RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
As a Catholic school, Religious Education is a core aspect of what we do. A critical element in our understanding of Religious Education is to help our students see the connection between faith and life and the ways in which these are interwoven. Our Religious Education lessons will often be integrated with the learning in other areas of the curriculum such as English, Maths and Inquiry.
Religious Education is a life long process. Parents are the first educators of children. The parents and students of our school are part of the Catholic community of St Mary's, Ararat. Our parents form a partnership with the school and the parish to educate children in faith and we encourage our parents to actively participate in the parish community.
As with all schools in the Diocese of Ballarat, St Mary's uses the new Awakenings Religious Education Program. This uses five strands in a dialogue model to connect specific learning outcomes in Religious Education to the lives and experiences of the children in our school. It teaches the children specific Catholic traditions and understanding but does so in a way that is accessible to all children and recognises the contemporary context in which our children live. As a school, we do not seek to impose a faith perspective but rather to propose a faith perspective which we believe can help our children not just become active participants in Australian society, but ones that are consciously aware of the needs of others, particularly those most in need.
Catholic Education Ballarat - Awakenings Religious Education Program Parent Information
GODLY PLAY:
One of the particular strategies that St Mary's uses to engage our students in their Religious Education learning is a process called Godly Play. in 2019 we are beginning our implementation of this strategy with a learning space in the school specifically dedicated to immersing our children in the Godly Play experience.
Godly Play is a beautiful way of engaging children in bible and scripture stories, building their understanding of these stories and how they relate to their lives. It is a highly intentional and structured teaching tool yet seeks to bring children to a spiritual experience with God through the story rather than demanding an 'adult' interpretation from them.
Example of a Godly Play story on Advent
As a Catholic school, Religious Education is a core aspect of what we do. A critical element in our understanding of Religious Education is to help our students see the connection between faith and life and the ways in which these are interwoven. Our Religious Education lessons will often be integrated with the learning in other areas of the curriculum such as English, Maths and Inquiry.
Religious Education is a life long process. Parents are the first educators of children. The parents and students of our school are part of the Catholic community of St Mary's, Ararat. Our parents form a partnership with the school and the parish to educate children in faith and we encourage our parents to actively participate in the parish community.
As with all schools in the Diocese of Ballarat, St Mary's uses the new Awakenings Religious Education Program. This uses five strands in a dialogue model to connect specific learning outcomes in Religious Education to the lives and experiences of the children in our school. It teaches the children specific Catholic traditions and understanding but does so in a way that is accessible to all children and recognises the contemporary context in which our children live. As a school, we do not seek to impose a faith perspective but rather to propose a faith perspective which we believe can help our children not just become active participants in Australian society, but ones that are consciously aware of the needs of others, particularly those most in need.
Catholic Education Ballarat - Awakenings Religious Education Program Parent Information
GODLY PLAY:
One of the particular strategies that St Mary's uses to engage our students in their Religious Education learning is a process called Godly Play. in 2019 we are beginning our implementation of this strategy with a learning space in the school specifically dedicated to immersing our children in the Godly Play experience.
Godly Play is a beautiful way of engaging children in bible and scripture stories, building their understanding of these stories and how they relate to their lives. It is a highly intentional and structured teaching tool yet seeks to bring children to a spiritual experience with God through the story rather than demanding an 'adult' interpretation from them.
Example of a Godly Play story on Advent
‘learning for all, fairness for all, compassion for all’