Religious Observance Newsletter November 2006
Win a Donkey and a DVD player for your school. LTScotland is creating a database of school chaplains throughout Scotland. Schools which tell us the information by 20th December 2006 will be entered in a draw for a charity donkey and also a DVD player for the school. The information we are looking for is simply the name, contact details within the school and faith background. The information of name and contact details will be available through the Scottish Schools on Line website. The faith background is not for publication but for statistical reasons only. The purpose of this information is not to create a register of “acceptable” chaplains. This is not BIG BROTHER. The purpose is to begin to build the community of school chaplains in Scotland and enable sharing of information, resources, concerns and good practice. If you are a chaplain, you want to make sure you are on this database. If you are a school then your chaplain will benefit from this. The information can be entered very simply and electronically via the following link:
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/religiousobservance/contactus/chaplaindetails.asp
Training for Chaplains and SMT members responsible for Religious Observance. LTScotland is planning training events for chaplains and members of Senior Management teams responsible for religious observance. These events will take place in the following cities Inverness 27th February 2007 Edinburgh 28th February 2007 Glasgow 8th March 2007 Dumfries 9th March 2007 Dundee 20th March 2007. These one day training events will include speakers from HMIe, LTScotland, Stapleford and show available resources for Religious Observance
Website Launched at SETT The website for Religious Observance was formally launched at the Scottish Learning Festival in September at the SECC. Anne Wilson, who chaired the RO Review Group and now chairs the RO Project Advisory Group spoke of the background and developments which had led to the website. Ken Coulter, the Development Officer in LTScotland for RO then demonstrated some of the features of the website. He likened it to Gaudie’s cathedral in Barcelona, a work in progress. Over the next few months additional resources, exemplars and materials will be added to the website. The website can now be found on the LTScotland main website via Cross Curricular themes or directly via http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/religiousobservance/index.asp More resources will be added in December 2006.
Winner of the SETT Competition The winner of the RO competition at SETT was Lisa Hooker of Aboyne Academy Aberdeenshire. She rightly identified statement C as the correct one in the following list
In the report the Review Group stated that: A B Doing Religious Observance properly will ensure HMIe can’t touch you for it Religious Observance will help you with class cover post McCrone.
C Religious Observance should have a central role as a guarantor of the school’s commitment to realising the full potential of every person in the school community.
Lisa’s prize was £25 of book vouchers.
SETT Seminar: Rosa Murray – Spirituality in School
At SETT, Rosa Murray of the GTC led a seminar on spirituality in school. Along with her wealth of experience in schools, two helpful quotes given to the seminar were:
Human Spirituality is that which transfigures and transcends the biology of the human.... by this we mean the potential of the human to be capable of: Abstract thought Imagination Empathy Symbolism this combined with the capacity to integrate experience and knowledge around significance or meaning which goes beyond the pleasure or pain of the individual.....” John Hull, 1996 By spiritual I do not mean religious, religion may affect and influence the spiritual self, but then so might art, maths, English, science etc. The spiritual self is nourished by human contact and inspired by that quality of contact. It is informed by knowledge and understanding.” B McGettrick, 2000
We are workers: Oscar Romero Oscar Romero was the Roman Catholic archbishop of El Salvador, assassinated for speaking on behalf of the poor in 1980 while celebrating mass. Below is an extract of a prayer he wrote about the work that he saw as his. This is an extract and is included here for us all to reflect on
WE ARE WORKERS It helps now and then to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. No No No No No statement says all that could be said. prayer fully expresses our faith. confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness. programme accomplishes…. set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay the foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do something and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
We may never see the end results. We are ministers not Messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. Oscar Romero El Salvador
The full text of this prayer is readily available on the internet, for example at http://www.cccm.ca/documents/APrayerbyArchbishopOscarRomero.doc
SMPA The Scottish Muslim Parents Association
ءه لن و سه لن
Shoeb Sargurohm chairperson of the SMPA writes: “We at SMPA are pleased to
represent Muslim parents’ views on education related issues in Scotland. I would like to invite all Scottish Muslim parents to join SMPA and contribute actively in promoting the objectives of the association. Lend us your support and let's work together for the benefit of the future of our children and society”
The Scottish Muslim Parents Association is holding a series of surgeries to which parents are invited. The dates for these are Thursdays 16th November and 21st December (7pm-8pm) at Willowbank Primary School
More information available from Shoeb Sarguroh mailto:chairperson@smpa.org.uk or the website address http://www.smpa.org.uk
Student Global Forum
Christian Aid and Damaris are running the following conference in Glasgow in November. National Senior School Conference for 5th & 6th years In Glasgow City Chambers George Square GLASGOW
On Wednesday 29th November 2006
10.00am-3.30pm
The issues considered to be considered at the event are: 1 Unite to fight HIV Understand the causes and the spread of HIV. Understand the significance of the global dimension and poverty in relation to HIV. 2. Break the taboos of HIV Understanding stigma and discrimination; how can we deal in realities rather than myths? 3. Become a peer educator in your school and community. Conference Outcomes: Students will be inspired and equipped to return to school as peer educators. They will be trained and equipped to lead school assemblies and lessons in RME and PSE Students will meet with peer educators from Malawi and learn of their experiences They will have this unique opportunity to meet with young peer educators from Malawi who are visiting Scotland through a Scottish Executive funded project. Students will be encouraged to speak out They will be encouraged to use this experience to meet with their local media and tell the story. They will also be encouraged to meet with local MPs and MSPs to lobby for change. For more information http://www.damaris.org/cm/home/gsf
Project Advisory Group Farewell to Ewan Aitken and Tom Boyle In August, Ewan Aitken was elected as leader of Edinburgh City Council, replacing Donald Anderson. As a result of the time commitment involved, Ewan has had to resign from the RO PAG Tom Boyle has undertaken new duties within the Catholic Church in Scotland We wish both of them well in their new responsibilities. Welcome to Dianna Wolfson. Michael McGrath, David Johnston, Vijay Patel and Anne Mackintosh
Joining the PAG are: Dianna Wolfson, who was a member of the original Religious Observance review group and represents the Scottish Inter Faith Council. Michael McGrath, Director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service David Johnston, education officer in Dundee City Council Vijay Patel has begun a new post in SEED Anne Mackintosh, recently appointed as Programme Director in LTScotland The next meeting of the Project Advisory group is on December 4th in the LTScotland offices in the Optima Building, Robertson Street, Glasgow.
