This document talks readers through a range of important topics, offering questions and activities at intervals for an interactive learning experience. Arising from concern about the rise in racism since Brexit and the fact that many in RE are non-specialists and may feel ill-equipped to explore complex and controversial topics like these I have drawn on my own experience of teaching RE to offer this resource. I aim to develop this, expanding it to introduce the major religions and adding illustrations, games and more related activities - but even in this form I hope RE teachers and teachers from many other subjects may find it helpful next term - especially with KS3.

Here is info about the Taise Community and how to take a group there. Certain weeks are specially designed for school groups. I have wanted to organise a trip to Taise for years. They recommend groups of age 15 and over to come for a full week. They ask for one adult per five students. So if you do plan to take a group and are short of adults, contact me! I'd love to come.

My sister Jill Blackadder is a teacher in the Shetland Islands. She has been writing songs since childhood. They are spiritual and inspiring. You can contact Jill to obtain sheet music and the CD by emailing her directly - 'Jill Slee Blackadder' <Jill.blackadder@btinternet.com>, 'God's Colours&' is particularly popular, relates to Community Cohesion and RE good for all ages. All Shall Be Well is a more solemn meditation on life - all profits from CD sales go to charity. please give feedback and rating if you use this

Hi guys, I have been working with the Duke of Edinburgh team for the past two weeks, no access to computer or internet but a lot of great experiences with our fantastic students. We had three groups of four to six in a group and all succeeded in passing Silver - tremendous transcendence and experiences of going beyond despair, The weakest group ended up the best! This essay is an account of what I did when the minibus left, taking the students back to London. Hopefully inspire some discussion and reflection, As always, do give feedback. And have a great Summer Holiday.

All songs from CD 'All Is Well' by Jill Blackadder, Shetland Primary teacher. For CD and Sheet Music Email 'Jill Slee Blackadder' <Jill.blackadder@btinternet.com>, Christmas Spell uses the letters in the word Christmas to explore its theme, Peerie Doo (Little Dove in &'Shetlandese&';) is a counting song about the nativity. In 'Wha&'s faa&';n asleep by the Christmas Tree?' a family prepare for Christmas. These songs are sung by Shetland children and great with Primary + encourage discussion with older students.

based on Buddhist loving-kindness meditation, honed in class, good with all ages. Prepare it first by reading through aloud, adding pauses and extra detail to lengthen, reducing detail to shorten. In haste will add more later do give feedback please if you use DMC

This year is the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The BBC celebrated this event with a special day during which significant passages were read. I did my best to download them all as they can be used as a great resource when introducing the Bible or teaching Christianity - especially GCSE and A level These files relate to the Old Testament. Do make a comment or give some rating if you use any of my resources as it helps me to know what is useful and others to find the resources they need.

copy of the article (Express 27th Nov 2011) which reported on starvation in Britain - over 100,000 people going hungry at the moment and the way that charities are giving food parcels to many of them. Also info about The Trussel Trust - one such charity, with contact details for London. Updated with four more links including an article from the Independent 16th Oct 2013. The use of Food Banks has tripled this year. Massive suffering is being caused by the gov'ts changes to the benefit system and increasing numbers trapped with low pay and cost of living rising.

The first file here tells the story of Jim Jones and his Temple which ended up in Guyana, with over 900 people dead. The second file is an excellent article about why RE is important. Next, The Nature of Love, can be used as a GCSE/post 16 revision aid. I include it here as it relates to what I have written about engaging students in the 4th file. The fourth file is an example of the way that good RE really can make a difference. Happy Christmas everyone.

Sri Ramakrishna lived in the 19th Century. Here I have given some insight into those who recorded his message as well as a brief selection of quotations including where he explains how God can be both Infinite, Transcendent and Impersonal AND personal and finite. Another model he uses is of the waters of a lake. Travellers approach from different directions, passing through totally different terrains, but when they bathe in the waters the waters are the same. (Different religions are like the different journeys - but the goal of all is the experience of God.

Responding to comment about the Gospels being contradictory, my answer outlines some of the different ways of interpreting the Bible in general – Fundamentalist, Liberal and Conservative perspectives, applied to the story of Creation, the science/religion debate and the issue of Gay Marriage.

Introducing the concept of pilgrimage - Mostly focussing on Christianity but an overview of pilgrimage in all 6 Religions. More detail on Iona, Lindisfarne, Walsingham and more to come. There are some excellent links to videos from Iona, Taize and more + flute music for meditative/reflective time/starter/coming into the classroom quietly etc.

40 slide PPt with videolinks - introduces pilgrimage in an interactive way. Designed to set the scene for and inspire some extended group work involving research and presentation activity on pilgrimage + a simple assessment aid - My initial Pilgrimage resource is getting cluttered. I hope to create separate resources for each of the religions - an overview and exploration of them all - controversy version explores Shi'ite Sufi + more video links - 66 slides. For music/CD of Here in a Blind World please send a personal message.

selected sections from Elaine Morgan's website, related to the Aquatic Ape Theory which she championed in her book The Descent of Woman. Many features of human beings suggest that we evolved for many millennia as a shore-dwelling species, and are strongly adapted to living in water. this is related to the Story of Adam and Eve. Woman was tempted by the snake (male organ) and offered her apple (fruitfulness) Man took it. (when approaching from the back became difficult he had to take the fruit by force - ie rape is the original sin...

There are over 20,000 Christian Denominatins This first list gives some of the main ones. I will add to this with some basic info about them. I've added some diagrams showing the way that the denominations branched out from Catholicism and the denomination tree.

These articles and other items come from an amazing kaleidoscope record that the educationalist, journalist and spiritual seeker Phil Hall has put together to celebrate the lives of his parents. They were journalists and anti apartheid campaigners in South Africa, his mother was imprisoned and later the whole family exiled. They worked in Africa, the Middle East and India. Great rich store of resources to aid discussion and make RE relevant and alive.

I have copied the article from Independent and the letter from The Telegraph mentioned in a recent thread, adding some of the best submissions etc. I've highlighted important bits. Do keep up the pressure and forward these to Mr Gove, to your MP to chase Mr Gove with + anyone you know who may be willing to do the same, I think this time is really critical and a lot of people will be like me, up to the neck with other duties, so its hard to fit in the time. Good Luck and happy summer

two articles relating to the attacks and what seems to have motivated them. Some lovely images of 'angry Muslims&' (actually ordinary people just being people - a great bit of satire.

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.

For KS 3 Religious Education A Power Point of images and questions explores similarity difference and change using leaves. Then reflecting on similarity and difference in people - not just physical similarities and differences but also in thoughts and beliefs. Exploration of prejudice, bullying and intolerance in the lives of the pupils present and in wider society. Moving on to reflect on the question 'What is the Purpose of life?' - with some food for thought taken from the six major religions.