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Durgamata's Shop

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A specialist Religious Education and Art Teacher - I retired a few years ago. Now I am an Entrepreneur. I have created a Programme called The Seven Steps to Happiness. It is all about Reducing Stress, Building Resilience and Increasing Happiness. Before Coronavirus came along I gave Workshops and Retreats from my home. Now I am moving my work online. I share resources on TES to support my wonderful Teacher-Colleagues. Most are free but I spend hours on these so I charge for some of them. Enjoy.

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A specialist Religious Education and Art Teacher - I retired a few years ago. Now I am an Entrepreneur. I have created a Programme called The Seven Steps to Happiness. It is all about Reducing Stress, Building Resilience and Increasing Happiness. Before Coronavirus came along I gave Workshops and Retreats from my home. Now I am moving my work online. I share resources on TES to support my wonderful Teacher-Colleagues. Most are free but I spend hours on these so I charge for some of them. Enjoy.
Believing in God
durgamatadurgamata

Believing in God

(1)
Several ways of exploring this question in a dynamic and interactive way - which engages with pupil's own views as well as enabling them to explore a range of beliefs including atheism.\n\nThe main approaches featured are group discussion and presentation - and poetry.\n\nA great collection of diverse perspectives and responses to The God Question is included and I will continue to add to this. All suggestions of texts / images / music to include would be most welcome.
Mother Teresa - a range of resources
durgamatadurgamata

Mother Teresa - a range of resources

(1)
So far there are just some good youtube links here..... More resources now added. Do let me know if you know of any not included here and if you have any way of getting the Malcom Muggerage TV documentary Something Beautiful For God which I used to use in teaching. the resources I found include a film made about Mother Teresa's life in 2003 which is really good. This is my 100th resource and I am really happy that it is about such a special person.
Reflections on identity, religion and racism
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Reflections on identity, religion and racism

(1)
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.
positive and inspiring quotations and poems
durgamatadurgamata

positive and inspiring quotations and poems

(5)
start of something great - to share everyone's favourite quotes and poems, good for exploring issues and putting up around the RE classroom. Some collections of my own favourites and bits from an RE thread on the subject of quotes. 133 quotes from wattsy85&'s fantastic collection. These are set out so you can print them onto A4 for laminating and display and saved as a pdf so they don&';t move around. Do send me your own favourites to share. I'll add more links later Thanks. DMC
'reflection on life'
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'reflection on life'

(29)
115 images and texts which explore life and meaning on earth encompassing many different faiths, races, cultures and ages etc on the way. Designed to use as part of a Community Cohesion programme to stimulate reflection and discussion - this should ideally be accompanied by music. It was designed with ‘Windmills of your Mind’ (All Angels version). I
BBC series The Story of Science - The Universe
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BBC series The Story of Science - The Universe

(3)
Fantastic programme about how science has learned more about the universe. It starts with the Ancient Greeks and the concept of the earth being the Centre of the Universe and moves on to the Hubble Telescope. On a personal note, I would have liked more than a passing reference to other cultures as Hindu astronomers had the sun at the centre of the universe thousands of years ago - and the Arab astronomers learned from them when the Mogul empire extended into India, but for what it sets out to cover it does a good job. It also introduces the Big Bang.
Muslim teaching on Art and Islamic Art
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Muslim teaching on Art and Islamic Art

(3)
Responding to a question on a thread about this topic, an outline of the way that different schools of thought within Islam respond to the question of what sort of art is permissible. I hope to add the actual suras from the Qur'an which relate to art and the Hadiths to this plus a power point of examples of Islamic Art which can be used in both RE and Art lessons - but to start with, here is my response to the question on the thread.
Wedding Season
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Wedding Season

