Dr Jennifer Bleazby, a teacher educator and researcher from Monash University, Victoria, Australia talks about best practices to help your students learn and critique religions, philosophies and world views. She explains how the subject Religious Instruction differs from General Religious Education in Australia. Dr Bleazby argues teaching GRE well is needed now more than ever to encourage tolerance of different perspectives. Chances are, OOF educators will teach GRE as part of humanities/social sciences, but there’s a shortage of teachers with ‘religious studies’ university qualifications. And the next time you use Cosmic Kids Yoga in your secular classroom, beware of the possible backlash. Dr Bleazby explains what you can do to be more ‘mindful’ of the sensitivities.

Links:

Dr Jennifer Bleazby, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Culture and Society, Monash University https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/jennifer-bleazby

The (Australian) Victorian curriculum’s worldviews materials - an example of materials to support GRE taught within other school subjects, mostly humanities

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/foundation-10/crosscurriculumresources/Pages/WorldViewsandReligions.aspx

Social Education Victoria https://www.sev.asn.au/

Humanists Victoria - Check out their learning resources here https://vichumanist.org.au/resources/

Rationalists Society – Dr Bleazby has received a research grant to investigate religious education in Australian public schools.

https://rationalist.com.au/research-grants-program/