Marino Institute of Education in association with Trinity College Dublin

MODULE SPECIFICATION

Programme(s) to which Module applies

B.Ed. Primary

1. Title of Course
Certificate in Religious Education

2. Entry Requirements (if applicable)

B.Ed. Junior Freshman Course in Religious Education

3. Level
SF & JS

4. Module Size (hours and number of weeks)

40 hours of lectures (and 40 hours of tutorials, or other, as directed learning) over two years,
which with the 40 hour total of the B.Ed. Course, combines to a total of 120 hours.

5. ECTS Value
15 (3x5)

6. Rationale and Aims

Rationale
Religious Education seeks to enable Teacher Education students to address the many
spiritual and religious opportunities and challenges facing primary school pupils to
contribute to their holistic development by enabling them to develop ethically and
morally, spiritually and religiously.
This certificate programme presents a summary of what it means to be Catholic, what it
means to be a Catholic School. It seeks to enables teachers to teach in a child-centred,
developmentally appropriate manner while simultaneously exploring issues surrounding
Catholic identity, inter-culturalism, religious diversity and the importance of promoting
respect for all pupils.
Catholic Religious Education nurtures the faith of children and is grounded in the person
of Jesus Christ, in scripture and in the tradition. The programme takes seriously the
example of Jesus, particularly in regard to the priority of the inclusion of the poor and
marginalised in primary school classrooms as well as respect for creation.

Aims
• To familiarise students with the appropriate pedagogies and methodologies for the
teaching of R.E. at primary school level
• To prepare students to engage with teaching a religious education programme that aims
to initiate children into the fullness of Christian life and to enable them to flourish as
human beings in society
 To provide students with the kinds of self-knowledge, subject knowledge, skills and
experiences required to make a positive contribution to the ethical, moral and spiritual
development of primary school pupils
 To acquaint students with the inclusive, ecumenical and interreligious and environmental
perspectives of the Second Vatican Council.

The lecturer reserves the right to alter the course at any stage.
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 Marino Institute of Education in association with Trinity College Dublin

7. Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:
 Critically analyse and reflect upon what is meant by an education that is Catholic (from
the Greek kath’holou meaning ‘according to the whole’), with its connotations of
inclusivity, universality and completeness
 Apply knowledge of a variety of pedagogies and methodologies to the design of R.E.
lessons appropriate to specific classroom contexts in Catholic primary schools
 Promote knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith tradition (recognising that
faith is always a free act and cannot be imposed), while simultaneously acknowledging,
welcoming and accommodating pupils of other faiths and other traditions and
demonstrating an empathic understanding and appreciation of those faiths and traditions
 Identify and reflect upon suitable strategies to promote equality, respect and inclusivity
as well as serving the needs of those on the margins of society, in keeping with the
commitment of Catholic Schools
 Critically analyse and reflect upon the student’s own ontological and epistemological
journey in R.E.
 Discuss the skills, qualities and attributes required by the R.E. teacher in order to
contribute to the holistic development of catholic primary school pupils, in consultation
with parents as the primary educators of their children
 Demonstrate the appropriate subject knowledge, content knowledge and pedagogical
content knowledge in the areas of ethics, morals and spirituality, essential to that holistic
development – embracing diversity, fostering respect for difference and promoting
fairness, concern for all who are in need, and forgiveness.

8. Course Content and Syllabus

Modules

1. Christian Faith, Liturgy, Prayer

2. The Bible, Scripture, Jesus of the Gospels
3. Religious Education in the Primary School Classroom
4. Moral and Sacramental Theology, Christian Community and its Practices

1. Christian Faith, Liturgy, Prayer

This module explores:

1. Revelation, God; Creation and Environmental relationship and responsibility, God’s image
and likeness including an exploration of human anthropology
2. Faith, Church The Catechism of the Catholic Church, with emphasis on The Creed, Trinity
and the relational and interconnectedness of all things
3. Vatican 2, and significant Vatican Documents
4. Contemporary Discipleship and the Church’s mission in the present day
5. The Spread of Christianity, History of the Church in the Western World; in Ireland
6. Making Space for Liturgy and Prayer in the Primary Classroom

2.The Bible, Scripture,

This module explores

1. Salvation, Genesis, Exodus, The Prophets, Wisdom, Psalms, including an exploration of
their representation in the Grow In Love Programme
2. Christology
3. The New Testament, The ‘Historical’ Jesus,
4. The Parables of Jesus
5. Jesus the Healer/Teacher/The Wisdom Jesus
The lecturer reserves the right to alter the course at any stage.
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 Marino Institute of Education in association with Trinity College Dublin

6. Life Death and Resurrection of Jesus; The Risen Jesus referencing also the approach to
this material in the Grow In Love Programme.
7. St Paul and The Early Christian Communities and their representation in the senior Grow
In Love Programmes
8. Hermeneutics and Scriptural Interpretation
9. The Abrahamic Religions and their shared roots