(3)
From time to time I have mentioned a role-play Wedding exercise I have done with GCSE classes. I just came across some files relating to this from 2007. In 2007 I was HOD of RE and our year 10 classes did a 'Wedding Season.’ We explored weddings from the perspective of several denominations and the classes really enjoyed it. I include a detailed report on one wedding. I will add the ‘script,’ the music and photos - when I find them, but there is enough here to help other teachers to plan a similar event. It is a lot of work but well worth the exercise.
Pilgrimage - 6 religions, Shia, Sufi, Sunni + more
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Pilgrimage - 6 religions, Shia, Sufi, Sunni + more

(5)
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.
Poor behaviour = poor teaching or is it vice versa
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Poor behaviour = poor teaching or is it vice versa

(2)
...taking part in a forum discussion with the tile Poor behaviour = poor teaching - or is it vice versa? ... inspired to look for good articles - I particularly like the ten points and 'The truth is, behaviour in schools is a complex issue that needs co-operation between classroom teachers, school managers, parents, outside agencies... and the pupils themselves to make it better.- Not solve the problem, just make it better. There is no quick fix or magical solution. Only if the Leadership Team supports the staff, can poor behaviour be changed,
Different ways of being Christian, views of Bible
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Different ways of being Christian, views of Bible

(2)
Both these documents are more or less the same at the moment, but I will add to them. They arise from a question on Creation Story - but also touch on issues in other threads. KS4 + Post 16, give the whole document to 'thread info they already know' onto it, plus see where it falls short. (any generalisation is inevitably false.) Those who practise a faith can try to position themselves, those who belong to a religious community can look for examples of all these 'types' of Christian (or Muslim etc) in their faith community.
Stoneage / Time Travel  / Belief in God  by year 9 girls
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Stoneage / Time Travel / Belief in God by year 9 girls

(2)
In her encounter with the Stone Age Tribe, Rebecca takes part in a mammoth hunt and then, during the feast that follows, tells the Wise Elder about her world. He is impressed and shares the problems of his own tribe, asking if we have peace in our world. When Rebecca tells him about war and poverty he asks if there is no God in our world. In the second story, the author wonders if the 'Druid-Man she met might be able to help her answer her own questions. Great stories for encouraging reflection and debate on the big questions, with elements for primary and secondary age students.
chartere23  - Holy Quible Important texts for GCSE
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chartere23 - Holy Quible Important texts for GCSE

(2)
this is an astonishingly brilliant collection of important quotations from Christian and Hindu sources for GCSE students. You will find it also at chartere23's site and I am not sharing it here to take any of the credit for it at all - simply because it is so good I want it to be seen by and used in class by as many of my colleagues in RE as possible. The only changes I have made to this version are - an introduction with thanks - and slight adjustments to formatting. Ideally I would then pdf it but no facility for that here. Thanks again chartere23
Plans to sell off our forests
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Plans to sell off our forests

(2)
There are plans to sell off our national heritage forests. There is a growing campaign to stop it. This is a good project to involve all schools in as it has tremendous value as a cross-curricular subject and also relates to the health and well-being of the students, school, local and national community, As this falls within my remit as a Community Cohesion and Religious Education consultant I have collected some material on the subject and if any school would like an assembly or presentation to suit your age / sector / requirements I am available. Contact me on dcbluelotus@gmail.com.
The film I Am by Tom Shadyac
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The film I Am by Tom Shadyac

(2)
This film asks 'what is wrong with the world?' and &'What can we do about it?&'; It impressed and moved me so deeply that I would like to see the film shown at the start of Autumn term to all RE classes across the country. Each year the pupils would get more from it, as their own experience and understanding develop. Annoyingly these links have been removed - some copyright infringement. I have bought the film and will send you a copy if you give me a pm. It really is worth having and showing - in 'bite-size chunks&' for younger classes.
Many of my most popular resouces for reference
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Many of my most popular resouces for reference

(2)
In response to a non specialist asking about the best way of approaching teaching RE I have collected the web-addresses for some of my most popular resouces and listed them grouped under headings to hopefully make them easier to find. First are the Exploring Religion and Reflections on Life slide-shows which are most popular. Then there are the poems and quotations, some files grouped with others from that religion, and finally some role-play exercises. I hope this will be useful especially for nonspecialists and NQT's