Controversial Issues:
spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development through a study of
the events around 9/11
Culham St Gabriel’s
September 2012
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Aims:
 to show how RE can take a lead in proving
opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and
cultural development;
 to gain clarity on what might be meant by the key
terms;
 to consider the issues involved in dealing with
controversial issues in the RE classroom;
 to consider a case study of good practice in
relation to the events of 9/11 – showing how
elements of spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development can be provided through lesson
activities.
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www.911educationprogramme.co.uk/
 9/11 BBC News Footage
 Story of Mohammad Razvi
 Connect & Reflect Activity
Questions.
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SMSCD: Subsidiary Guidance
Issued To Inspectors January 2012
 ‘Where a school does not provide the
National Curriculum and RE, inspectors will
need to fully explore the school’s reasons’;
 Defining smscd: see handout;
 Parent Engagement Policy.
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Ofsted Report: Transforming religious education
The 2010 Ofsted ‘Long Report’ on RE: noted that,
‘in about six in ten of the schools visited, there were few opportunities for
students to explore the more spiritual aspects of the subject. For example,
they rarely engaged with challenging or evocative material drawn from
religious and belief traditions that might stimulate more profound feelings or
ideas.’
The Report stated that,
‘A positive contribution to spiritual development involves opportunities for pupils to:
develop a sense of fascination about themselves and the world around them;
explore and reflect on the more intangible and puzzling aspects of their
experience;
use imagination and creativity in their learning.
It is these aspects of learning which were often weakest where the provision for
RE was no better than satisfactory.’ (Ofsted, 2010, p.16)
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Spiritual Development:
Signs of the following behaviour and/or attitudes are
an indication that more or wider opportunities for
spiritual development need to be provided:
indifference to others, their beliefs, values and
needs;
indifference to reflection;
over-concern with status and material rewards.
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Moral Development:
Signs of the following behaviour and/or attitudes are
an indication that more or wider opportunities for
moral development need to be provided:
narrow-mindedness;
self-centredness.
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Social Development:
Signs of the following behaviour and/or attitudes are
an indication that more or wider opportunities for
social development need to be provided:
use of offensive language;
refusal to accept responsibility for actions;
disrespectful behaviour;
disruptive behaviour;
refusal to work or attend lessons.
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Cultural Development:
Signs of the following behaviour and/or attitudes are
an indication that more or wider opportunities for
cultural development need to be provided:
being dismissive or disrespectful of other people’s
deeply held beliefs, values and convictions;
indifference to cultural activities;
ignorance of the damage that can be done by
stereotyping and generalisation.
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What is ‘spiritual development’ and
what is its place in education?
One approach to providing opportunities for pupils’ spiritual
development is to think of spiritual development in terms of a
person’s inner life (sense of awe, wonder, curiosity etc) and the
ways in which a spiritual life might be outwardly expressed (in
lack of concern for status, for example).
Some also talk of downward and upward and expressions of
spirituality, i.e., ‘down-to-earth’ and ‘aspirational’.
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What is ‘spiritual development’ and
what is its place in education?
What are the signs of a ‘spiritually developed’ person?
Such a person might be observed, for example (inner life):
engaging in activities which involve listening, reflecting, puzzling, searching
for truth;
developing an understanding of their own feelings, likes and dislikes;
developing personal beliefs and values;
showing insights into deep questions about life, change and death;
engaging in prayer, meditation or worship.
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What is ‘spiritual development’ and
what is its place in education?
What are the signs of a ‘spiritually developed’ person?
Such a person might be observed, for example (outward expression):
engaging in activities which involve questioning, valuing, creating,
envisioning, empathising, imagining;
immersing themselves in constructive work, sacrificing immediate self-
interest;
developing an understanding of their relationships with those near and far;
enjoying exploring diversity and difference;
being involved with a faith or belief community .
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ART & DESIGN: Inner Life
 reflecting on the power and mystery of art to create feelings of
sadness, anger, fear, humour, happiness in both figurative and abstract
work;
 responding personally through their own feelings and preferences to
paintings, sculptures, artefacts and buildings;
 developing beliefs about the role of art and design in human life and
society;
 making connections between examples of art and themes of life,
change and death.
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ART & DESIGN: Outward Expression
 valuing art and design from other cultures and times;
 investigating art from unfamiliar cultures – why was it made, what was
its purpose?;
 creating their own art and designs and developing their understanding
of symbolism to communicate ideas;
 exploring and experimenting with ideas, materials, and processes;
 making connections between art and design from different cultures
with their own work;
 enjoying the diversity and difference in art and design.
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www.911educationprogramme.co.uk
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Aims of the project
The 9/11 London Project is a charity with two aims:
 To erect an art work in central London on the 10th
anniversary of 9/11 made of steel from the World Trade
Centre.
 To fund resources and support for teachers wishing to
teach about 9/11 and related events.
The education element of the project, under the direction
of the Institute of Education, had two main aims:
 To increase students’ awareness and understanding of
the events surrounding 9/11.
 To develop students’ ability to reflect on the events
surrounding 9/11 openly, sensitively and critically.
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Controversial Issues in RE
 I tell my students that there are no right or
wrong answers in RE.
 I tell my students that there is no agreement as
to what the right or wrong answers are in RE.
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Causes of Violent Extremism
Look at the coloured cards:
 what types of factors are indicated by the
different colours?
 is a combination of many of these factors
needed to produce a violent extremist, or are
one or two factors alone enough?
 which are the most important factors in your
view?
 what could be done to prevent such factors
taking hold?
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Some values in religion/belief
The (Para-) Olympic Values
 Justice
 Respect / Fair Play
 Love
 Excellence
 Forgiveness
 Friendship
 Courage
 Courage
 Duty
 Determination
 Self-sacrifice
 Inspiration
 Mercy
 Equality
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What really matters in religion
and belief:
SMSCD opportunities in a
scheme of learning for RE
Identify smscd in the scheme of learning:
 spiritual:
 moral:
 social:
 cultural:
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RE-Route Access Boxes
CD-ROM now available:
you will be able to use this
to make your own RERoute resources.
(£30)
Order from:
mayfly@blueyonder.co.uk
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