Tim Hall, Ph.D. Use of the Bible in public education can beg questions and promote educator anxiety? Can and should educators teach about the Bible in the classroom? What would be the pedagogical approach? Can schools have an elective class focused on the Bible? What would the benefits of a course focused on the Bible […]
Religion in Schools
Why Should Religion Be Part of the Curriculum?
Tim Hall, Ph.D. In education, there is a fear of bringing religion into the classroom. This fear founded on a misunderstanding of the application of the First Amendment has a huge potential negative impact on students growing up in the globalized twenty-first century. But why is there a misunderstanding? And why should we care? The […]
Civil Dialogue: A Key Pedagogical Tool for Teaching about Religion
Tim Hall, Ph.D. In previous blogs, I provided reasons and frameworks for teaching about religion in the classroom. The six-point framework, in particular, provides a strong foundation in which an educator can approach the topic of religion. Discussions in the class on religion should be meaningful. And, as I mentioned in a previous blog, it is one […]
Another Barrier to Religion in the Classroom: Violence and Religion
Tim Hall, Ph.D. In a previous blog, I reviewed educator assumptions about religion held in the past that are not correct. These false assumptions include: sacred and secular can be divided easily secular ways of knowledge are neutral religion is based on irrational ways of thinking I also detailed educator concerns about bringing religion into the […]
The 3Rs: Rights, Responsibilities, and Respect
Tim Hall, Ph.D. With all of the tough questions answered and educators being aware that the assumptions of the past about religion are not correct, Professional Development (PD), either pre-service or in-service, needs to be the focus of the next steps. This PD should include the content of religions and a constitutionally sound framework to […]