Use of Festivals. The Religious Observance Review Group report advises that each school should provide opportunities fro religious observance at least six times per year in addition to traditional celebrations central to the life of the school community (RORG p18) In some schools these traditional celebrations may include Christmas or depending on the school community, may for example, include Hannukah or Divali amongst others. Within the formal curriculum, such festivals may be used to provide the stimulus and the framework for guided reflection and response which are at the heart of Religious Observance. They are not occasions for worship.
Seasonal Resources The images in this section are from the 5-14 Religious & Moral Education section of Strathclyde University Social Studies website. This website has a wide range of images and information to do with religious festivals and artefacts. Before use, the copyright statement should be read. The website address is http://www.strath.ac.uk/Departments/SocialStudies/RE/Database/index.html
Hannukah Resources Hannukah; Dec 15th – 26th 2006. Because the name is taken from Hebrew, there are a variety of spellings of Hannukah. The one used here is the Strathclyde University spelling and is usual in Scottish education. The Hebrew spelling is
חנוכה
Virtual Chanukah http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default.asp Full of information from an American Jewish charity. Watch the spellings, including version of Hannukah (Chanukah). Includes, games, recipes, information, audio and video presentations http://www.teachersfirst.com/hanukkah.cfm TeachersFirst is a web resource for classroom teachers. TeachersFirst is a division of Network for Instructional TV, Inc., a not-for-profit learning technologies corporation which works throughout the United States. TeachersFirst is a free service.
http://wgfl.digitalbrain.com/wgfl/web/multicultural/hannukah/index.htm Warrington Grid for Learning is part of the National Grid for Learning supported by the
DfES Standards Fund. Our aim is to improve teaching and learning by making essential information easily accessible through ICT.
Hannukah section includes script for use in an assembly, recipes and storyboard.
Christmas resources Advent 3rd December to 24th December Christmas day: December 25th LTScotland
Modern Foreign Languages Environment http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/creativeteaching/christmasi deas/index.asp The MFLE has a new 'Christmas ideas' section. It includes resources in French, German, Italian, Spanish and other languages
Alternativity The 'More Than Just Tinsel - Assemblies for Advent and Christmas for Secondary Schools' pack can be ordered for £7.00 plus postage and packing. A sample is available online. The pack also contains follow-up resources and ideas. ALTERnativity is produced in Glasgow with the Scottish setting in mind. Link to this from the RO website section on resources or directly http://www.alternativity.org.uk/publications.html
Ants Christmas DVD and resource guide prepared by a Christian charity working with the homeless called Spurgeon’s. Intended for use in a confessional setting. Six minute DVD presentation of the Christian understanding of incarnation and Christmas told from an ant’s perspective. http://www.spurgeonschristmas.org/06pdfs/SPCH3752_06_Single%20Page.pdf Other website resources. Courtesy of Phil Galbraith of Heads Together in LTScotland http://www.northpole.com the best one we've found for teachers/parents and children alike: loads of things to do online but also worksheets for activities as diverse as developing motor skills, identifying Left-Right, vocabulary to games and stories just for fun. http://www.soon.org.uk/christmas.htm links to Christian web sites explaining the meaning of Christmas, customs around the World etc http://www.merry-christmas.com recipes, music, games for Christmas http://www.newcybertech.com/christmas.htm free animated graphics for Christmas
Divali resources Although Divali was celebrated in October this year, many schools link this Hindu festival of light with Hannukah and Christmas. In 2007 Divali will be celebrated in November 2007. Sikhs celebrate Divali to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone for the Golden Temple in 1577
http://www.reonline.org.uk/allre/tt_links.php?17 RE online website which gives many links and resources for Divali
http://www.firstschoolyears.com/re/hinduism/diwali.htm This section contains free worksheets, flashcards, online activities and other educational resources to support teaching and learning about the Hindu festival of Divali