Tell me if this is normal- year 7 RE

[seeker]

Ds told me he was upset at school today. They are doing RE at the moment, and they are doing a project on various aspects of Christianity. He and another boy have been allocated the Crucifixion. Among other things, ds told me that they have to find out why Jesus was crucified, when and where crucifixion was used as a method of execution, why it stopped being used and whwt happens when someone is crucified.

Is this normal? Ds is already disturbed by some of the stuff he has found out, and they've only been researching it for a day! I am perfectly happy with the findingnout why Jesus was crucified, but I really don't think there is any value in the gory details is there? Or am I missing something?

I think (from what I remember of my Catholic upbringing) that the fact he suffered for our sins is pretty important. This may be why they want this aspect of it. We were subjected to most of the nitty gritty detail in the Catholic primary I went to, year 4 probably.

They might be hugely significant scripturally, but they are not studying Biblical exegesis, they are studying year 7 RE. All they need to know was that Jesus was executed in the way that certain criminals were executed at the time. I wouldn't want him reading fiction with that sort of detailed description of torture in it- why should I put up with him being asked to read it in the name of RE?

And yes, I've heard teachers and priests and others lingering over the details- not particularly edifying!

Would you talk to the RE teacher about it? When's parents' evening?

did you miss the bit about evaluating sources and critical thinking? that is really what it is about?

I looked up some yr 7 RE aims;

"To enable pupils to ?interpret religion in relation to human experience?"

"5. Exploration and Response: What is the nature of Religious Education?

Exploring and responding
Concepts, themes and skills
Attitudes and qualities that good RE should foster
Representing the process"

"engages students in an exploration of philosophical, theological and ethical issues;
? include assessment tasks which enable students by the end of the key stage to respond creatively to
the question ?What might it mean for a person to belong to this/these religious/secular traditions today??"

" They will be developing the ability to evaluate religious and secular views on a range of issues, and to
examine and explain how beliefs, values and teachings influence the behaviour of individuals, communities
and society. By the end of the key stage, they should be able to explain what it might mean for a person to
belong to a religious/secular tradition. "

I hope this helps.

I'm sorry to harp on, nailak, but exactly how is knowing about positional asphyxia, smashed thigh bones and paralyzed hands going to further any of those those laudable and desirable goals? Or knowing about the practice of putting a piece of wood between foot and nail head so the victim couldn't pull his foot off the nail?

because it is about evaluating sources, you can see what the scientific version of what would happen in that situation would occur, and compare that to the biblical accounts as an excercise in comparing and evaluating sources, the intentions behind sources, who they are written for and for what purpose etc.

It also helps the child understand what it means to be someone who interprets this literally, and the full consequence of interpreting it literally, how it would effect them knowing gods son had been put through this, how it would effect their reasoning and their view point.

It would also help evaluate the accurateness of depictions of the crucifixion, and how people often presented an idealised version and for what purpose, and the effect the depictions would have on those people who were worshipping besides them etc.

seeker...It may be that the teacher doesn't realise exactly how much graphic detail is readily available on the internet nowadays and so just how disturbing this assignment might be.

But - my DD is now yr9 and I don't think they've had anything remotely like this. Their RE has been 'looking at major faith groups' - and latterly rather more philosophical looking at beliefs, and ethics.

Nailak- a) I think you are overestimating the average 11 year old, and b) it is entirely possible to do all that without exposing them to detailed descriptions of torture.

This is not a faith school.

Those who think this is OK should go and google what happens when someone is crucified. And then good luck getting to sleep.

Teachers should not set homeworks that invite 11 year old children to research details of torture techniques on the internet. From an internet safety point of view if no other - the internet has changed what is appropriate.

Biology teachers do not, I hope, suggest year 7s research "what happens when you have sex" on the internet. They may discuss it in class.

Please tell me that is not controversial.

nailak...critical evaluation of sources is vital, but if that was the aim it would perhaps be better served by some other less emotive piece of scripture. From the description in the OP 'a project on various aspects of Christianity' that wasn't particularly the aim here anyway. It sounds more like the teacher drew up a list of obvious topics and didn't sufficiently think what the boys would come across.

Ugh.

I remember my primary HT (RC school, I'm not RC) doing the Stations of the Cross in his barnstorming stylee - someone always fainted. Grim & unnecessary.

It's probably been set because lots of year 7s would rather enjoy googling all the graphic details. I can't see that it adds much to understanding though.

it seems an odd hting to do in year 7. Ours do basic stuff like theist atheist, types of God. If god exists what he would be like in various religions etc

Mine is not doing that! I would imagine the rationale is

1. boys like gore - it'll get them interested
2. they need to realise just how much our lord suffered for them and hammering the gruesome details home is a way to shock them into getting that - because images of Christ on the cross are so familiar as to need defamiliarization.

It does seem a bit much though!

Exactly what TwoTerrors said on Fri at 13.54.

And i agree with you, Seeker, about London Dungeonising things.

This thread is about an 11 year old child, not an undergraduate (who might be doing the religious v archaelogical comparison), or even a GCSE student.

As for over-familiarisation re crucifix's on walls, then why have such graphgic depictions to become immune to? I was brought up in the Methodist church and plain wooden crosses were the norm. I can't look at the walls when DS goes to Church Parade at the scouts Anglican church as I think the endless bleeding detailed crucifixes are horrific and cannot understand why people wnat models of torture taking place to be the emblem of a merciful religion. Or put them on their child's walls.