TeachingRE Issue 4.pdf - the Second Level Support Service

subject together with education.The Arts subject I havechosen to study isTheology and I find that I already havea good understanding of, and basis for, the material beingcovered from my Leaving Cert study of RE.Leaving Cert RE is quite approachable to study and doesnot require any prior faith or religious beliefs. I feel itshould be promoted more vigorously and made moreavailable to students nationwide by their teachers.”Darren Kiely (LCRE class of 2009):“I decided to study Religious Education as an option infifth year and I can honestly say that I am glad I did so. Myinitial impression of the subject was that there was a vastdifference between the Leaving Cert course and theJunior Cert course, and so it took some time to adapt.RE at Leaving Cert is the subject that allows you to keepa connection with God and indeed share in the practicesand lifestyles of other believers, whether they are Jews,Christians or Muslims. It is the subject that draws youback to basics, away from the overwhelming materialismof the modern world in order to experience a sense ofthe sacred. It allows for a personal dimension to aidlearning. It urges you to think upon the trials andtribulations of your own life and helps you to make senseof them in a spiritual context. One learns many thingsabout life through studying RE. Students in my class couldeach connect in some way to the issues on the syllabus– whether it is ‘returning to origins’ which is very topicalin the light of a shrinking economy, or learning about thebenefits of prayer and meditation which help to freeoneself from the secularised world which prefers toworship materialism rather than the transcendent.Nearing the end of my RE course and firmly on the roadto preparing for the exam, I feel confident, hopeful andoptimistic about the future knowing that I havecompleted a good coursework booklet. I have no regretsat all about choosing RE as one of my optional LeavingCert subjects.While there is no doubt that the workloadis significant and some topics can be quite heavy, it is thesubject that gave me the ‘feel good factor’ throughoutmy Leaving Cert. During the stressful years of theLeaving Cert I found that there was no better way ofrelieving the stress of school than putting pen to paperand writing an essay for RE.”Amy McCarthy (LCRE class of 2009):“As I approach the end of the Leaving CertificateReligious Education course I have found it to be aworthwhile, fulfilling and insightful subject choice.This isdue to the broad syllabus which covers an array of topicsincluding philosophy, Christianity and world religions.Part of the course involves undertaking a research studyworth 20%, which is advantageous as the work ispre-prepared.The course builds on Junior Cert RE topicsbut involves far more essay writing, so a good standardof English and literacy is necessary. It is a highly academicsubject which requires a large amount of learning as wellas the ability to give a personal response to subject areas.The course by its dynamic nature is very interesting butdemands self-discipline, commitment and hard workwhich with a genuine interest in the subject will provevery rewarding for the student.”Billy McCarthy (LCRE class of 2010):“When I first decided to study RE for my Leaving CertI did so mainly because of a previous interest inphilosophy. In our school, RE is compulsory for the JuniorCert and during that course I really enjoyed the moralitysection. My teacher told me that morality and philosophywould be significant elements of the Leaving Cert courseso I decided to try it. I didn’t know what to expect but Ihad a fair idea I would like it.In our first class our teacher told us what we couldexpect – the essays we would have to write – and hehanded us out the syllabus containing a daunting array oftopics. At this stage I was unsure whether this subjectwas for me. Then in the next class we began studyingSocrates, and I was hooked. I really enjoyed the freedomof thought that was encouraged.The main reason why I like RE is the discussions in classwhere we are encouraged to think for ourselves andform our own opinions, instead of just reading from thetextbook.Aside from the liberating experience of talkingabout ancient myths and legends after maths class, I reallyenjoy the topics we cover in the course. Learning aboutother religions and religious traditions, learning aboutGreek philosophy and modern scientific cosmologies isreally interesting and enjoyable.Studying RE has definitely taught me a lot – but morethan just the course – it really develops independentthought and helps you to mature as a person.”Hattie O’Connell (LCRE class of 2010):“When I decided to study R E for the Leaving Cert I hadno idea that it would affect my outlook on the world,but it has had a profound effect on me.Before studying RE I did believe in God. I also knew thathumans are social and spiritual beings, and as such havea psychological need to worship – it is intrinsic to ourbeing. However, I never grasped how important this is.Leaving Cert RE not only teaches us about theconventional world religions, but what happens if religionis taken out of society and replaced completely bysecular values. It has opened my eyes to the way secularsociety fills the void by worshipping profane things suchas money and celebrities, with little or no meaning orvalues beyond material wealth and personal greed. Now,almost every time I walk down the street or watchadvertisements on television, I see an image or a sloganthat makes me reflect on the human search for meaningand how it is being hindered by crass consumerism.Studying RE, especially philosophy, has made me thinkmore and I think has made me a better person. I lookforward to studying world religions too, because I thinkthat in today’s multicultural society we need to do moreto understand other people’s faiths. Learning more aboutall kinds of belief systems can make a big difference toour communities and help us to accept people whomight not have the same faith as ourselves.Leaving Cert RE is not just a subject that you study, writeessays on, and forget. It teaches lessons about life andpeople which I am sure will stay with me long after I haveleft school.”TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ISSUE FOUR SEPTEMBER 2009 37