Songs by teacher Jill Blackadder - sheet music and CD from 'Jill Slee Blackadder' <Jill.blackadder@btinternet.com>, The song I've used most in RE here is &'It&';s Christmas, get cracking' which is a great and humorous way of introducing an exploration of the tensions between our pagan &'yule&'; festival of feasting and indulgence which celebrates the return of the physical sun - lengthening days and hopes of spring to come - in mid-winter and the Christian celebration of the arrival of the Son, the spiritual sun or Light of the World.

Continuation of my Meditation Blog. This started on 28th September in New York and ends on 30th October back in England. I have some notes in my diary which still need to be written up to include in this so I will add a few more files over the next few days. Some friends say I should edit the whole record and make it into a book!!! Well we will see about that.

Continuing blog. Will add more later. 12th - Moiza the cat 13th also - Quaker Meeting and visiting Mum's friend B now in a different hospital. 14 - 15 + an outline of my son's presentation on how to combat stress (which finished the College term off in a great way) quotes from Ch 2 of Gita 21st about Camden Market and Tagore 22-3 about gas charges 24th about family and Christmas, love and forgiveness Christmas Day about carols and a wild 'cheerfulness challenge' successfully met. 27th includes poems and readings about love and change from my Teacher's online library

16 - 17th Jan - Homophobia and sex-education 18th - 20th parking frustrations + gratitude to friends for helping my daughter . 20 - 23 outline only - 24 - 25th includes comment on competition and ‘excellence’ in school and on some of the atrocities committed by the British Raj in India + news of the rest of the day. An article about Lahore and Partition with interviews. 26th - flier and business card for Silk-Painting + Monsanto. Is it the world’s worst company? 29th Jan + ‘Against all the odds.’ 6th Feb is about the snow and 7th about Mum and being independent.

Since I have a spiritual teacher who I consider to be very wise, I have gone to his website and looked on the free library site, using the words, arguments, atheists and God Realisation in the search. This file is what I found particularly interesting / relevant to the current argument on the forum. I think there are passages here which you may use with KS4 and Post 16 - as well as possibly within the staffroom and for your own enlightenment.

This first blog 11th - 12th March follows the previous blog file, 13th March includes some pictures of silk paint cards I made last autumn, inspired by the lovely leaves - and a worksheet that you are welcome to try out. It is a resource in progress. 28th 'shorter' includes a picture of two of my cards. I tried to include the most popular 7 but they refuse to load - hence the 'shorter' in the title. April 8th includes the story of my mouse-friend and sets the scene for 7th-8th parts 1 and 2 which explore criticism. just added a bit to my blog for 12th (on 15rh)

Follows previous blog - starts on 17th April but I will include the ones from 12th and 16th to give some background info for anyone who may come fresh to this. I am in New York, taking part in a spiritual festival. I came on 3rd and in two days I will return to England. Returned on 20th. Just added blog with photos for 26th and info on good habits for 27th plus another file on good habits from a zenhabits site my son likes. link to brilliant youtube film 'I AM' on 29th 30th includes a Birthday poem.

This Power Point slide show combines images and texts to encourage thought, reflection and discussion about important issues including evolution, family and relationship, peace and conflict, poverty and homelessness, global warming, disability, courage and hope.. It has evolved from the earlier slide-shows but this file is designed for use with GCSE, and older classes. There are images which could distress younger students - It's good for upper school assemblies I hope you enjoy this resource and find it valuable.

Here are the lyrics of another of Jill's songs from the aforementioned CD. I have used this a lot in teaching KS3 and KS4, it is funny and direct - engaging but very serious and quite soulful too. Please appreciate that my sister Jill has given me permission to share her songs - but only part of them. If she sees too many people downloading them free from here she may ask me to include only the first few lines of the music. She had to payva lot to get the recordings done. Once costs are covered all profits will go to charity. Contact - info@bluelotus.co (it is .co - not .com)

It's great to see the Olympics bring so many people together, uniting and inspiring so many in Britain. To be a great sports hero requires many &'divine&'; qualities such as patience, determination, endurance, courage and enthusiasm - and brings so much joy. On TV tonight, discussion on the 'exclusive&' nature of sports - equestrian / sailing. But everyone is getting so much joy in watching. The discussion itself should lead to improvements which bring more people into the different sports. I&';d love to see more games (such as Indian Kabadi) from around the world into the Olympics, too.

There are references to useful sites and ideas here on the subject of Religion and The Environment. I will add to this - but at present there are also resources that explore Global Warming, Eating meat or being Veggi, Buddhist Peace Gardens and more.

This is a conversation from a thread on the Unemployed teacher's forum in which I was inspired to share something of why I think RE is important. I would love to have some responses from other RE people to get a clearer and stronger picture which I think may help us to fight for our subject more effectively. Lat&'s three principles for good RE - engaging spiritual and rigorous offer a great framework, too.

These files are all related to RE history or Pedagogy - put together in response to a question on the forum from an RE student who has to write an essay on RE Pedagogy. I will add material as I find it. I guess this is relevant for all who teach RE as CPD. Hope you all had a great Christmas - and best wishes for a great New Year. DurgaMata

Continuation of blog started in September 2011. As a practising theist, who tries to respond to all the ups and downs of life from a spiritual perspective, I feel that my life experiences may be a useful resource. Some have been kind enough to encourage me with this. A few people tell me that they read it regularly, so for them and any other casual readers I continue. The one on 29th and 30th includes 2 photos of the kitties aged 4 weeks best wishes and love to all DMC

send to any who care about RE and to your MP + others mentioned. This is from a thread on the RE forum Share this and related material about the consequences of the Ebacc in Staff Meetings and Assemblies,

June 6 part 1 is about gratitude. P 2 - my son's concert tour in Italy June 11th Part 1 cats p 2 - Hinduism and Community June 12th - poet Hollie McNish poem - racism and xenophobia June 14th part 1 Mum leaving for Shetland Part 2 about the consequences of a conference in London on Saturday. June 18th Vygotsky&'s Zone of Proximal Development June 20-22 a painful experience explored and transformed What amazes you most poem July 12th - and 21st the Clutter Problem 23rd when I focused on my spiritual life for Guru Purnima.+ latest miracles from Lourdes