Religious Literacy for Educators

Are there any religion-related current events (local, national, or global) impacting your school community? Are you comfortable discussing these with students?

Have there been any significant changes in this composition over time?

What is the general religious composition of the community in which your school is located?

What is the general religious composition of your school?

Who should you go to if you are uncertain about a First Amendment issue or how to address a religion-related issue?

What are your school and/or districts policies regarding teaching about religion, religious holiday, religious garb, and other related topics?

Do you know the differences between how students can express their religious identities and how teachers may express religious identities?

Are you confident in your understanding of the application of the religion clauses of the First Amendment in your school context?

What are the components of religious identity? How do you talk about religious identity?

How do you define religion in relation to your curriculum?

What are the basic premises of religious studies?

What are your sources for your content knowledge? What sources do you go to when you don’t know something?

In what areas would you like to increase your content knowledge?

How confident are you with your knowledge and understanding of that content?

How does religion content connect to your curriculum in explicit or implicit ways?

What religion content do you need to know related to your context(s) (e.g. about religions represented in the school community, in the books you teach, etc.)?

Can you explain your curricular and pedagogical approaches to teaching about religion to administrators and/or parents who express concerns?

How do you prepare for fieldtrips or guest speakers to ensure they are constitutionally appropriate and academically rigorous?

How do you prepare students to have difficult conversations about controversial topics? What are your classroom expectations about civil dialogue?

Do classroom activities require students to do anything that might be perceived as practicing religion (e.g. role play or simulations)?

Are your curriculum materials constitutionally appropriate in regards to religion?

Do the materials present multiple perspectives and diversity within religious tradition?

What curricular materials do you use when teaching about religion?

How do you respond when a student brings up religion in a classroom discussion?

Are you attentive to religiously diverse practices, perspectives, and experiences of all members of the school community, including parents, teachers, and other staff?

Does your school and/or classroom library include books with religiously diverse characters?

Is religiously-based bullying included in any anti-bullying curriculum?

Does your school implicitly or explicitly privilege any particular religious group (e.g. celebration of holidays, decorations, etc.)? Does your school implicitly or explicitly discriminate towards any religious group (e.g. scheduling of events, not providing kosher/halal food options, etc.)?

Are students aware of their rights regarding their religious expression and practice?

Do you take students’ (and families’) religious practices into account when scheduling exams, field trips, parent meetings, etc.?

How is religious diversity recognized in relation to other forms of diversity?

Do you include religion when you talk about diversity or multicultural education?

How does your religious or spiritual identity, if any, intersect with other aspects of your identity (race, gender, etc.)?

Are there practices from your religious or spiritual tradition that you can draw on when teaching is challenging or for self-care? When you draw on those practices?

Does your religion play a role in motivating you as an educator? If so, in what ways?

What does your religious tradition, if any, say about teaching and education?

Do your biases or assumptions about religion impact how you approach certain curricular content?

Do your biases or assumptions about religion impact your relationships with students?

What assumptions do you make about people based on their religious or non-religious identities?

Have you reflected on your own biases towards religion in general, non-religion, or specific religions?