Transcript A wander around a pedagogic landscape

A wander around a
pedagogic landscape
Paul Hopkins
A little learning theory
Behaviourism: looks at how people respond to stimuli, teaching is
based on reward and punishment. This is how people (students) are encouraged
to act in certain ways. Schools operate a behaviourist approach in the use of
merits, rewards (examinations), detentions, lines etc… but also in the use of
praise as reinforcement for actions / behaviours, and the construction of the
physical environment in which learning takes place. Ivan Pavlov, Burrhus
Skinner and Hans Eysenck
Constructivism: Looks at the world view of the student - teaching is
about building upon (constructing) that world view [consider the danger for
believers if RE’s task is to re-construct a world view]. Pupils are active learners not empty vessels to be filled (Paulo Freire). Jean Piaget was an early
constructivist (lone scientist - classical constructivism). Social constructivism
(Vygotsky (ZPD) and Bruner) sees students learning ‘in conversation’ with peers,
parents and teachers and looks at systems (classes, families, schools and
communities) as well as individuals. Lev Vygotsky used the term ‘scaffolding’ in
which students are given the tools to change their ontological outlook (developed
later by Jerome Bruner). Children work collaboratively in order to build up
understanding.
The
Book
Smartsville
PHENOMENOLOGY
Learning in RE is focused upon assembling,
broadening and deepening understanding
that takes each religion’s phenomena on its
own terms. Examining the seven dimensions
of religion [Smart] brings balance and an
ability to think about religion.
Abstract: Practical/Ritual, Experiential,
Narrative/Mythical, Doctrinal & Ethical/Legal
Concrete: Social/Institutional & Material
‘learning and teaching in RE should promote
both academic and personal forms of
knowledge and understanding’ (Grimmitt p27)
.
Grimmitton
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Pedagogy is driven by the need for RE to enable
Human Development - the links between psychology,
philosophy, anthropology and other social sciences
create a tension. The place of religion as a distinctive
human discourse is defended even in secular cultures
The term ‘learning from religion’ stems from this
approach. The focus is on finding ’personal meaning’
through RE has become axiomatic - though teaching
this is often difficult. Pupils are encouraged to make a
‘faith response’ to fundamental questions of human
existence
This could be seen as RE as existentialism and may
challenge the nature of truth
Hammond & Hayland
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
Concepts of spiritual dimension of life lie behind the
intention to enable learners to access their own
spirituality and to reflect on spiritual experience. The
psychological defense of the spiritual dimension is
linked to to examination of spiritualities from different
religions.
This has led to creative practice and the
methodologies draw heavily on the expressive arts
(art, music, dance, drama)
Can encourage a dualistic approach and ignore
knowledge of religious traditions
Cooling & Wright City
TRUTH CLAIMS
RELIGIOUS LITERACY
Religion is about Truth [truth claims]. The critical
evaluation of these truth claims and schemes for
establishing truth claims are the key skills for young
people in RE. These skills are especially important in
a relativistic, post-expert and post-modern culture.
Narrative deconstructionism is a key process.
This critical realist approach can be very attractive
but good classroom resources can be difficult to
source. Robert Kirkwood and some Science and
Religion resources use this approach.
Contrasts with the ‘humanistic’ or ‘romantic’
approaches but offers a sense of perspective and
understanding of one’s own faith position.
Jackson Towers
INTERPRETIVE
APPROACH
Engagement with internal diversity as well as religious
plurality, and emphasises a serious engagement with
the layering of religion, culture and philosophy. The
key skill is interpretation. Homogeneity is a dangerous
approach to understanding or experiencing religious
tradition.
A fusion of phenomenology with social anthropology
gives the learner an ability to make sense of the way
that religion is lived today - in the light of the traditions
they come from, being alert to the non-homogeneity of
religions
Pupils benefit from becoming ‘active interpreters of
religious meaning making, not just passive observers
or recipients of information about a tradition’
Camp Erricker
RECONSTRUCTIONISM
If the task of education is constructing the self then
pedagogies for religious (and spiritual and moral
education) should facilitate this. To facilitate this some
prior practice must be swept away
Attempts to develop children’s natural capacities for
individual storying and constructing meaning. Accepts
that the meaning which the individual constructs
represents reality. Truth is related to personal
narratives, constructed out of individual experiences
Uses a process of ‘identification, reflection and
application’ to engage children in developing their world
views, and challenges orthodoxy and the credibility of
religious faith in a post-modern age.
Pedagogic Pilgrims
Smartsville
Wright city
Hammondland
Grimmitton
Camp Erricker
Jackson Towers
A glimpse into Learning Styles
VAK
Neural Linguistic
Programmers
Bandler
Gregorc
Cognitive
predilections
Grinder
Gardner
Multiple Intelligences
Smith
A pedagogic fantasy I
As part of the scheme of work Mrs Jones saw that she was going to teach the
Y7s (11 year olds) about Hanukah, about the festival, the stories associated with
the festival and the impact of the festival on the Jewish community. She had
done her PGCE in a university where Ninian Smart had had a major influence
and so began with teaching the children the phenomena of the festival. She used
a variety of resources including text books, artefacts (a Hanukiah, candles, oil,
kippurs), some video materials looking at the festival celebrations in both a liberal
and reform synagogue and some web resources including an animated text of
the story.
She was then lent Michael Grimmit's book on RE and human development
and realised that she had been focusing to much on 'learning about' so she
planned some fresh lessons. Students were asked to reflect on the story and
consider if it had any meaning for them. What were the key ideas in the story that
challenged them to consider how they lived their lives? They were asked to
consider when they were in a situation where hope triumphed over seemingly
impossible odds or what they considered to be miraculous. Some excellent work
emerged as the pupils related the idea of miracles to their own lives.
A pedagogic fantasy II
She was then sent details of Cooling's concept cracking and so
planned a couple of lessons where the students were to examine
the story of Hanukah critically and decide if this could have
happened. What were the claims of the people at the time? Of
Jews today? Were there differing accounts of the story and what
were the literal or the metaphorical truths within the narrative.
Over the inter-term break she met up with an old friend from
college who had been on a course with Sue Philips on the
'theatre of learning' as the friend described the experiential
methods of Hammond and Hay. Mrs Jones was inspired to get
the children actively engaged in their learning. The first lesson
back the students enacted the story from the points of view of a
variety of the characters and then working with the art department
created a piece of art work based on the theme of a miracle
A pedagogic fantasy III
A course was offered and Mrs Jones discovered the interpretive method of
Bob Jackson and so planned a couple of lessons where the students were to
investigate how the festival was celebrated by the local community. They
invited in the local Rabbis from the orthodox and reform congregations and
the students used the internet to talk to students from Jewish school in
Manchester asking them about the festival and why it was important. The
students put these into a vox pop and presented this to the class via the eWB.
As the term came to an end the RE advisor came into school and discussed
the work of Erricker on deconstructionism with her. Mrs Jones was a little
concerned she had been pushing a doctrinal view on her students and so the
last lessons revolved around the idea of faith in the community and if you
needed to believe in certain doctrines to belong to a religious group. How
much could you be 'in a club' if you didn't like all the beliefs of that club? The
students finished off the term by starting to formulate their own concept of
what a 'religious sect or group' would look like
Mrs Jones finished the term tired but happy and wondered how she was going
to explore next term's theme on the existence of God