RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The Religious Education Unit is staffed by:

Hilary Gourley who has responsibility for RE in the Primary Schools, and Paul Hooper who has overall responsibility for Primary and Post Primary and works mainly in the Post Primary Sector.

THE RE TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH:-

• RE Advisers from the other four education and library boards.
• Other colleagues in CASS (Curriculum Advisory and Support Service).
• The Diocesan Advisers (Good Shepherd Centre, 511 Ormeau Road, Belfast - 028 9049 1886).
• The Transferor's Representative Council.

WHAT DO WE DO FOR SCHOOLS?

• Run courses for teachers/co-ordinators/ heads of department/beginning teachers on matters relating to the RE curriculum.
• Support teachers of RE - individually or in groups in their own school.
• Provide resources to enhance the teaching of RE and show how a cross curricular approach works well.
• Run a lending library to schools of books, videos and software.
• Provide resources to enable teachers to teach the Core Syllabus for RE which is a legal requirement for all schools.

RESOURCES PROVIDED BY THE SEELB, RELIGIOUS EDUCATION UNIT

• Key Stage One Suggested Programme, outline Units of Work and Resources.
  
  
• Key Stage Two Suggested Programme, outline Units of Work and Resources.
  • Both books give an outline programme for each year group which ensures the Core Syllabus will be fully covered.
    
  • The outline units of work give ideas for teaching each topic in the programme with suggestions for resources and assessment.
    
  • The resources are worksheets which can be photocopied by SEELB schools and used to help teachers plan their work in each unit.
    
    
• Two big books have been produced which can be lent to schools. These are self assembly big books from a series entitled "Using the Bible in Literacy Teaching" by Diane Walker.
  • For Key Stage One, the book is "Beth the Silly Sheep" based on the story of the lost sheep.
    
    
  • For Key Stage Two, the book is "Daniel and the Lions" based on the story of Daniel. Both books can be used for literacy activities in their own right, as well as in R.E.
    
    
• "Jesus the Man" - a pack of photocopiable worksheets, for lower ability Key Stage Three pupils. The worksheets have a distinctive cross curricular aspect and are enhanced by graphics drawn by the renowned cartoonist Mr Rowal Friers.
  
  
• Key Stage Four.
  Suggested Programme.
  Outline Units of Work which gives ideas for teaching and assessing the programme of study with the emphasis being placed on the attainment Target on Morality.
  
  
• "Work, Unemployment and Leisure" - a resource for Key Stage 4, which uses case studies and diaries to help students appreciate a Christian response to these issues. It is useful for preparing students for the accreditation courses at Key Stage Four.
  
  

INTERBOARD RESOURCES
The following packs have been produced by and trialled in all five education and library boards.

1. Amy Carmichael Aimed at Primary Five pupils, this tells the story of Amy, born in Millisle, Northern Ireland. As a child, she prayed that her brown eyes be changed to blue. As an adult, working with children in India, she came to value her brown eyes and realized that God HAD answered her prayer by saying 'No'.
   
   
2. C S Lewis Aimed at Primary Seven pupils, this tells the story of C S Lewis, born in Belfast, who became a don at Oxford. The pack draws lessons from his life and from three of his 'Narnia ' stories, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', 'The Magician's Nephew' and 'The Dawn Treader'
   
   
3. Barney's Bairns Aimed at Primary Four pupils, this tells the story of Thomas Barnardo and his work with homeless children. Three core RE units, "I'm Special", "Sharing", and "Love Your Neighbour" are supplemented and enhanced by cross curricular work in music, history, art and design, dance/drama, maths, science, geography and especially literacy - talking and listening/ reading/ writing.
   
   
4. The Christian Church The materials are designed to meet the needs of the lower ability students in Key Stage Four. It is based upon the Core Syllabus for Religious Education Attainment Target Two, The Christian Church - Christian Practice and Worship from Two Traditions. The content includes such areas as Church buildings and furnishings, the Sunday Service, styles of worship, order of service, baptism and communion. Four denominations are covered in these materials.
   

RESOURCES LENT TO SCHOOLS
The RE unit has a variety of books, videos and software. Each SEELB school has a list of titles available.

POINT TO NOTE
The Transferor's Representative Council, under the chairmanship of Canon Dr R S J H McKelvey TD, MA(Ed) DMin, has launched a website called "Faith in Schools" which can be accessed at: - www.faithinschools.org