In much of the world, religious traditions are seriously valued but, in the context of religious plurality, this sets educationalists an enormous challenge. This book provides a way forward in exploring religious life whilst showing how bridges might be built between diverse religious traditions. "Teaching Virtue" puts engagement with religious life - and virtue ethics - at the heart of religious education, encouraging 'learning from' religion rather than 'learning about' religion. The authors focus on eight key virtues, examining these for what they can offer of religious value to pupils and teachers. Individual chapters put the discussion into context by offering a vision of what religious education in the future could look like; the need for responsible religious education; a historical review of moral education and an introduction to virtue ethics. Lesson plans and examples demonstrate how the virtues may be approached in the classroom, making it an invaluable guide for all involved in teaching religious education.

Inspiring Faith in Schools addresses the privileging of secularism that appears to affect RE in countries influenced by modern western thought. The authors argue that a more engaging form of RE would emerge if religious life were to inhabit centre stage. Currently religious faith is made to hover in the wings awaiting the call to face the inquisitorial challenge of the modern day enquirer. The consequent relationship between pupil and the Divine as the purpose of study is then already intrinsically irreligious, as indicated in the Book of Job by putting God in the dock, whereas it is the pupil who should be (cross-)examining his or her life. What are the ways of exciting and engaging the young so that they begin to entertain the possibility of religious life as a genuine option for themselves? Leading scholars in philosophy and theology from the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA come together to address these questions together with RE experts. Marius Felderhof writes an Afterword summing up the challenges faced by such a re-visioning of RE.

The Internet is transforming the experience of reading and learning-through-reading. Is this transformation effecting a radical change in reading processes as readers synthesize understandings from fragments across multiple texts? Or, conversely, is the Internet merely a new place to use the same reading skills and processes developed through experience with traditional print-based media? Are the changes in reading processes a matter of degree, or are they fundamentally new? And if so, how must reading theory, research, and instruction adjust?

This volume brings together distinguished experts from the fields of reading research, teacher education, educational psychology, cognitive science, rhetoric and composition, digital humanities, and educational technology to address these questions. Its unique structure features short essays, each drawing from its author's realm of expertise and projecting beyond to larger implications for reading research and education. These essays are followed by dialogue between the chapter author and respondents with contrasting viewpoints. The result is a lively exchange where authors are challenged to articulate their perspectives on a fundamental question for 21st century readers and researchers.

Inspiring Faith in Schools addresses the privileging of secularism that appears to affect RE in countries influenced by modern western thought. The authors argue that a more engaging form of RE would emerge if religious life were to inhabit centre stage. Currently religious faith is made to hover in the wings awaiting the call to face the inquisitorial challenge of the modern day enquirer. The consequent relationship between pupil and the Divine as the purpose of study is then already intrinsically irreligious, as indicated in the Book of Job by putting God in the dock, whereas it is the pupil who should be (cross-)examining his or her life. What are the ways of exciting and engaging the young so that they begin to entertain the possibility of religious life as a genuine option for themselves? Leading scholars in philosophy and theology from the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA come together to address these questions together with RE experts. Marius Felderhof writes an Afterword summing up the challenges faced by such a re-visioning of RE.

Nathaniel Woodard founded an educational system 'firmly grounded in the Christian faith', and the establishment in 1874 of the first Woodard girls' school lies at the heart of his legacy. However, the role of one remarkable woman in securing this legacy has until now been obscured. Eliza Lowe and the Founding of Woodard Schools for Girls is her untold story. Drawing on scholarly articles, newspaper reports, letters from pupils, census records, and local and family archival material, Thompson describes life in Eliza Lowe's school, from swimming in the sea to politics at breakfast and competitions for an 'amiability' prize. While discussions of Nathaniel Woodard and 19th-century girls' education provide context, Eliza's own letters reveal a woman of wit, curiosity and humanitarian feeling. Her achievements will inspire students of women's history and girls' education, and encourage those who believe that religion enhances education, while her lasting legacy will interest both former pupils and those who continue in the Woodard tradition today.

