Programme 312, Gerry O’Connell on Religious Education, pt 2 (17-1-18)

Presented and produced by Seán Delaney

On this week's programme I bring you the second part of my interview with Dr. Gerry O'Connell from the Marino Institute of Education where we talk about religious education and much more.

Among the topics discussed this week are the following:

• Prayer and religious education and how mindfulness was introduced to Catholic schools over two decades ago
• The power of prayer and mindfulness
• How do you define a practising Catholic if not by their attendance at church?
• The problem with large class sizes
• How to develop one’s religious imagination
• Integrating religious education with other subjects
• Accommodating children who don’t take religious education in a religious school
• How do prospective teachers learn to teach religion? Dr. Gerry O’Connel outlines seven elements that are key to his approach:
  • Waiting and wondering
  • The threshold experience
  • Asking the question
  • Gathering around the subject
  • Journalling ( What did I learn? What does it say to where I am? What am I going to do about it?)
  • Pushing back the horizon
  • Concluding ritual