Assessment

Essay 60% + Classroom Participation 10% + Attendance 10% + Group Project / Reflection Pieces 20%

Module Aims

To introduce students to topics that are relevant in the teaching of religious education in the classes in the last four years of the primary schools under the Catholic Patronage. Central to this module is the Grow in Love programme, which is the Religious Education programme used in primary school under Catholic patronage on the island of Ireland. The student will be introduced to the programme, its aim and objectives and how is it taught in class, growing on the work that has been done in last year’s module RE08108. The focus in this module is understanding the relationship between the epistemological and ontological components of religious education. Next the students will be introduced to the methodologies as used in senior classes. Building on the work of last year, the students will continue to explore the topic of teaching in a multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic classroom and how children of other faiths and none are included in the class. Other topics covered in this module include the teaching of religious education to children with additional educational needs, which includes prayer and sacramental preparation and celebration. Finally there is some initial work done on sacramental preparation, in particular sacraments in the senior classes in primary schools under Catholic Patronage.

Indicative Syllabus

• Religious Education and Special Education Needs
• Learning Outcomes and Faith Formation Goals
• Methodologies in Religious Education in Senior Classes
• Teaching in a Multi-Religious Context
• Principles of Lesson Planning and Practical Application.
• Sacramental Preparation in Fifth and Sixth Classes

Learning Outcomes

• — MIMLO01: Demonstrate a knowledge of the aims and objectives of the Grow in Love programme at the senior.
• — MIMLO02: Understand the learning outcomes and faith formation goals of the Grow in Love programme.
• — MIMLO03: Integrate the aims and rationale of lesson planning in religious education based on the material in the Grow in Love programme in the senior classes.
• — MIMLO04: Display knowledge of the current themes and theories regarding religious education for children with additional educational needs.
• — MIMLO05: Display knowledge of the current theories of multi-cultural education and the inter-religious lessons contained in the Grow in Love programme.
• — MIMLO06: Be familiar with aspects of the preparation and teaching of sacraments in particular those celebrated in Fifth and Sixth Classes – Sacrament of Confirmation.

Bibliography

• — Brett Webb-Mitchell (2009) Unexpected Guests at God's Banquet: Welcoming People with Disabilities Into the Church.
• — Brett Webb-Mitchell (2010) Beyond Accessibility: Toward Full Inclusion of All People in the Body of Christ.
• — Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore (2019)   Let the Children Come: Reimagining Childhood from a Christian Perspective.
• — Irish Council for Catechetics (2015) Catholic Primary Schools in a Changing Ireland
• — Irish Council for Catechetics (2015) Grow in Love (Primary School Religious Education Programme)
• — Congregation for the Clergy (2022) General Catechetical Directory
• — Articles coming from Journals in the areas of Religious Education and Catechetics.