Nathaniel Woodard founded an educational system 'firmly grounded in the Christian faith', and the establishment in 1874 of the first Woodard girls' school lies at the heart of his legacy. However, the role of one remarkable woman in securing this legacy has until now been obscured. Eliza Lowe and the Founding of Woodard Schools for Girls is her untold story. Drawing on scholarly articles, newspaper reports, letters from pupils, census records, and local and family archival material, Thompson describes life in Eliza Lowe's school, from swimming in the sea to politics at breakfast and competitions for an 'amiability' prize. While discussions of Nathaniel Woodard and 19th-century girls' education provide context, Eliza's own letters reveal a woman of wit, curiosity and humanitarian feeling. Her achievements will inspire students of women's history and girls' education, and encourage those who believe that religion enhances education, while her lasting legacy will interest both former pupils and those who continue in the Woodard tradition today.

In this book, Penny Thompson discusses the place of Christianity in Religious Education from 1963. She explores the reasons why the committed teaching of the Christian faith has been slowly undermined, and aims to show that the current state of both theory and practice is incoherent and unsustainable. Her arguments explore the debates and historical developments in this sector, over the past forty years, and convincingly propose that the way forward to is to recover the teaching of Christianity in an open and self-critical way. OFSTED reports that the level of unsatisfactory staffing in RE is now a matter of 'deep concern'. This book seeks to inspire and motivate those who might not be attracted to RE teaching as a profession, and details suggestions which may help to alter this current state of affairs. The author draws on primary sources, her own experiences and interviews with prominent individuals in the profession.

The Effective Teaching of Religious Education provides an accessible yet intellectually rigorous resource for all those involved in the teaching of RE in schools today. Written with the needs of specialist and non-specialist teachers in mind, in both the primary and secondary sectors, it successfully integrates theory and practice, encouraging debate and reflection on a broad range of issues in what is often regarded as a complex and often controversial subject area. The second edition has been written with the collaboration of a new co-author, Penny Thompson and has been thoroughly updated, revised and extended to include: A new chapter on the place of Christianity in RE New material on the purpose of RE and on the relationship of RE to other subjects A new Appendix on tackling assessment and syllabus requirements A new companion website at www.pearsoned.co.uk/watson-thompson including an overview of the use of ICT in RE teaching, web links and practical resources for use in the classroom.

The Internet is transforming the experience of reading and learning-through-reading. Is this transformation effecting a radical change in reading processes as readers synthesize understandings from fragments across multiple texts? Or, conversely, is the Internet merely a new place to use the same reading skills and processes developed through experience with traditional print-based media? Are the changes in reading processes a matter of degree, or are they fundamentally new? And if so, how must reading theory, research, and instruction adjust?

This volume brings together distinguished experts from the fields of reading research, teacher education, educational psychology, cognitive science, rhetoric and composition, digital humanities, and educational technology to address these questions. Its unique structure features short essays, each drawing from its author's realm of expertise and projecting beyond to larger implications for reading research and education. These essays are followed by dialogue between the chapter author and respondents with contrasting viewpoints. The result is a lively exchange where authors are challenged to articulate their perspectives on a fundamental question for 21st century readers and researchers.

The Effective Teaching of Religious Education provides an accessible yet intellectually rigorous resource for all those involved in the teaching of RE in schools today. Written with the needs of specialist and non-specialist teachers in mind, in both the primary and secondary sectors, it successfully integrates theory and practice, encouraging debate and reflection on a broad range of issues in what is often regarded as a complex and often controversial subject area. The second edition has been written with the collaboration of a new co-author, Penny Thompson and has been thoroughly updated, revised and extended to include: A new chapter on the place of Christianity in RE New material on the purpose of RE and on the relationship of RE to other subjects A new Appendix on tackling assessment and syllabus requirements A new companion website at www.pearsoned.co.uk/watson-thompson including an overview of the use of ICT in RE teaching, web links and practical resources for use in the classroom.