100 Ideas: RE

Buy Now (Amazon)

Buy Now (Bloomsbury)

Back in March 2019, I met with Chloe from Bloomsbury to start work on a plan for this book... just over a year later the book has been published (May 2020) and I have been overwhelmed with the response. Thank you to every single person who has purchased a copy - I hope you enjoy it, and find it useful.

I had worked out a clear idea in my own head about what I did, and did not want to do with this book. I wanted it be filled with the things that would genuinely improve classroom practice in RE. I wanted to avoid fads, gimmicks, things that generated the wrong kind of "engagement". I wanted to look at the best ways to teach certain things.  I also wanted to share some of the things that I have found really effective in my 15 years in the RE classroom.  

However, I was also aware that the way I teach RE will not work for everyone. I reflected carefully upon the fact that most of my lessons would fit the Tom Sherrington / Barak Rosenshine model of review and recap, questioning and modelling, followed by practice. However I am also certain that all of these things can be done in different ways. Just because we do something, doesn't mean we do it well, or in the most effective way - and I've always included myself in that.

As such, I reached out to the RE community and listened carefully to what people thought should be in the book, what should be avoided, and what would give the book a universal appeal. Therefore I do hope this book genuinely has something for everyone, both those new to teaching RE - and those who have been doing it for a while. It was brilliant to see the first Amazon review that said, "[it] reminded of some past gems that I have not done for a while and [I was] inspired by some new ideas to use.".

A few weeks before actual publication date, I tried to generate a bit of discussion about the best bits of RE with a couple of competitions - both on Twitter and Save RE (Facebook group). As with a competition I had co-run previously for copies of my GCSE quiz book (<here>), I didn't really want to a "Likes & RTs" kind of thing, so I asked a simple question - about teacher's favourite things to teach in RE and I loved reading all the responses - check them out <here>. RE is a great subject - we get to teach some amazing things to young people in our classrooms:

On a personal level, I am genuinely humbled to have been asked to write this book. The RE community is genuinely like a family - there are frequent squabbles, a few vested interests, some little cliques, but equally a lot of people who care deeply and genuinely want to make RE better. When Mary Myatt described the book as a "gift to the RE community", I was quite overwhelmed. It was exactly what I set out to do - to give something back - and for that to be recognised made the many (many) hours writing worthwhile. It was great to hear Tom Bennett liked it and felt it deserved a big audience. 

The week of the book's release, I decided to do a short "virtual book launch". If you want to me talk about the book for 30 minutes, you can do so here:

Finally, one of the most amazing things was the number of people who took a picture of the book and tagged me on Twitter... I've saved them all! For me, it was reassurance that this book was getting out into the world, particularly during this strange time of lock-down. Thank you to every single one of you who bought this book, and keep the photos coming!

Revision Guide Update: “Good things come to those who wait...”

<Order Here>

I am currently working on the final edits, corrections and amendments to my GCSE revision guide. The whole team are really excited about the book as we feel it will give both teachers and students the best possible preparation for the upcoming GCSE exams.

If you haven't got the latest OUP mailing, read it <here>

A few things about the OUP book, that I feel makes it superior to any other books out there:

1. The visual approach we take - tables, diagrams, illustrations - which will be appealing to all students. Not just bullet points.
2. The structure – the Recap-Apply-Review method makes for effective revision - we have 3 key points for each spec point, plus further key information (not just everything abridged) with exam questions for reviewing knowledge and understanding.
3. The high volume of exam practice questions – 330! Exam boards won’t endorse exam questions or answers, but we have worked as hard as possible with expert advice to ensure we have covered every aspect of the spec (inc B Describe Questions) without going beyond the spec.
4. The detailed, skills-building techniques that allow students to practice stages of the larger tariff questions.
5. Answers readily available in the book - many of which are written as model answers, as well as bullet pointed. Students can check themselves easily!
6. All material specially written for this spec, not reused from other books.
7. Sample answers with commentary
8. 40% off if you order this term! 

The OUP revision guide is 6-8 weeks (approx) later than other books, but this time has been spent doing extra checks for accuracy and matching to the spec and ensuring everything is as useful, informative and useful to teachers and students.

Remember chapter 1 is already available <here> (which can obviously be shared with anxious students)

Any questions or concerns - or bulk order - feel free to drop Gina an email on: Georgina.white@oup.com

I think it’s safe to say we all fully understand teachers concerns and frustrations about not having the book any earlier. However, I am still teaching the spec and revision has been going on since the start of Year 10 (see an overview of revision, written by me and published by OUP <here>) so the book will be the final resource they use. Many other RE teachers provide a revision guide as something for students to use independently. I am confident my revision guide will enable them to do just that:

From Save RE

“Good things come to those who wait...”

NEW BOOK: We Need To Talk About RE

There is always a great sense of satisfaction when you get a book in your hands - a book with your name on, or in. I remember the excitement when I first got my hands on my GCSE textbook - it was an amazing feeling. 

