Challenging RE: Critical Thinking

Lost sheep Zacchaeus Good Samaritan Horizontal knowledge / Depth knowledge Learning about religion Wicked Servant Pharisee & the Tax Collector Sower and the seed Horizontal knowledge Lacks cognitive challenge recall

Horizontal knowledge / Depth knowledge Learning about religion Horizontal knowledge Lacks cognitive challenge “Pupils except in knowing about more stories, more festivals, more traditions, more buildings and more religions. They have not made connections between the beliefs and teachings of each religion, neither do they understand what belonging to a religion involves.” REsource Spring 2003 Barbara Wintersgill HMI recall

Lost sheep Horizontal knowledge / Depth knowledge Learning about religion Horizontal knowledge Lacks cognitive challenge Depth knowledge recall simple understanding understanding depth understanding don’t lose things be nice to animals Jesus is the Good Shepherd morally or spiritually lost suffering for the sake of others Quantity Quality Lost soul

Horizontal knowledge / Depth knowledge Learning about religion Horizontal knowledge Lacks cognitive challenge Depth knowledge recall simple understanding understanding depth understanding Quantity Quality Critical thinking carping fault finding

Horizontal knowledge / Depth knowledge Learning about religion Horizontal knowledge Lacks cognitive challenge Depth knowledge recall simple understanding understanding depth understanding Quantity Quality Critical thinking discernment comprehension the penny drops they get it

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge factual recall knowledge descriptive knowledge ka’bahMakkah five pillars ihram circuits running standing stoning Observable knowledge Earthlings in their millions walk in circles. hajj Islam

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge ka’bahMakkah Islam black stone hajj ihram Explain why Muslims go on hajj Observable knowledge Simple understanding More going on than meets the eye To keep one of the five pillars. To obey what it says in the Qur’an. To do with what Muhammad did and what he told them to do on. Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. special feel closer to God descriptive knowledge factual recall knowledge

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge Fctual knowledge Descriptive knowledge ka’bahMakkah Islam black stone hajj ihram Observable knowledge Understanding More going on than meets the eye It helps to strengthen their faith. They feel that everyone in the eyes of God are equal. It makes them feel they are part of the Ummah – the community of Islam Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. Explain why Muslims go on hajj

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge Factual knowledge Descriptive knowledge ka’bahMakkah Islam black stone hajj ihram The climax of the Hajj Observable knowledge More going on than meets the eye To think seriously about the Day of Judgement. To ask God for forgiveness. To show regret for all the wrong things they have done. Depth understanding Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. Mount Arafat The Mount of Mercy

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge More going on than meets the eye Depth understanding Al-Ghazal i ( 1058 – 1111) Theologian & Philosopher “Ihram cloth – when you put it on, remember the coffin cloth with which you will be clothed.” The Revival of Religious Sciences p.205 Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. To show regret for all the wrong things they have done. To ask God for forgiveness. To think seriously about the Day of Judgement.

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge More going on than meets the eye Depth understanding Al-Ghazal i ( 1058 – 1111) Theologian & Philosopher “Reaching at Arafat, fix your tent and wait there with a great penitent mind.” The Revival of Religious Sciences p.205 Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. To show regret for all the wrong things they have done. To ask God for forgiveness. To think seriously about the Day of Judgement.

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge Back story More going on than meets the eye Depth understanding Al-Ghazal i ( 1058 – 1111) Theologian & Philosopher “and recite supplications as much as possible and seek the mercy of God.” The Revival of Religious Sciences p.205 Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. To show regret for all the wrong things they have done. To ask God for forgiveness. To think seriously about the Day of Judgement.

Learning about religion The pilgrimage to Makkah Knowledge Back story More going on than meets the eye A dress rehearsal for the Day of Judgement. Depth understanding Al-Ghazal i ( 1058 – 1111) Theologian & Philosopher “Think of this journey as the journey for the next world.” The Revival of Religious Sciences p.205 Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage.

Ninian Smart ‘Religious education must transcend the informative’ Secular education and the logic of religion 1968

The word ‘understanding’ in RE Understanding sympathetic On the 9 th day we all prayed at Mount Arafat. It makes you think everyone must have been prayed for. I am so glad I saved up for the money to get here. John aged 14 There were many people there and all praying for family, friends and even people they didn’t know This whole experience was totally mind blowing and a once in a life-time experience. Imagine you are a Muslim who has completed their hajj. Understanding comprehension Explain why Muslims go on pilgrimage. Learning about religion Write a letter to a friend explaining why they had gone on pilgrimage and how they felt.

The word ‘understanding’ in RE On the 9 th day we all prayed at Mount Arafat. It makes you think everyone must have been prayed for. I am so glad I saved up for the money to get here. John aged 14 There were many people there and all praying for family, friends and even people they didn’t know This whole experience was totally mind blowing and a once in a life-time experience. The prayers a Muslim speaks on Mt. Arafat are believed to be the most effective they will ever make in their life. They think about their lives and pray to God for forgiveness and mercy. Anna’s answer shows critical thought about Islam. Many come away changed by the experience feeling they must live a better life before it is too late. Anna aged 13 The day is physically and spiritually close to what the real Day of Judgement will be like. Her work shows critical discernment and genuine deeper understanding which is specific to Islam. Imagine you have been asked to write for a website. Understanding Learning about religion comprehension Understanding sympathetic Explore and explain some of the beliefs and ideas that lie behind the hajj which account for why the pilgrimage is so important to Muslim.

The word ‘understanding’ in RE On the 9 th day we all prayed at Mount Arafat. It makes you think everyone must have been prayed for. I am so glad I saved up for the money to get here. John aged 14 There were many people there and all praying for family, friends and even people they didn’t know This whole experience was totally mind blowing and a once in a life-time experience. John’s answer shows no critical discernment when it comes to Islam. His work consists largely of positive statements about religion in general. Imagine you are a Muslim who has completed their hajj. Write a letter to a friend explaining why they had gone on pilgrimage and how they felt. The prayers a Muslim speaks on Mt. Arafat are believed to be the most effective they will ever make in their life. The day is physically and spiritually close to what the real Day of Judgement will be like. They think about their lives and pray to God for forgiveness and mercy. Many come away changed by the experience feeling they must live a better life before it is too late. Anna aged 13 Understanding Learning about religion comprehension Understanding sympathetic

The word ‘understanding’ in RE Imagine you are a Muslim who has completed their hajj. Write a letter to a friend explaining why they had gone on pilgrimage and how they felt. Imagine you have been asked to write for a website. Explore and explain some of the beliefs and ideas that lie behind the hajj which account for why the pilgrimage is so important to Muslim. dispassionate task religion individual objectivesubjective feelings emotions beliefs ideas critical discernment public reasons imaginative literary task critical discernment private emotions public individual lends itself to assessmentdoes not lend it self to assessment Understanding sympathetic Understanding Learning about religion comprehension