Professional Learning Opportunities
There are many opportunities for teachers of RE to take part in professional learning and continuing your professional development doesn’t necessarily mean formal courses requiring you to take time out of school. There are many informal CPD opportunities teachers can get involved in
Local authorities, often through the SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on RE), provide training and support for RE. In addition, local Diocese (both Anglican and Catholic) provide courses and in-school support. Many universities provide open lectures and events on RE and related subjects and it is worth checking their events calendars or signing up to newsletters.
Teach:RE Course
This is a distance learning course suitable for all teachers of RE. It is tailored to each teacher’s individual needs. For further information go to the Teach:RE Course pages.
If you are already teaching RE, but would like to develop your understanding of the subject further or perhaps refresh your thinking, the Teach:RE Course is for you. Maybe your local Agreed Syllabus requires you to teach about religions and worldviews that you are less familiar with or feel less confident about. Perhaps you are considering a Master’s degree and would like to ease your way back into self- study and research. Or perhaps you would like to explore new ways of applying subject knowledge about world religions and beliefs to classroom practice. You may be a new co-coordinator for RE in a primary school and want to find out more about the subject. Whatever your professional learning requirements, the Teach:RE Course is tailored to your individual needs. It is suitable for primary and secondary colleagues, and is run as a distance learning programme. Support is provided by a tutor and a certificate of completion is provided which you can use as part of your CPD portfolio.
CPD Opportunities from Culham St Gabriel’s Trust
Culham St Gabriel’s is a Charitable Trust dedicated to improving RE and helping RE teachers and is the owner of Teach RE and manages the Teach:RE Course. The Trust also provides a number of other professional learning opportunities for teachers of RE.- 3forRE is a unique scheme based on a three-way partnership between you, your school and Culham St Gabriel’s Trust. This scheme offers you an opportunity to take Masters-level professional development at a fraction of the normal cost. For details about this opportunity visit www.cstg.org.uk/grants/3forre
– Funding Opportunities: CSTG will sometimes offer grants outside the 3forRE Scheme for individuals or groups of RE teachers interested in RE CPD
– RE:ONLINE – Free to use, quality assured, comprehensive coverage of religion and worldviews
The RE Council Professional Development Portal
The RE Council has a Professional Development Portal leading you to a very wide range of CPD opportunities in RE.
NATRE and RE Today
NATRE – the website of the National Association of Teachers of RE provides support, updates and films as well as films, regional conferences and local network groups.
RE Today – NATRE works in partnership with RE Today Services, who provide a range of professional consultancy services for schools.
Social Media and Peer Led CPD
Increasingly, teachers are making use of social media to arrange Teachmeets, or share learning through Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and other social media sites. Here are some of the key sites you may be interested in:
– The NATRE Facebook Page and the RE:ONLINE Facebook Page both provide excellent news services and opportunities for networking with other RE teachers
– Times Education Supplement provides subject specific forums, which can be a useful place to discuss RE issues with other RE teachers, although there is little quality control on resources.
– Twitter is an excellent source for RE News and views. It’s popularity is growing in the RE world with many RE Leaders and organisations regularly Tweeting. Try following: @reonline_tweets; @NATREupdate; @RECouncil; @RE_today
– TeachMeets are teacher led networking and sharing events often organised through Twitter. Find one near you, turn up and share… or start your own!
Other Providers of RE CPD
There are a number of other organisations who provide opportunities for professional learning as listed below:
– AREIAC – the website of the Association of RE Inspectors, advisers and consultants provides information on people who can support and help you with RE related matters.
– NASACRE – the website of the National Association of SACREs. Each local authority has a Standing Advisory Council on RE (SACRE) and this website provides information for SACRE members.
– RE CPD Handbook – The Religious Education Handbook offers a resource for teachers wishing to develop their subject and professional knowledge in the teaching of religion in primary and secondary schools in England.
– RE Quality Mark – the website of the RE Quality Mark provides toolkits and best practice case studies.