to think that RS/ RE is in fact, not a doss subject?

[EdgarAleNPie]

and is very definitely one of the Humanities. It's about people - what is it if not a humanity?

completely agree! but then I studied theology and philosophy at degree level...

I agree, Edgar (and wonder if your view is in any way connected to your recent studious endeavours).

RE?RS is fascinating. And not only is it about our laws, societies, cultures etc, it is also essential knowledge for understanding our literature, history etc etc

I agree.

YANBU from another theology degree-er.

herbietea well done to ds, awesome grade :)

..and what i more, in a world where religious understanding seems decidedly lacking, I'd greatly rather my kids got their education in religion from a school, than from a red top.

I think it depends how it is taught tbh.

also, my anecdote on this: I didn't do RE GCSE. therefore I knew little about faiths other than Xianity (which i had studied at A level) beyond general knowledge. Therefre I didn't know about prayers on friday being imporant to Muslims. Therfore, as a young Department manager, I once pissed off a Muslim employee immensely by asking them to change their Friday hours. That kind of mistake is hard to recoup in terms of lost goodwill (never mind the possible potential for employment litigation...)

If I had studied it, maybe I wouldn't have made that daft mistake. Knowing about what other people believe is useful, even if you think they're wrong (which as a v. atheist atheist, I do!)

I think RE should be an academic subject focusing on philosophy. I teach my children how to be nice to people and not offend them. They don't need to study a subject to get that. I don't think RE does itself any favours when it goes down the social cohesion route any more than any other subject.

my recent studious endeavours are connected to me applying for a PGCE in RS :)

TBH it terrifies me, as I haven't been in education since 2001, and there is plenty on the syllabus to learn.

looking at lesson plans onthe internet, most require a good background knowlege to deliver adequately (as no-one likes a teacher to be umming and ah-ing, makes for a restless and bored class) and are by no means complete!

some of it will be completely new. that is exciting.

YABU I loved it at school because it was a doss

Important subject though IMO. Better to learn the facts about other religions than media steretypes. Christianity has shaped our history. In many countries religion influences the way they are run. An essential part of your education even if you are an atheist.

I did all the sciencey stuff when I studied and always had a bit of a thought that they were more interesting till DD did RE to A level. I wish I could have done it! It was fascinating.

She's now at uni and finding loads of links to sociology and psychology from it.

I think RE should be an academic subject focusing on philosophy.

philosophy has fewer believers - and although it has shaped the vernacular thought process as much as it has been drawn from it - RE has its place.

also, perhaps we should sometimes treasure knowledge for its own sake - and knowing about what other people believe isn't without benefit - as my above example shows.

anyway, as a Philsophy graduate, ther looks to be room in the curriculum for study fo that too...

I do think RE has its place and has an inherent value As a life long learner I do treasire knowledge for its own sake. But when I hear people say that RE helps people be nice to each other its sets my teeth on edge. It is a subject that carries its own body of knowledge. It has no more social reponsibility than any other subject. Infact RE can also be about conflicting truth claims, looking at intellectual conflict not what can I serve someone at dinner.

I agree that RE is a humanity; are there people who think it isn't?

I agree that it isn't an easy subject.

I don't think it should be taught as a compulsory subject in schools, but I think it is a good subject to do at GCSE for pupils who have an interest in the subject.

I agree 100% Milly.

DS (Aspie, 14) is studying for GCSE RS + Philosophy.

It's bloody hard for him. He gets straight As for English and History, but is hovering around a B- average for RS.

Being a helicopter mum concerned and engaged parent I do monitor how the homework is going etc. RS is not an easy option if you want a top grade GCSE. It's a perfectly respectable and acceptable (according to Oxbridge admission criteria) academic subject.

Kids dont like 'compulsory' subjects - RS is the easiest GCSE to obtain - try telling them that.

You do need to learn a lot for it and do the revision - but my best friends daughter got a clutch of good GCSE's last year, and she says that RE is all revision - the exam board literally repeated the exact same questions on the papers year after year. So if you looked at the past papers you knew half the questions you were going to be asked already.

But, good subject, I agree

I teach RS and so, of course think it is fabulous subject, particularly at 'A' level (which I teach). It can be a demanding subject, rich, one that really gets to you, messes with your head and really gets you thinking. At its best, it challenges the student on so many levels that other subjects can struggle to achieve (because it can be challenging both personally and academically). Unfortunately though, I do think the standards at GCSE (particularly short course) are woefully inadequate. We therefore get lots of students turning up to study it at 'A' level because it was 'their easiest best subject' at GCSE and they soon get a very big shock!

It was a doss at my school but that was because it was taught badly- we were all just allowed to sit around and argue about whether god exists without any intellectual foundation or structure whatsoever. Then when someone threw a compass at someone who disagreed with them we all had to sit down and do comprehension exercises on Buddhism instead . Mind you, that wasn't for GCSE. It was just one compulsary lesson a week.

Taught well, it can be just as intellectually rigorous as any other humanity subject, possibly more so.

RS was compulsory at my school. I thought I would hate it but loved it once you got past all the religious crap and into ethics etc.

Learning that one religion can have twenty different interpretations of the same text and the scope of those interpretations is huge AND have an amazing teacher who taught us about just war based on his experiences in Bosnia is the formative educational experience of my life.

I should probably clarify that by 'religious crap' I mean this is what X part of a church is called... which we seem to spend a very long time doing!