Pre-school and school staff

Self Development

Building on your own work
Many practitioners have developed considerable knowledge about equality issues such as gender, race and disability. Others will have looked at issues of social class and poverty as part of the school ethos / inclusion, education for citizenship, anti-bullying, personal and social development, enterprise education and various other 5-14 or subject areas. Others will be exploring themes articulated by A Curriculum for Excellence such as respect for others, openness to new thinking and ideas or ethical views of complex issues.

It is important that thinking about anti-sectarian issues affirms and develops the good practice many practitioners have built up.

How?
Browse this site for ideas, e.g. Good Practice section.

Try out some of the self development exercises listed below:

PDF file: Self-evaluation resource

The self-evaluation resource, which is tied to the HGIOS framework, explains how anti-sectarian practice can link with aspect of the curriculum, quality indicators and how to mainstream it throughout your school/ organisation.

PDF file: How to use the self-evaluation document

What do I think about sectarianism?
The following questions may help individual teachers to clarify their own views on this issue (they could also be used as the basis for activities with young people). You may wish to use this as a group exercise or alternatively you could write down answers but not share them as these are very personal questions. If the young people choose to share their answers this opportunity could be used to discuss these and any preconceptions or prejudices

What do I believe in?
Do I have a faith/belief?
How do I feel about it?
Why do I believe this?
What do I think about other faiths generally? For example, is mine superior or just different?
What do I think about other faiths specifically?
What do I think sectarianism is?
What do I think religious intolerance is?
Do I think sectarianism / religious intolerance is a good / bad, necessary / unnecessary, preventable / inevitable thing?
What do I think about fundamentalists?
What do I think about people manifesting their religion? For example, wearing specific clothing, icons, jewellery etc.
What do I think about people requiring special food because of their religion?
What do I think about people requiring to worship at specific times different to my own?

The questionnaire, 'How tolerant are you?', developed by RESPECT, may be useful. It can be found at www.beliefnet.com/section/quiz/quiz_timebank.asp