The New Zealand National Centre for Religious Studies (NCRS) is providing secondary religious education teachers with a new curriculum guide.
The Secondary RE Bridging Document (SREBD) Poipoia te kakano kia puawai – Nurture the seed and it will blossom – is intended to provide some common ground while a formal longer process of preparing a new year 1 – 13 RE curriculum is undertaken.
The SREBD is designed to encourage a new look at RE in Catholic Secondary Schools from within the framework of the current “Understanding Faith” (UF) curriculum.
It is the result of significant consultation and reflection and is designed to be a practical, living document.
NCRS Director Colin MacLeod said SREBD is revisiting what is currently a 20-year-old curriculum.
He said this document links with the primary REBD to support deep consideration of religious education in all Catholic schools.
“It is important to be clarifying what RE is all about and developing a shared vision of what we ‘hope’ for the young people in our care,” McLeod said.
“The SREBD revisits our teaching of RE, placing the person of Jesus at the centre of what we do.
“It provides a foundation and encouragement for RE teachers and reminds us of the ‘why’ and the ‘who’ (Jesus) which give meaning to RE in our schools and is the reason for ‘what’ we teach.”
New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference President, Bishop Patrick Dunn, said “The Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand give thanks for all who teach Religious Education in our parishes and schools, we encourage you in your work, and assure you of our prayers as you participate in nurturing the seed of faith in our young people.”
The SREBD is produced only in electronic format in response to Laudato Si’ and the digital climate, and is available on FaithCentral.nz.
Source
- Supplied: Amanda Gregan NZCBC Communications Advisor,
- faithcentral.co.nz