Re and Citizenship Education
With reference to relevant literature discuss the (potential) tensions and synergies between Citizenship Education and Religious Education. In doing so reflect upon how would you might resolve these as a teacher of both.
Introduction
Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrews Congregations once stated, “Freedom begins with what we teach our children.” His sentiments could not be truer in the education of Religion and Citizenship. Within the setting of these classrooms students should be given the opportunity to explore that freedom with free expression, but unfortunately this is not always the case. The overall aim of Citizenship education is to enable students to explore the meaning of being a citizen and through the course of this paper the limitations of this approach will be discussed and the possibilities of how Religious Education could enhance Citizenship will be outlined. Nelson (2004) suggests that the uniformity and diversity in the delivery of Religious Education across the different sectors in Northern Ireland may have an effect upon the delivery of Citizenship Education. Therefore, as a teacher of both subjects it is important to reflect upon the potential synergies and tensions between Citizenship and Religious Education in order to inform practical methodologies and pedagogies. There are numerous tensions and synergies that could be discussed between these subject areas but this paper will focus on moral and ethical systems and promoting active citizen participation. The aim of these discussions is to discern a pathway in which a teacher of both subjects can remain consistent to their practice and values ensuring that education is liberating students to wrestle with these issues for themselves.
The Implementation of Citizenship Education
Local and Global Citizenship Education is attached to Learning and Life and Work in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 (Northern Ireland Curriculum 2007). Citizenship education is compulsory and in
Introduction
Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrews Congregations once stated, “Freedom begins with what we teach our children.” His sentiments could not be truer in the education of Religion and Citizenship. Within the setting of these classrooms students should be given the opportunity to explore that freedom with free expression, but unfortunately this is not always the case. The overall aim of Citizenship education is to enable students to explore the meaning of being a citizen and through the course of this paper the limitations of this approach will be discussed and the possibilities of how Religious Education could enhance Citizenship will be outlined. Nelson (2004) suggests that the uniformity and diversity in the delivery of Religious Education across the different sectors in Northern Ireland may have an effect upon the delivery of Citizenship Education. Therefore, as a teacher of both subjects it is important to reflect upon the potential synergies and tensions between Citizenship and Religious Education in order to inform practical methodologies and pedagogies. There are numerous tensions and synergies that could be discussed between these subject areas but this paper will focus on moral and ethical systems and promoting active citizen participation. The aim of these discussions is to discern a pathway in which a teacher of both subjects can remain consistent to their practice and values ensuring that education is liberating students to wrestle with these issues for themselves.
The Implementation of Citizenship Education
Local and Global Citizenship Education is attached to Learning and Life and Work in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 (Northern Ireland Curriculum 2007). Citizenship education is compulsory and in