REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Using faith stories: ten great ideas

1. Shared stories, different meaning? When telling stories from a shared tradition, make sure you get it right. For example, Adam and Hawa (Eve) feature in the Qur’an, but Hawa does not tempt Adam to eat the fruit;...
This article is for paying subscribers

Exploring experiences of prayer inspired by different faith communities around the world

At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Shrewsbury, English, art and outdoor learning are combined with RE to offer children and parents different experiences of prayer. In the words of teacher Helen Thorpe, the school...
REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Using the Methodist Modern Art Collection with schools:

The exhibition has been organised by the Believe in Hull church partnership as part of its contribution toward Hull City of Culture celebrations 2017, with funding support from the Methodist Church.

This article is for paying subscribers

How to tell a faith story well

Every day we are ‘storied’. We all live by stories – indeed, our lives are stories – but for them to mean something we have to be inside them; otherwise they are merely words. When we achieve that synergy, we...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Two views of teaching the new GCSE

I started teaching the new GCSE RS course last year, completing Christianity and two themes in Year 10, and am part way through Islam in Year 11. On the one hand I have really enjoyed the in-depth study of these...
This article is for paying subscribers

The rider and the elephant -the only way is ethics

Robert Kirkwood has resourced RE over many years with exciting textbooks through his collaboration with the cartoonist Edward McLachlan. We asked him how he sees the subject at the moment.

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

New beginnings, human destiny and what happens in between

Fr Peter Walters has lived in Columbia since 1994, where he works directly caring for and empowering Columbia’s los desechables; its ‘disposable’ street children. His charity, Let the Children Live, offers...

This article is for paying subscribers

RE in the graveyard: Not scary, but peaceful

Gill Tewkesbury teaches in Devon. She wanted to help her pupils think more deeply about religion and the end of life, so she went to the graveyard with her class. Secondary teachers reading this face the challenge:...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

How does RE contribute to reconciliation?

Amanda Donelan is headteacher of the Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary School in Leasowe on the Wirral. She describes a new spiritual beginning for her school.

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Luton in Harmon: RE lessons to think about inter-religious respect

Ulrike Hunt wanted her pupils to start thinking more deeply about respect for all. Here’s what she did.

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Beginning to see RE as research

This idea is one of many ways to move RE in an enquiring direction. If we think of pupils as researchers, then the enquiring purposes of RE come into focus. So we asked several schools (thanks to them all) to set...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Beginnings and endings – An exploration

Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, is one of the most well-known of all Hindu images. It is enigmatic on first encounter, but its complexity makes it an exciting resource for exploring Hindu beliefs about the cycle of...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Helping 4-year-olds with the true meaning of Christmas

Sophie Nicholls, from Ferncumbe CE Primary School, in Warwickshire, shares how the Forest School experience was used to help children in the reception class understand the festivities. They all made a team sculpture...

This article is for paying subscribers

Big Friendly RE

Matthew Priest teaches 7–8 year olds in Sandwell. He linked up English with RE to begin exploring the theme of dreams

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

What is love? Answers from the 6-year-olds

Rachel Buckby teaches at St John’s CE Primary School in Leicester and is a member of the NATRE Executive. She wanted to begin to use sacred texts thoughtfully with her infants. Here’s how she did it: ideas you can...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Teaching life, the Universe and (the pedagogical) everything:

RE seems to require teaching everything, alongside factual content of rituals and vocabulary. A pick from REtoday 35:1 includes promoting critical thinking1 and negotiating conflicting worldviews2 in a way that is...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

Islam and science:

Letter writing is often suggested by textbooks as a way to enable pupils to respond to an issue. In this example, we go further, and offer four ‘letter starts’ that address key issues in Islam and science, with...

This article is for paying subscribers

What is Religion?

Do you ever get the sense that your students come to school to watch you work? Jane Halsall at Southend High School for Boys wants to shift the responsibility of critical thinking from her to her students’...

REToday Logo This article is for paying subscribers

A custom from Rwanda for learning from Easter

Kerry Cooper ran some interesting lessons for Easter. Here’s how you could try them too. Having recently attended an RE Today CPD course I was inspired by a session on teaching Christianity to 4–9s, and especially by...
This article is for paying subscribers

Ten ideas for opening minds on science and faith

01Outdoor homework: night sky mysteriesFor a 14-minute homework task, pupils are asked to stand alone in the open air one night in the next week and look into the sky on a dark clear night for six minutes. They are asked...