WHOS SCARED OF SACRED SPACE Joyce Miller Lancashire

WHO’S SCARED OF SACRED SPACE? Joyce Miller Lancashire primary RE conference, 2009

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SACRED SPACE?

THE NATURAL WORLD

CEMETERIES

MEMORIALS

PLACES OF WORSHIP

SACRED SPACE Sacred space is any space - within the school grounds, the local community, the region, the nation, the world - where children can explore religious, spiritual and moral questions. . .

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM -LOTC Major government initiative to promote learning outside the classroom Eight separate sectors working together ‘Out and about guidance’ Health, safety, risk and benefit So, who’s scared. . . ?

RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES? Confidence and competence Visitors’ expectations ‘Representation’ – religion as it is, warts and all.

THE QUALITY BADGE SCHEME FOR LOTC There are six quality indicators for ‘providers’: has a process in place to assist users to plan the learning experience effectively; provides accurate information about its offer; provides activities, experience or resources which meet learner needs; reviews the experience and acts on feedback; meets the needs of the users; has safety management processes in place to manage risk effectively.

THE NEW LOTC COUNCIL

BENEFITS FOR ‘PROVIDERS’ Contacts with community members Links with local (and other) schools Contributing to children’s learning Sharing of outcomes – pupils’ work displayed Money!

ARE THE CHILDREN SCARED? Fear Prejudice Boredom

BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN (1) Children can engage first hand with religious communities: visits, interviews and research- i. e. Engage in ethnographic research Enables study of real people and breaks down stereotypes They can become ‘skilled cultural navigators’

BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN (2) ‘Edification’ - the application of experience to their own lives Opportunity for reflection and the development of empathy Spiritual moral social and cultural development Aesthetic experience

AS IT SAYS ON OUR WEBSITE. . . ‘. . . getting pupils outside the classroom and into sacred space can not only improve the quality of religious education but contribute to pupils' spiritual development as well as giving many opportunities for exciting crosscurricular learning. ’

PARENTS? Fear Prejudice Withdrawal clause Advice on how to pre-empt problems see www. reonline. org. uk/sacredspace

BENEFITS FOR PARENTS Gives their children knowledge of the outside world Contact with difference in a safe space

TEACHERS? Confidence Competence Bureaucracy

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS -1 Contribution to pupils’ cognitive development Understanding of religious concepts Interpretation of religious language and symbols Cross - curricular learning opportunities See this term’s RE Today for 10 tips on LOt. C in sacred space

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS - 2 1. Contribution to duty to promote community cohesion 2. Appreciation of difference and awareness of commonality 3. Opportunity to explore key concepts of identity and community

1. COMMUNITY COHESION CHARACTERISTICS A common vision and sense of belonging for all Diversity is appreciated Similar Strong life opportunities and positive relationships are developed

COMMISSION ON INTEGRATION & COHESION Shared futures – an emphasis on articulating what binds communities together A new model of rights and responsibilities A new emphasis on mutual respect and civility – strengthening social bonds within groups Visible social justice – prioritising transparency and building trust

2. COMMONALITIES AS WELL AS DIFFERENCES Through exploration and engagement, find what is held in common between religions and beliefs Avoid focusing on the different and the ‘interesting’ The shared heritage of Judaism, Christianity and Islam should be explored.

3. IDENTITY(IES) AND COMMUNITY(IES) Key concepts They are organic, fluid and multiple They are not fixed and unchanging Explore what they mean with children and young people

FINALLY. . Two reminders and words of warning:

AVOID ASSUMPTIONS. . . Learning about religions will not necessarily promote community cohesion. At worst, it will increase alienation by focusing on ‘otherness’ Pupils bring their own preconceptions, prejudices and misinformation to the classroom. If they are not challenged, they will remain.

AND REMEMBER THAT. . . Teachers are not defenders of faiths Don’t sanitise or homogenise religions Respect is not synonymous with indiscriminating tolerance Not everything religious is worthy of respect

ESSENTIAL WEBSITES www. lotc. org. uk www. reonline. org. uk/sacredspace