Teachers’ personal worldviews and RE in England: a way forward?

Abstract

Teachers’ worldviews may impact their practice in terms of pedagogy, curriculum choices, and the value they assign to, or enthusiasm for, a curriculum subject. In England, Religious Education (RE) involves the teaching of religious and non-religious worldviews. RE teachers often lack training, subject knowledge, confidence or even desire to teach the subject. This article develops a working definition of ‘worldview’ as an individual’s frame of reference, held consciously and subconsciously, that evolves due to life experiences, enabling them to make sense of the world. Hermeneutical tools employed in training sessions with teachers enabled them to identify aspects of their worldviews and the narratives which have formed these. Research was undertaken through semi-structured interviews with 10 Primary school teachers in the South West of England. Findings revealed variations between teachers’ worldview-consciousness and the impact of their worldviews on their teaching of RE: notions of ‘good life’ varied and determined their teaching of, choices within and rationale for RE alongside growing confidence. Depth of understanding was facilitated for some by overseas travel or working and living in an ethnically diverse area. Greater self-understanding for teachers was evident in their acknowledgement of the impact of their own worldviews on their teaching of RE.