Variety Lives in Religion Class!
If you ever ask your child what they do in religion class, you may get a blank stare back at you. Why? More so than any other subject, religion is a very diverse subject that offers many different ways to learn. Because of this, no two religion classes are exactly the same. Some classes include direct instruction, some include group discussions, some include journaling, and some of them are a mix of all of the above. Here is a brief explanation of the different things we frequently do in religion classes.
Prayer
All religion classes have some type of prayer. Part of learning your faith is learning to pray, and prayer occurs in thousands of different ways. Students are often given the job of leading class prayer, and are instructed with "Spiritual Showcase" and other types of prayer assignments. In addition, prayer is necessary because we NEED God's direction and guidance to make the most of each religion class!
Notes
This is perhaps our "bread and butter" in religion class. Notes are short lectures directed by Mr. Robertson to directly teach some religious concept. Notes can be particularly effective because they assist students with different types of learning styles. Visual learners benefit from writing the notes in front of them and seeing the powerpoint slides present the information to them. Auditory learners learn from Mrs. Garcia's explanations and loud voice. Even kinesthetic learners can learn from some examples that get students up and moving.
Discussions
Religion is very applicable to our lives, and must be learned through discussion. Students have a great deal to learn by listening to others' examples of God working in their life, and students are encouaged to share stories from their own faith. In addition, many questions in class are not just "yes" or "no" answers, and require students to see all sides of the issue.
Textbook and Bible Readings
Many students learn best by reading, and our religion textbooks do a fine job presenting concepts in a way that caters to middle-school students. In addition, students read frequent Bible passages and stories, particularly in 6th and 7th grade. Much of the Christian tradition is based on the stories of the Bible, and students get to learn these stories directly from the source with the Bibles that they receive in religion class.
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