This one feels like a real professional affirmation, the fact I was invited to be part of the project and then allowed to write, what I consider a really important contribution, on the place of Catholic RE within discussion of reform. My extract is here: 

This chapter begins by briefly exploring the history of RE in Catholic schools as a context

within which its distinctiveness will be defined and is best understood. Then I explore how

the Catholic vision of good RE fits within the broader vision of RE held by the RE 

community as a whole in England, arguing that RE from a religious perspective brings an 

important breadth to what has always been a pluralistic discipline. Following from that, I look at the current contested areas within RE and consider how the Catholic RE community might respond to these threats and challenges, while spelling out those areas which would be non-negotiables beyond which Catholic RE could not pass without losing its authenticity. With all of this in mind, the chapter concludes by considering some possible futures for Catholic RE. In this section I argue for the importance for pupils in all schools of a study of religion which allows a deep theological engagement with at least one tradition, as is exemplified by Catholic RE. Such an engagement is the only one which allows for a proper grasp of historicity, nuance and complexity, all of which are essential skills in navigating a world of simplistic religious extremes.

I must also add that this chapter was co-authored, and I am very grateful to those who helped me put this together. You know who you are.

This book contains the thoughts and writings of many that I respect and admire in the RE world, although I admit, I don't always agree with. Healthy discussion and disagreement is useful for us in trying to improve the standard of RE in all schools. Here is an overview of who is included in the book:

 

The quotes on the back of the book should be enough for anyone who wants to get clued up on the current state of RE to get reading:

This diverse and accessible series of reflections provides an excellent route map navigating the complex terrain that is contemporary RE. It offers a range of radical solutions guaranteed to prompt debate about the future of the 'RE space' in a post-religious, post-secular contemporary world. (Alan Brine, Former HMI and Ofsted National Adviser for Religious Education)

This book, in the words of two of its authors, does the same as effective RE in classrooms. It offers 'demanding material... a framework for talk, thought, misconceptions and deep engagement' and a discussion of 'unsafe topics'. It is timely and informed and everyone who cares about RE should read it. (Dr Joyce Miller Associate Fellow, WRERU)

This timely book assembles huge amounts of wisdom and experience. It is a valuable addition to a growing literature on the place of RE in our schools. I strongly endorse the message captured in the Postscript : be absolutely clear about the purpose of RE and teach it well. The rest will follow from this. (Grace Davie, Professor emeritus, University of Exeter)

This book may not be for all, but I hope to have been part of something that offers a useful starting point for ensuring all students in the UK get the very best standard of RE teaching. It's too important for us not to get right.

I look forward to your views on my (our) contribution, and the book in general. 

We need to talk about RE.

Thirty Words, 30 Seconds CPD [eBook]

One thing most teachers don't have is time. Thankfully Ross aka TeacherToolkit has collected a series of inspirational nuggets of wisdom from nearly 200 teachers in his eBook called "Thirty Words, 30 Seconds".

A quick flick through provides exactly that, Thirty Words and 30 seconds (or less) reading time for each. 

Find my two contributions on pages 69 and 148. 

Read Ross' blog on it <here>

Download directly <here>

Don't Change The Lightbulbs

Me with my chapter!

Using Twitter as a teacher has got me involved in many different things. TeachMeets, and in particular TM Havering, ResearchEd, Andrew Old's blogger curry nights, Caroline Webb's charity calendar and this, Rachel Jones's "Don't Change The Lightbulbs".

Rachel is an incredibly enthusiastic and innovative teacher who I always enjoy hearing speak at TeachMeet and other education events. When she asked me to do the Top 10 Tips for RE teachers, it was a real privilege. There are lots of RE teachers on Twitter and this burden weighed heavily on my shoulders as I embarked upon writing my chapter earlier in the year. Hopefully it gets a nod of approval from my RE colleagues when they have a read!

Rachel launches the live stream Q&A

From what was going to initially be an eBook, somewhere behind the scenes, Crown House Publishing got involved and decided that the book would also be going into print. I'm not sure that it was my name's inclusion that got them interested and more likely Vic Goddard, Jim Smith, Hywel Roberts, Mark Anderson, Ian Gilbert, Oliver Quinlan... all already popular authors in their own right. A fantastic job has been done with the book and it is something I am really, really proud to be a part of. 

The book launch, the first of these kind of events that I've been to, took place in The Centre For Literacy In Primary Education in Southwark, London. It was a great evening, if not a little overwhelming. In a small space, there was a huge number people that I follow on Twitter. People that inspire me and that I look up to. There was also cake and wine. 

Part of the evening was a live feed with a Q&A. Various people either volunteered or got selected to answer a question... there was an RE-related one and up I got up. I made a passionate plea to people to remember the importance of RE in the curriculum. I told them about the fact we create a space in the curriculum for asking and answering the big questions, including those about life and death. I told them that our subject is more important than ever as we still encounter students who have various prejudices that need to be challenged. My final plea was that people did not judge the RE of today with their own experiences at school. It is one of the fastest growing GCSEs and it is often one of students' favourite subject; the teaching of RE (in many schools) has been transformed in the last 10 years and there is so much great stuff going on in RE classrooms up and down the country. It seemed to go down well.

We got our first 5 star review from Acadmies Weekly <here>. The review importantly pointed out, "Much of their advice really is first-rate but what stood out above even that, was the commitment they displayed for teachers supporting each other and developing as a community.". This is perhaps the reason why I tweet and blog, and will continue to do so. The book launch confirmed the ability that we all have to make a contribution to improving education and raising the standards of teaching, without government intervention.

None of the authors were involved for financial gain, it started as a project to simply share ideas. However, now it is a published book, a final reason to buy a copy is that all the profits go to Action for Children. Not only will you get a really lovely book, full of inspiration, but you'll be donating to a really excellent cause.

So, what are you waiting for? Buy a copy from the publishers, <here> or from Amazon, <here>.

Thanks Crown House Publishing for this present!