With partners:
Mathematics and Humanities Resources
The Racism. No Way site http://www.racismnoway.com.au offers a lesson Australia's Religious Diversity for Mathematics or Humanities teachers. The lesson plan includes teacher notes and student worksheets. You can access the plan by linking to the Racism. No Way website and then searching using 20020124.
The ABC's Behind The News resource is worth a regular visit for resources to enhance religious understanding. For instance, on 19 September 2006 they provided a teaching guide focused on the significance of Ramadan. Search the site:
The Council on Islamic Education is an American site that offers a range of resources for teachers including comprehensive and free lesson plans-
- The Hijab Between Secularism and Piety: http://www.cie.org/ItemDetail.aspx?id=N&m_id=28&item_id=105&cat_id=28
- Journey Along the Silk Road: http://www.cie.org/ItemDetail.aspx?id=N&m_id=28&item_id=135&cat_id=28
See the full range of resources for educators at http://www.cie.org/Audiences.aspx?id=ed
While some Arabic-speaking background (ASB) parents may worry that exposing their children to the subject of religion may ‘corrupt’ young minds, some teachers who work with ASB students have found that they are curious about other religions. They also feel that through knowledge comes understanding and tolerance of difference.
TEACHER: The kids have to be able to explore those issues. They need to be able to develop their own views about it.
TEACHER: So we’d look at ethical problems through different religious perspectives. We’d take an issue like murder and say “how would the basic tenets of each religion react to it?” Through that the kids had a greater awareness and sensitivity. It helped them to grow…
TEACHER: I always try a little bit to teach cultural tolerance through anecdotes or stories of my own experiences and it’s amazing that kids don’t know anything about religion, about other religions and they’re very keen to learn… I don’t teach religion, I teach about religion. I’m not converting; these are the bases of Judaism, of Christianity. It’s just more awareness so that people know each other’s cultural values. I say that I’m a Buddhist… but when I say this to the kids they say “oh that fat guy”, they don’t have any cultural understanding. But once they see that all religions have the same basic precepts, don’t kill each other, be kind to each other and respect nature and life… I try and reinforce those basic humanistic principles, through informal class discussion and materials if they arise… In my Year 9 SOSE class the girls expressed a strong desire to know about religion. I brought in a couple of books and they formed the basis of a really stimulating discussion and it seems to me that they grew in their awareness and therefore respect for other religions. The kids, the Arab girls in particular, were just enthralled and excited to find out things about other religions, to have some understanding and therefore reference point... I try and get them to think and challenge their own beliefs and values. It seemed to stimulate and create more interaction. Often kids just don’t communicate with each other because they’re in those semi-tribalised groups… They seemed to be very, very engaged. They wanted to know.