Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts

Friday, 22 April 2016

Plum Village: Programs for Children and Teens

http://plumvillage.org/retreats/visiting-us/programs-for-children-and-teens/

Programs for Children and Teens

During our annual 4-week Summer Retreat in July/August, Plum Village monks and nuns offer a special program of mindful play for children, and a guided mindful activity program for teenagers. The programs are mostly outdoors, enjoying the beautiful countryside and nature around Plum Village.

Tuesday, 29 December 2015

The Four Noble Truths of intimate relationships

http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/the-four-noble-truths-of-intimate-relationships

The Four Noble Truths of intimate relationships

 
Because the Buddha was a celibate monk, there can be a tendency for us to see intimate relationships as a distraction or hindrance to the spiritual life. But the Buddha himself described marriage as potentially a source of great happiness.

Monday, 21 December 2015

A new Settlement : religion and Belief in Schools

http://faithdebates.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/A-New-Settlement-for-Religion-and-Belief-in-schools.pdf

A new Settlement : religion and Belief in Schools

by Charles Clarke and Linda Woodhead 

Living with Difference: Community, Diversity and the Common Good

http://www.corab.org.uk/

Living with Difference: Community, Diversity and the Common Good


The report of the Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life, convened by the Woolf Institute and chaired by Baroness Butler-Sloss.
It is titled "Living with Difference: Community, Diversity and the Common Good".


RE for REal report and Recommendations

http://www.gold.ac.uk/faithsunit/reforreal/

In a context of deep religious illiteracy in the UK, RE for REal explores the role of schools in equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to engage effectively with religion and belief diversity, in schools, in their communities, in future workplaces and in wider social contexts.
The project analyses the views of pupils, parents and teachers in secondary education and of employers, on what school leavers need to know about religion and belief in relation to the current religion and belief landscape, as evidenced in research and current educational policy.
It builds on the Religious Education Council’s A Review of Religious Education in England (2013) by providing a new evidence-base to support and facilitate continuing national discussions. By engaging protagonists in the field in a cycle of reflective analysis, it will further stimulate and facilitate wider debate around the future role and shape of RE in schools.
Below, you will find supporting documents to accompany our recent study:
RE for REal brings together views on what children need to know and understand about religion with research evidence on the real religious landscape and explores the gaps between the two. It is unique in that it will bring together key groups of influence to create a forum in which to discuss how to align these two in future policy and planning for schools.

Friday, 11 September 2015

NATRE: RE Teaching: Beyond the Ordinary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzvZTFmp6qc

Published on Mar 20, 2015
Do you have the drive, interest and personality to teach one of the most diverse, questioning and relevant subjects in schools today?

Seen through the eyes of Lynsey Wilkinson, Head of RE at Redhill Academy near Nottingham and her students, the Beyond the Ordinary film shows how RE helps young people make sense of the world around them. The short film gives the teacher’s view on a subject, where the answers are rarely straightforward and sometimes raise more questions.

Beyond the Ordinary is a Religious Education Council initiative. Key partners involved in the project include the National Association of Teachers of RE, the Association of University Lecturers in Religion and Education and Culham St Gabriel’s Trust.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.teachre.co.uk/beyondtheordinary

NATRE: New RS Exams: Accreditation timeline

http://www.natre.org.uk/news/latest-news/new-rs-exams-accreditation-timeline/

New RS Exams: Accreditation timeline

Below is a timeline of the process for the specifications for the new Religious Studies GCSE and A-level.
Please note that these dates may be subject to change.
  • 3 August 2015 - Awarding organisations submit draft specifications, sample assessment material and assessment strategy to Ofqual for accreditation.
  • 7-10 September 2015 - Ofqual panels of subject experts review awarding organisations' submissions.
  • 1 October 2015 - Ofqual decision on the accreditation of specifications.
  • 8-9 October 2015 - Ofqual inform AOs of their decision on accreditation. AOs then make any necessary changes and submit revised specification and assessment material for re-accreditation.
  • Late Autumn 2015 - Accredited specifications submitted to schools to allow teachers enough time to prepare for first teaching in September 2016.
  • September 2016 - First teaching of new RS GCSE specifications in schools
Find more information on the draft specifications here

Thursday, 10 September 2015

Invented Religions

http://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/podcast/podcast-carole-cusack-on-invented-religions/

Invented Religions

What is an “Invented Religion”? Why should scholars take these religions seriously? What makes these “inventions” different from the revelations in other religions? What happens when an author does not want their story to become a religious text?

Monday, 24 August 2015

Tibet’s Secret Temple: Body, Mind and Meditation in Tantric Buddhism

http://wellcomecollection.org/secrettemple


Tibet’s Secret Temple: Body, Mind and Meditation in Tantric Buddhism

Wellcome Collection, EXHIBITION
19 November 2015 - 28 February 2016

'Tibet’s Secret Temple’ explores Tibetan Buddhist yogic and meditational practice and their connections to physical and mental wellbeing.
Inspired by an exquisite series of 17th century murals from a private meditation chamber for Tibet’s Dalai Lamas in Lhasa’s Lukhang Temple, the exhibition features over 120 objects including scroll paintings, statues, manuscripts, archival and contemporary film, together with a wide range of ethnographic and ritual artefacts.
‘Tibet’s Secret Temple’ will uncover the stories behind the ancient, esoteric and once secret practices illustrated in the Lukhang murals and show their relevance to the expanding and wide-ranging contemporary interest in meditative wellbeing.

