The RE Podcast

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

This week, I speak with Alexandra Brown, RE Teacher, speaker, poet, and researcher.

Her unique intersection between race, gender, neurodiversity, and sexuality has caused many people to put up barriers as she attempts to put her research into practice.  At great personal cost, she has had to navigate these barriers.

Alex speaks to us with humility and passion, from a place of pain and triumph, about her journey.

And wait till the end for something deeply profound.

To find out more about the work Alex does;

Artistic collaboration (which she does not often get to share)- Entitled ‘ Pain and womanhood

https://magicalwomen.co.uk/project/facilitated-collaboration-for-black-lives-matter/
Below is the link to the artistic reflection Alex did about the initial piece 

https://magicalwomen.co.uk/project/alexandra-brown/

She also presented a paper entitled ‘A Black Queering of Encanto: Unearthing atmospheres of violence’
Reparative Queering of Religious Institutions | Queer(ing) Religion conference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D3Bd0Ypbis&t=1342s

Alex's section is from 22mins 28secs- 45mins 16secs

https://blackfeministcollective.com/contributor-alexandra-brown/

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

If you are like me and really struggle to engage in and with REsearch, or know someone who does, then listen to this episode.  I have left in parts I usually edit out to give you a sense at how vulnerable I was making this episode, and you will here at the end my leg bouncing with nerves.  I have ADHD, so I really struggle to read things, remember things and organise new information.  Listen to how Culham St Gabriel have helped me overcome my barriers to research and create some research on those barriers. I really hope it inspires you.

It might also give you an insight into the ADHD minds of your students and explain how the poor behaviour they present is masking an internal struggle they can't articuate.

If you want to find out more about the Culham St Gabriel Scholarship Leadership programme, then click on the link below.

https://www.cstg.org.uk/scholarship-programmes/leadership/

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

This year we lost an legend. Words will never be able to capture everything that Dawn was to the RE Community or to her friends and family. But I hope this episode goes some way to pay tribute to the incredible person who was Dawn Cox ,and to say thank you.

We hear written and spoken tributes from Rachael Jackson Royal, Katie Freeman, Nikki McGee, Claire Clinton, Matt Pitcher, Jen Jenkins, Ruth Marx, Richard Farnyfun, Sue Nurse, Saima Saleh, Alice Thomas and Wendy Dossett.

And I speak to Roy - he partner of over 20 years about this brutal loss.

Warning - there are moments of joy and laughter but also moments of sadness and grief.  

We will keep the legacy of Dawn alive in our hearts, minds and classrooms.

Here is a link to her blog;

https://missdcoxblog.wordpress.com/

Text and story in RE;

https://www.reonline.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Dialog.pdf

Her books;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Dawn-Cox/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3ADawn%2BCox

Her articles;

https://hwrkmagazine.co.uk/author/dawn-c/

Applying Rosenshine to RE;

https://my.chartered.college/early-career-hub/applying-rosenshine-to-religious-education/

Dealing with diversity;

https://www.retoday.org.uk/uploads/Publications/REtoday%20magazine/REtoday%20%E2%80%93%20Messy%20religion%20and%20belief/Dealing%20with%20Diversity.pdf

BBC coverage;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgp422xljgo

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

This Friday will see the release of a special episode celebrating the life and career of the late Dawn Cox.  

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

Think RE is irrelevant in the 21st Century or think it is only for religious people or can only lead to a career as a vicar or an RE teacher? Think again.  RE A-level is dynamic, challenging and essential for life in modern Britain! Just listen and find out.

If you are a parent of a student who wants to take RE A-level, or a student who is thinking of doing it or are not sure, or you are a school leader who wants to understand the value of RE, then listen up!

Young people who are training to be Doctors and Barristers, who work in technology and finance and education speak on how important RE A-level has been in their further study and careers.

To be able to be trained in the art of argument, critical thinking, empathy, out of the box thinking, and much more has enabled them to be successful in a wide variety of careers.

• I chat to five young people who did RE A-level and we discuss;
• Why they choose RE and what they liked about it
• How has RE helped them
• Whether RE is academic?
• Whether you need to be religious to do RS
• Whether you need to have RS GCSE to do RS A-level?
• What advice they would have for someone thinking of doing RS or about to start it

I also chat to Dr. Fazilat Dar, Head of Data Science for TfL about why critical thinking and being able to see things from someone elses perspective are essential skills in industry.

Here are links to the things mentioned in the episode.

