Applications for High School Educators can help you get them ready! I am not arguing for advocating religion in public schools. For example, we’ve written about religious … If they are to understand the world they live in, they must be exposed at an early age to the religious dimensions of society, history, literature, art, … While there is an obligation for even these students to learn what is being taught … Classroom materials available in the Resource List within the webinar. While this may seem like this difference would benefit female students, this trend actually places a greater emphasis on compliance as being essential to their academic success rather than simply learning and demonstrating knowledge. Giving Students a Choice in Matters of Faith. The five-part series and accompanying resources (described in detail below) examine how awareness of religious diversity affects global citizenship, and how teaching about religion across grade levels and subject areas can help meet academic standards. Tanenbaum and Teaching Tolerance created a series of webinars about the importance of including religious diversity in classroom content. Then highlight how each of those students adds something valuable and unique to the classroom. Educators seek to create an inclusive classroom … Discussion of religion in the classroom may alienate those students who are being raised with no religious faith. The most obvious and simple is to teach religious topics in as open a format as one teaches other topics. Copy this URL to link to this … All fields are required. For this reason, another subculture in the school is the classroom where one teacher’s preferences may not be shared by his/her colleagues. Students are told to memorize these, not to discuss their validity or question their effect on societies. To continue, log into your Teaching Tolerance account. This is part of why I am surprised at the “folk understandings” teachers have about religion. Print; E-mail. Share; Permalink. What a boring world it would be if everyone were the same. In an adaptive classroom, the teacher doesn’t convey the same content to all students; instead, students may be working on different tasks at the same time. "Silence about religion also denies students the promise of a good education. This gives students a series of rules and sentence starting phrases, such as “I disagree with your idea because . Different backgrounds, cultures, and religions are interwoven into the average American class. It improves academic outcomes Other differences can be a challenge to the individual (the “disadvantaged” or “differently abled” student), especially in situations that highlight the challenge because of the emphasis on certain information-processing strategies. A great lesson could include choosing a few different students who represent such diversity (if they’re open to it – don’t put them on the spot!). The facilitator discussed how to manage such a situation, and then concluded by reminding us all that, “the religious aspect of the bullying should not be something we address head on. Religion must be taught objectively and neutrally. Teacher education programs often overlook the importance of preparing K–12 teachers to address religious ideas in history and social studies. Several academics have developed the idea of “Lived Religion”—the idea that religion is not simply a list of rules or practices, and in fact is much more clearly understood in reference to the way it influences individual lives. These … If you want this website to work, you must enable javascript. The key to better teaching about religion is raising the level of scholarship in curriculum and instructional resources available to the K-12 classroom. It is obvious that schools cannot teach all languages to all pupils, even in primary schools, but there are pedagogical approaches that allow the different languages present in a classroom to be taken into account. In an increasingly pluralistic United States, religious difference provides cause for conflict, understanding and controversy. Keith C. Barton and Jennifer Hauver James | May 1, 2010. Each webinar will offer a variety of helpful tools and an after-session resource … Permalink. Acknowledging these differences and creating a safe space for discussion helps promote understanding in the classroom and beyond. Diversity in the classroom teaches students to appreciate different perspectives and draw stronger conclusions. E-mail. Diversity in the classroom may encompass age, learning styles, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ethnic background. Applications for Middle Level Educators offers recommendations on how to implement lesson plans that enable students to express their own identities while learning about diverse religious and nonreligious beliefs and how to use a variety of resources to explore common themes among different religious traditions. Knowing how to promote equality in the classroom is necessary for teachers as communities grow and diversify. Get students to prepare an activity or presentation that helps others understand their culture or religion, and how it is similar and different than other students. Interviews were conducted over the summer of … Enter recipient e-mail address(es): Separate up to five addresses with commas (,) Enter your name: Subject: E-mail Message: Cancel. My students enter the classroom with a range of assumptions. The topic was bullying—how to spot it, prevent it, and deal with it. Look to Modesto, California’s, required world religions course for high school students as a model on how to teach students to talk about religion in the classroom. On the other hand, 36 percent would like to see a merging of cultures. Every effort should be made to obtain accurate information about different religions. Questions like “How has Christianity shaped the politics of abortion in the U.S.?” and “Did Christians and Muslims have more differences or commonalities during the Crusades?” are two examples of questions I have asked to high school students that have generated hearty and respectful debate and a deeper understanding of human similarities and differences. In these types of bullying situations, the act may have more to do with negative attitudes and stereotypes about how someone expresses their beliefs and have less to do beliefs themselves. A modern Muslim in Saudi Arabia likely experiences Islam in a far different way than one in Indonesia, a fact that students miss when they are simply memorizing the “Five Pillars.”. Within any given classroom at any particular grade level, a teacher will understand that their students come from diverse backgrounds and … Most Helpline members tend toward this direction, invoking the good-old “don’t talk about politics, religion, or money” rule that applies to family holiday dinners and often, depending on district policies, the classroom. Diversity in the classroom may encompass age, learning styles, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ethnic background. To have these discussions, a teacher must prepare their students. Also, as you encourage students to learn about their diverse backgrounds, remember to take the time to highlight what’s offensive and the distinction between cultural celebration and appropriation. The teacher is tasked with encouraging and maintaining that diversity. helps educators build a deeper understanding of the legal parameters relevant to including religion in the classroom. In a classroom setting, diversity can present itself in a number of different ways: multicultural students, different learning styles, distinct personalities, etc. Some may be working independently, while others are engaged in learning with their peers, and still others are being introduced to new subject matter by the teacher. Teach your classroom what diversity means and how it is manifested in their own classroom. Indeed, there is … Feb 13, 2017. 2. A great lesson could include choosing a few different students who represent such diversity (if they’re open to it – don’t put them on the spot!). 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