Friday, 21 August 2015

Buddhism and Quantum Physics

Buddhism and Quantum Physics


http://seanrobsville.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/quantum-physics-excellent-tv-program-by.html

Einstein's Nightmare by Jim Al-Khalili on BBC 4.  Do we create reality? Fascinating TV program on quantum physics

This is the most readily understandable and accessible treatment of 'quantum weirdness' I've seen.   

Please note that this TV program will be unavailable after mid September.  Watch it soon,then check out Quantum Buddhism, Buddhism, Quantum Physics and Mind  and Buddhist Particle Physics.

Wednesday, 5 August 2015

Wake Up Schools: Cultivating Mindfulness in Education

http://wakeupschools.org/

Wake Up Schools: Cultivating Mindfulness in Education

A global vision to walk the path of compassion, peace and joy in education through the practice of mindfulness.
'Happy Teachers Will Change the World' is a film about teachers learning mindfulness, true transformation and happiness.
Watch it. Get inspired. Be the change.
By artist/ filmmaker Wouter Verhoeven.

NATRE: New RS Exams: more information for teachers

http://www.natre.org.uk/news/latest-news/examination-reform-2015-your-one-stop-shop-for-all-the-materials-published-so-far-1/

NATRE: New RS Exams: more information for teachers

Lots of new materials from the different awarding bodies about their new examination specifications have been released today. This material is all still in draft, because it will only become final and official when OFQUAL say so, but it is helpful that the Awarding Bodies have released their final draft versions, as sent to OFQUAL.
Click on the links below to read the NATRE overview of all the specifications for GCSE and A Level:

Tuesday, 4 August 2015

HuffPost: The Top 5 Reasons to study Religion

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-laderman/the-religion-pitch_b_7921450.html

The Top 5 Reasons to study Religion

It's not easy being chair of a religion department. August is an especially cruel month as we close out one academic year and start up a new one, and begin again to struggle with an increasingly vital challenge: recruiting and keeping more majors.

Monday, 3 August 2015

The Role of Faith in British Schools/Education

The Role of Faith in British Schools/Education

http://se-faithforum.net/national-events/conference-2015

The Role of Faith in British Schools/Education

http://se-faithforum.net/national-events/conference-2015

The Role of Faith in British Schools/Education


South East England Faiths Forum, in conjunction with the National Association of SACREs and the University of Winchester, is holding a day conference on Thursday 3 September on ‘The Role of Faith in British Schools/Education’.
The event will be held from 10am to 4pm at the Stripe Building, University of Winchester SO22 4NR. The keynote speaker will be Alan Brine, former RE lead at OFSTED and the day will end with the SEEFF AGM at 4pm. There is a charge to attend, which includes a vegetarian lunch.

For further information, contact elizabeth.jenkerson@btopenworld.com or visit http://se-faithforum.net/national-events/conference-2015
.

Religion and belief in school – a Westminster Faith Debates report

Religion and belief in school – a Westminster Faith Debates report 

http://faithdebates.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/A-New-Settlement-for-Religion-and-Belief-in-schools.pdf.

A Westminster Faith Debates report ‘A New Settlement: Religion and Belief in Schools’ by former Minister Charles Clarke and Professor Linda Woodhead was published in June.

18 policy recommendations are made by them, covering the act of collective worship, the content and formation of the legally required RE curriculum and the operation of faith schools.
Among these there are proposals that:

  1. the requirement for schools to have an Act of Collective Worship should be abolished; 
  2. consideration be given to using the phrase ‘Religious and Moral Education’ rather than ‘Religious Education’ in describing this part of the statutory curriculum; 
  3. and the Religious Education syllabus in county and voluntary controlled schools should no longer be set by a system of locally agreed syllabuses, but be an agreed national syllabus which would have a similar legal status to the requirements of other subjects in the National Curriculum. 


The full report can be downloaded at: http://faithdebates.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/A-New-Settlement-for-Religion-and-Belief-in-schools.pdf.

Monday, 20 July 2015

What did the Buddha really mean by “mindfulness?”

http://sgforums.com/forums/1728/topics/489246

What did the Buddha really mean by “mindfulness?” B. Alan Wallace describes how misunderstanding the term can have implications for your practice.
B. Alan Wallace tricycle
Buddhist scholar and teacher B. Alan Wallace is a prolific author and translator of Buddhist texts. With a B.A. in both physics and the philosophy of science from Amherst College and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Stanford University, he devotes much of his time combining his interests in the study of Buddhist philosophical and contemplative traditions and their relationship to modern science

Thursday, 16 July 2015

Sky News: Schoolchildren To Get 'Mindfulness Training'

http://news.sky.com/story/1519722/schoolchildren-to-get-mindfulness-training

Thousands will be monitored to see if the practice can help cut the risk of depression and other mental health problems.