Informed Choices

https://www.informedchoices.ac.uk/start

The CBI Scandal

https://www.thecorporategovernanceinstitute.com/insights/case-studies/the-cbi-scandal-highlights-failure-on-every-level/?srsltid=AfmBOooTe5vr-FtGX5-5q36yGs7lrWb-xXTGwxXJe5_kt6qlSjSUOpZ0

David Roden

https://philpeople.org/profiles/david-roden

Simon Jenkins

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/staff/sjenkins/

Wako - David Koresh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Koresh

Dunning Kruger effect

https://www.google.com/search?q=dunning+kruger+effect&sca_esv=b703f1cd0674f892&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB1101GB1101&sxsrf=AHTn8zqWUAZg47-JSSu3DsRhTnECqw0Jqw%3A1747077462512&ei=VkkiaP-HH-CBhbIP3P7omAM&oq=dunning+kruger+eff&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEmR1bm5pbmcga3J1Z2VyIGVmZioCCAAyCBAAGIAEGLEDMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESI0fUJsBWNMQcAF4AZABAJgBWaABlgKqAQE0uAEByAEA-AEBmAIFoALCAsICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAg0QABiABBiwAxhDGIoFwgIOEAAYsAMY5AIY1gTYAQHCAhMQLhiABBiwAxhDGMgDGIoF2AEBmAMAiAYBkAYRugYGCAEQARgJkgcBNaAH3xayBwE0uAewAg&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

If you have not ever heard of this trial or it's significance to the RE classroom then don't miss this episode.  It underpins our teaching of fundamentalism, science and religion, diversity of worldviews and curriculum freedom.  It also shines a light on global issues and polarisation.

As we approach the 100 year anniversary of this trial (10th July 1925) listen to Ruth Marx speak passionately about John Scope!

Here are the many links to things referenced in the episode

Charter for compassion

https://charterforcompassion.org/

Dawn Cox' blog

https://missdcoxblog.wordpress.com/

Sarah Silverman - we are all human and deserve love (warning, some people might find this language and humour offensive)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahdR6aHQvMQ

Karen Armstrongs ted talk on charter for compassion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJMm4RAwVLo

Smithsonian Institution Archives

The Leopold And Loeb Trial: An Account

Big Ideas lesson plan and resources on the Scope trial (monkey trial)

C11-14-BI6-ex2-v1.docx

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

In 2020 while the world went on lockdown, something incredible emerged to support us teaching remotely - Oak National Academy.  Teachers from all over the country created online lessons along with videos which students could watch, pause, re-watch and learn.  These were lessons created by teachers for teachers for all Key Stages for all subjects.  When the world went back to normal, Oak National continued and teachers realised how perfect these lessons were for cover, CPD and revision.  Five years later, Oak National is going from strength to strength; aiming to have an all through curriculum based on the latest educational research which can support teachers everyday. 

Adam Robertson has been leading the team to develop the Oak Curriculum for RE and together they have created a worldclass, worldview curriculum which is my go to for cover and CPD for Teacher With Other Specialisms.  I have also been priviledged to be part of the team developing these lessons and I know how merticuluously they are planned to ensure they are fit for purpose in the 21st Century.  In this episode Adam joins me for a behind the scenes look at how Oak works.

https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/curriculum/religious-education-secondary-aqa/units

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

Calling all teachers of Religion, Crime and Punishment. This weeks guest is Dr. Evelyn Svingen who's specialist subject is criminology.  We discussion reasons for crime, aims of punishment, types of punishment, the history of punishment, the death penalty, women in prison,  and the relationship between foriveness and retribution.

Evelyn mentioned lots of amazing resources to explore; 

I was almost a school shooter: Ted Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azRl1dI-Cts

Gagaca Courts, Rwanda

https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/assets/pdf/Backgrounder%20Justice%202014.pdf

The innocence Project

https://innocenceproject.org/

When they see us documentary

https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80200549

Elizabeth Loftus, False memories Ted Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB2OegI6wvI

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

I LOVED this chat with Dr. Martin Pickup so much.  He is an associate professor in Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and Director of the Birmingham Centre for Philosophy of Religion.  His particular specialism is metaphysics and the Philosophy of Religion so we had a lovely chat about these, specifically; 

What metaphysics is, How it's changed over time, and How this has impacted philosophy of religion.  We discuss analytic theology, Leibniz and the Principle of Sufficient Reason, the Ontological Argument and look to the future of metaphysics.

Martin also tells about a new project he is working on - a global philosophy of religions project! 

If you teach Philosophy or Religious Studies A-level then I think you will find this chat really helpful.  It is also really accessible so your A-level students might find it useful too!

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk

Please send The RE Podcast a Text Message!

As we continue to recognise diversity in faith traditions within our worldviews curriculums, I interview Dr. Rhiannon Grant about diversity in the Quaker tradition. Senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham, her specialism is modern Quaker thought.  

Following on from the episode with Matthew Guest on Quakerism more generally, this focusses on how Quakers have changed overtime, non-theistic Quakerism, global Quakerism as well as advice about how to incorporate this into the classroom and avoid misconceptions.

Rhiannon was a knowledgeable and delightful guest and so easy to listen to!

She sign posted us to some great resources;

Her book 'Quakers do what? Why?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quaker-Quicks-Quakers-What-Why/dp/1789044057

Pink Dandelions' books on Quakers

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quakers-Very-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199206791

Quaker speak videos

https://quakerspeak.com/

Quakers in Britain website

https://www.quaker.org.uk/

Support the show

Find out more;
Twitter: @TheREPodcast1
Insta: @TheREPodcast
Webiste: www.therepodcast.co.uk