TeachingRE Issue 4.pdf - the Second Level Support Service

thought it would be very interesting to learn more about different aspects of religion, from philosophy to religion in differentcultures. Some parts were challenging at first but made more sense as we moved through the course. Overall I thoroughlyenjoyed RE this year as it was very interesting and rewarding.’Cross and CandlesI find the main disadvantage of taking LC Religious Education is that time for prayer, meditation and preparation forschool liturgies can sometimes be limited. At present we have four periods of RE per week for LCRE. However itis our goal to give the time allocation for RE which is comparable to all other Leaving Certificate examinationsubjects. However, the skills that students develop, the knowledge that they are opened up to, and of course thedisciplines that they encounter allow us to continue our aim of fostering ‘personal growth, self-worth, an opennessto the spiritual dimension of life for all [our] members.’ (Mission Statement). For these reasons, we are proud to offerLeaving Certificate Religious Education on the timetable for those students who wish to develop and deepen suchunderstandings and skills.In addition to the liturgical events listed above, the following aspects of Religious Education are alive in Our Lady’sGrove.Team MeetingsAsh WednesdayWe have both official and non-official meetings within the RE department. Last year we have seven minuted meetingswhere we discussed curriculum content and planning, booklists, resources, in-service and liturgical events. Unofficially,meetings were casually had over lunch, discussing the progress of preparation for liturgical events and also monitoringthe implementation of the curriculum.RetreatsRetreats are organised each year for the Sixth year students. There is flexibility around inviting retreat teams to theschool and attending retreat centres, depending on what is possible. This decision is made by the RE team inconsultation with the school Principal. The retreat for the academic year 2009-2010 will be in St. Benilda’s PastoralCentre.Guest SpeakersNovemberAt present we are trying to organise some guest visits to the school for the in-coming academic year. Previouslywe have had guest speakers from Milltown Institute on the area of the Church’s teaching on abortion. We have alsohad a speaker from Aware discussing the area of depression.Catholic Education WeekThis year we celebrated Catholic Education Week by praying the decades of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosarytogether every morning. We also had displays around the school of posters with Catholic Symbols. For example,we had a Rosary display and also a display of symbols associated with Catholicism, e.g. water and fire. The fifth andsixth year students wrote statements about what Catholic education means to them. The following is an example.From when I was in Junior Infants, I have been going to a school with a strongCatholic spirit. I went to school masses and masses with my family in theChurch beside my school. This meant going to mass and practicing my religionwere normal as I knew both the priests and the parishioners there. This helpedme because when I got to the stage of questioning my faith, I could recall theseexperiences with ease because I have experienced them somewhere I wascomfortable. I believe any child who has experienced Catholicism from ayoung age finds that going to mass is not such a big deal, it becomes routineand you share it with your family and friends. It has also meant that I wasbrought up with good moral values that I still carry today. I am so glad I was sentto a Catholic school as I feel it has influenced my moral values and my respect for others.Open Night44TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ISSUE FOUR SEPTEMBER 2009