Religion in primary schools

CashMoney

Hi,

I'm a bit out of touch with religious education in catholic prmary schools and can't find answers to my specific questions. Can someone give me some info on how religion is taught in your school (whether you're a teacher or parent) and how much it is used throughout the day.

Are there morning (or any other time) prayers or is religious education and prayers confined to religion class?
How often are religious classes?
Do the children say grace before meals etc?
How are children of other faiths and no faiths handled during these times?

Thanks.

dambarude

In a run of the mill Catholic denominated school it would work like this:

CashMoney wrote: »

Are there morning (or any other time) prayers or is religious education and prayers confined to religion class?

Most schools/classes would say morning prayers, for a minute or two before starting work. They might also comment on something contemporaneous at the time, for example the death of a grandmother or some such.

CashMoney wrote: »

How often are religious classes?

They're allocated 2 1/2 hours a week, so that's half an hour each day. Typically this would have been taught from 12:00 - 12:30. In practice very few teachers would actually teach exactly two and a half hours (though it might be timetabled as such). Many teachers might only teach it two or three times a week, if even that.

In communion/confirmation classes it's likely more than 2 1/2 hours would be spent on religion, especially as the sacrament day approaches.

CashMoney wrote: »

Do the children say grace before meals etc?

In many schools they would, yes. But I've noticed this seems to be becoming less common (in the schools I've been in on Teaching Practice at any rate).

CashMoney wrote: »

How are children of other faiths and no faiths handled during these times?

They may complete other work. It depends on the school. I have witnessed much of this so somebody else might be able to give you more info.

Every school is different, and you could find that some classes within the same school say prayers at different times of the day, depending on the class teacher's direction.

lily09

Are there morning (or any other time) prayers or is religious education and prayers confined to religion class?

I agree with everything dambarude said, just wanted to all my tuppence worth. I usually would say morning and evening prayers. To tell you the truth I find that one of the biggest advantages is that it calms the children down at times they are assembling/leaving.

How often are religious classes?
As already stated the classes are timetabled for 2 1/2 hours. In my 10 years teaching I have never taught this. There is far too much in the curriculum too teach this. Usually I would teach one half hour lesson a week-read the story, play the song and do a quiet meditation time. (Thank God Boards is anonymous!)

Do the children say grace before meals etc?
Usually again very useful to keep them in order!

How are children of other faiths and no faiths handled during these times?
Honestly in my experience very sensitively I have one child who is not Catholic his parents are Atheists. I bought him a little book of crosswords/wordsearches and he does them at the back of the room. (Wanted him to have something fun so he is not "punished" with extra work) This was decided with the parents.

The program for primary school is Alive 0 but this is under review currently and will be changed.

CashMoney

Thanks for the replies. I had thought (hoped rather) that with the increased number of nationalities and people from other backgrounds these days in Ireland, that the level of religious instruction in school would be limited and that schools would try to more inclusive to people of other faiths and none.

The current setup makes it very difficult for me to send my child to the local Catholic school which is approx 1 minute walk away. I could maybe cope with a couple of religion classes a week but several prayer sessions a day along with daily religion classes would, I feel, put my child in a difficult and confusing position.

Unfortunately, the nearest multi-denominational is approx 30 minutes drive away

byhookorbycrook

Not exactly prayer "sessions" one short prayer!Also, there are large amounts of various religions and none in most primary schools so your child is unlikely to be the only one.In the school where my husband teaches he has asenior class.The enrolement ceremony was held for confirmation class at Sunday mass. Two children who are not Catholic chose to come along,with parental; permission. Some others didn't,no-one made a rumpus either way-so children were not forced along or told to stay home.

safarigirl

Hi I am a parent in the same position as you. My local school 3 mins away but Catholic. I am very worried about her being left out at Communion and confermation times. I think every school is different. I actually asked the local school for there enrolment policy , the secretary asked me why and i was honest and said because we are not Christening our child . Her reply was that it was no problem, they have people with child of different denonamations there. sorry spelling. My friends child in England use to go to a religious primary school, but they have no faith. before lunch they had to thank God for thier food or they couldnt eat it. So i said what did you think about that? did you think you were praying to a God in the sky, her reply, no i just said it so i could eat my lunch! I think alot of it is harmless. There is the option to opt out of R E i think i will for my daughter even lightly to be in the same room. Let me know how you get on, sorry i went on a bit.....!!!!

SerialComplaint

It is worth checking out what happens when there is a school Mass. In my kids school, the note sent home reads something like 'Children who are not attending Mass should come to school at 11 am'. This must be very, very difficult for working parents.

byhookorbycrook

A school mass would be once a year, if at all. Children are never told to stay home in any school I know of.

SerialComplaint

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

A school mass would be once a year, if at all.

We've had two this year. Can't quite remember what the occasions were, but we've definitely had two already. Might be something to do with the Communion year - 2nd class.

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Children are never told to stay home in any school I know of.

I'm not sure whether to be pleased that most other schools don't do this, or more annoyed that our school does it.

byhookorbycrook

Serial Complaint, if it's a second class mass, could the child not just go to another classroom?Not ideal, I know, but better than staying at home.

Any school mass we have is in the school hall,so there is usually somewhere a child go could if parents so wanted on the premises.

SerialComplaint

They do let a few kids wait at reception while others were practising for the Nativity play. So yes, they could do it, but they don't. They tell other kids not to come to school until after the Mass.

byhookorbycrook

Would imagine that telling kids to stay home would not sit well with DES!!