STARME25

Introducing N5/Higher Philosophy in Secondary Schools by Jonas Christensen

This session aims to give share some experiences about how to successfully introduce SQA certificate Philosophy classes secondary schools. This will include suggestions on how to give pupils the best chance of attaining and addressing some worries that schools (or teachers) might have, such as whether philosophy will cannibalise RMPS and whether there’s a pathway from Higher Philosophy to Advanced Higher RMPS.

By STARMEadmin, ago

Scottish Interfaith Week 2025 & Competition for Schools by Jill Stevens Interfaith Scotland

As we aspire to the safe and thriving futures we want for faith communities in Scotland, we must prioritise the education of today’s young people.

Festival events for Scottish Interfaith Week 2025 will explore the key priorities of Scotland’s youth: Education, climate, mental health, poverty and discrimination.

Our hope is to encourage young people to engage in the festival, learn about other cultures and meet people from diverse religious and belief backgrounds.

When we make space for dialogue and understanding, our whole society flourishes.

Find out about our competition for schools and ways to engage young people in the festival.

By STARMEadmin, ago

An innovative approach to critical thinking and analysing world religions, with S1 by Adam Bisset

Our existing S1 course focused on “feeding facts” and testing memory, so I designed two new units: a first which broke critical thinking down into 5 BGE-friendly basic questions (with tie-ins to the signposting language of senior-phase analysis) and a second which applied and assessed these skills with respect to 7 world faiths. An innovative method for classifying religions was developed.

By STARMEadmin, ago

Introducing N5/Higher Philosophy in Secondary Schools by Jonas Christensen

This session aims to give share some experiences about how to successfully introduce SQA certificate Philosophy classes secondary schools. This will include suggestions on how to give pupils the best chance of attaining and addressing some worries that schools (or teachers) might have, such as whether philosophy will cannibalise RMPS and whether there’s a pathway from Higher Philosophy to Advanced Higher RMPS.

By STARMEadmin, ago

A religion and worldviews approach to RME/RE by Fiona Moss

In this insightful session, Fiona Moss, Education and Programs Manager for Culham St Gabriel’s, delves into the “religion and worldviews” approach to Religious and Moral Education (RME) and Religious Education (RE). Drawing on her extensive experience, including her past roles with RE Today and the National Association of Teachers of RE, Moss outlines the origins and key tenets of this evolving pedagogical framework. She highlights its continuity with established scholarship (e.g., Robert Jackson, Andrew Wright) while emphasizing its departure from the traditional “world religions paradigm” to better reflect diverse lived experiences and changing demographics. The discussion differentiates between organized and personal worldviews, using compelling examples like the “Picturing Islam, Picturing Muslims” resource to illustrate the practical application of this approach in challenging stereotypes and fostering deeper understanding. Moss further explores substantive content and pedagogical methodologies, offering concrete examples, such as how to move beyond superficial mosque studies to a more nuanced exploration of location, voices, and diversity. The session concludes with practical advice on language use in the classroom and the importance of acknowledging the messy, overlapping nature of real-world beliefs, demonstrating how this approach empowers pupils to become responsible interpreters of diverse worldviews.

By STARMEadmin, ago

The Relevance of Philosophy in Catholic Schools by Luca La Monica

My session will focus on the premise that teaching philosophy would enhance Religious Education (RERC). Critical discussion of various philosophers’ ideas and the understanding of the philosophical method of thinking contribute to an enriched understanding of religious beliefs. My presentation will address the following points: – Why is Philosophy indispensable Read more

By STARMEadmin, ago

Making RMPS Relevant by Sarah Blair

RMPS has been the topic of misconceptions and challenges within, and out of, the classroom. These in turn lead to many questions about its relevance. In this session I aim to share some of the ways I have been tackling such challenges through the question ‘How can RMPS be more relevant?’. I will be sharing some lesson ideas and tasks that I have implemented, such as ‘RMPS in the News’, and will be diving into why our subject is so important and all that it has to offer.

By STARMEadmin, ago

Teaching for Digital Citizenship: Data Ethics in RME/RMPS by David Lundie

This session will introduce RME, RE & RMPS teachers to some of the key questions, ideas and theories in digital and data ethics. It introduces the concept of data justice, which focuses on societal implications of technology ownership and use, rather than technical fixes, and considers spaces where moral and philosophical questions can be introduced in interdisciplinary and digital learning.

By STARMEadmin, ago