I love studying, discussing, and teaching world religions. As a ninth grade world history teacher, I get to do it every year. And in a private religious school, I teach students who love to learn about and discuss religions, others as well as their own.
This fall I'm trying something new and starting with Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. (I don't cover Judaism, since the students take four Judaic courses with real experts.) I've given up on teaching the ancient and classical worlds, since they add too much to a one-year curriculum and the students have studied them in middle school. (We might go back and do some fun projects on that timespan in the late spring.)
The next huge unit in world history commences with the beginnings of Islam in the 600s. So that the students can understand Islam in context, I started with the other major religions last week, and for the next couple of days we will address the basics of Christianity.
I'm not sure if it will work, but I'm going to try to add the timeline -- early Christian history with a few Hindu and Buddhist dates for reference -- we'll use as today's focus . And maybe tomorrow's, and the next day's. As Orthodox Jews, my students are fascinated by a religion that makes claims so distinct from their own, and it always takes us awhile to wade though the material.
(Nope, it didn't work. Too many characters. I'll try another entry.)
It's an endlessly intriguing topic of study. And out church adult education program is working its way through church history this year, so I might actually get my fill of it.
7 comments:
I love to take this class Robin. My own religious education is terribly lacking. Stacy
What an interesting class. I think that all students should be required to take a world religions course.
you are going to be busy!!! judi
Oh, this does sound interesting. I know my daughter would jump at a chance for a class like this. I used to have a link to obtain a free copy of the Qu'ran. I'll look it up if you're interested.
I'm so happy to see another teacher's blog. I teach English 7 at a private school in Los Angeles, but my two majors for my BA were English and history.
Keep up the writing.
Steven L. Denlinger
http://journals.aol.com/stevendenlinger/DevelopingDreams/
World history would be incomplete with a study of world religions. I first went to a Catholic school and I learned world history in reference to Europe. When I transferred to public school in my middle school years, I had grown out of the world history cirriculum. What I learned about history and religion I got from my own reading. At this point I can only say that civilization began with religion. Anything you care to share with your teachings would be greatly appreciated.
Jude
http://journals.aol.Com/JMoranCoyle/MyWay
What a cool idea. We spend a lot of time on comparitive religions, too, in our homeschool. I think it will promote acceptance of diversity...
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