3. Religious Education in the Primary School Classroom

This module explores :-

1. The rationale and aims of Religious Education in Catholic Primary schools in Ireland,
including an understanding of the development of the child’s linguistic, psychological,
spiritual, ethical and moral readiness to engage progressively with their religious
tradition
2. The Religious Education and ethical formation of Catholic pupils as set out in the
National Directory for Catechesis and the Catechism of the Catholic Church
3. The vision of the person, community and civil society embraced by the Catholic Church
including the distinctive features of Catholic Education
4. The curriculum in Religious Education designated by the Irish Catholic Bishops’
Conference and the Grow In Love Programme programme approved for use in Catholic
Schools
5. Short and long term planning for the teaching of Religious Education in Catholic Primary
schools in the Island of Ireland
6. Pedagogy and Methodology for Religious Education in Catholic Primary Schools.
7. The possibilities and challenges of inclusion of other faiths and world views within the
Catholic primary classroom
8. The home, the school and the Parish – shared roles and responsibilities

4. Moral and Sacramental Theology; Christian Community and its Practices

1. The sustainable development of a prayer life including contemplative and mindful

practice, sacramental education, sacramental participation, liturgical forms, paraliturgical
design in the context of the school and classroom communities
2. Ethics, Social Justice, Spirituality and Human Rights (These themes allow for inclusion of
many current issues, such as social justice, peace and reconciliation, gender, ethics,
ecology, equality, disability, sexuality, racial, cultural and religious diversity, citizenship)
3. Church and Mission, Ecumenism and Inter-religious Dialogue towards the practice of
social cohesion.

9. Teaching and Learning Methods

Lectures (including Guest Lectures) and Seminars, School Placement.

10. Required Equipment and Resources (if applicable)

OHP, GB, DVD, FC, Photocopier, Moodle, Library

11. Assessment
• Year 1: Attendance and Participation 20%; Written Assignment or Equivalent 80%
• Year 2: Attendance and Participation 20%; Written Assignment or Equivalent 80%
• Certificate Result will be the average of Year 1 and 2

12. Pass Requirement

40%

The lecturer reserves the right to alter the course at any stage.
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 Marino Institute of Education in association with Trinity College Dublin

13. Recommended Reading Materials / Indicative Resources

A Reading List will be provided to support the students’ learning, which will include the
following:
1. Grow in Love Teacher Manuals
2. Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland (Irish
Episcopal Conference) 2015
3. Share the Good News National Directory for Catechesis
4. Godly Play Manuals
5. Maloney, C. Searching the Pockets: A Poetics of Primary Education (Dublin: Veritas,
2007)
6. Kieran, P. and Hession, A. Children, Catholicism & Religious Education (Dublin: Veritas,
2005) & Exploring Theology (Dublin: Veritas, 2007) & Exploring Religious Education
(Dublin: Veritas, 2007)
7. Nurturing Children’s Religious Imagination, Topley & Byrne (Eds) ( Dublin: Veritas, 2004)
8. Drumm, M. and Gunning, T. A Sacramental People Vol. 1 and 2 (Dublin: Columba, 1999
and 2000)
9. Cavaletti, S. The Religious Potential of the Child (Chigago: Liturgical Training
Publications, 1992)
10. Berryman, J.W. Godly Play: An Imaginative Approach to Religious Education (San
Francisco: Harper, 1995)
11. Darcy-Berubé, F. Religious Education at a Crossroads ( New York: Paulist Press, 1995)
12. Dykstra, C. Growing in the Life of Faith: Education and Christian Practices (Louisville:
Geneva Press, 1999).
13. Groome, T. H. Sharing Faith: A Comprehensive Approach to Religious Education and
Pastoral Ministry - The Way of Shared Praxis (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 1998) &
Educating for Life: A Spiritual Vision for Every Teacher and Parent (New York:
Crossroads, 2001)
14. Guzie, T. Jesus and the Eucharist (New York: Paulist, 1974) and The Book of
Sacramental Basics (New York: Paulist, 1981)
15. Bausch, W. J. Storytelling: Imagination and Faith (Mystic, Connecticut: Twenty-Third,
1986)
16. Living Baptism, Called Out of the Ordinary, Clare Watkins (DLT London 2006)
17. Exploring the Sacraments, Robert B. Kelly (Kevin Mayhew Suffolk 1999)
18. Lane, D. A. Christ at the Centre: Selected Issues in Christology (Dublin: Veritas, 1990) &
The Reality of Jesus: An Essay in Christology (Dublin: Veritas, 1975)
19. Johnson, E. A. Consider Jesus: Wave of Renewal in Christology (London: Geoffrey
Chapman, 1990)
20. Bredin, E. Disturbing the Peace: The Way of Discipleship ( Dublin: Gill and Macmillan,
1988)
21. Schillebeeckx. E. The Church with a Human Face: A New and Expanded Theology of
Ministry (London: S.C.M., 1985)
22. LaCugna, C. M. God for Us: The Trinity and Christian Life (San Francisco: Harper, 1993)
23. J. P. Miller, S. Karsten, D. Denton, D. Orr and I. Colalillo Kates (eds.) Holistic Learning
and Spirituality in Education: Breaking New Ground (Albany, New York: State University
of New York Press, 2005).
24. Harris, M. Teaching and Religious Imagination: An Essay in the Theology of Teaching
(1987), first paperback edition, (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1991) & Proclaim Jubilee:
A Spirituality for the Twenty-First Century (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox
Press, 1996).
25. Moran, G. Fashioning a People Today: The Educational Insights of Maria Harris (New
London, Connecticut: Twenty-Third Publications, 2007).
26. Chittester, J. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily (San Francisco: Harper, 1992)
27. de Souza, M., Engebretson, K., Durka, G., Jackson, R., McGrady A., (Eds).International
Handbook of the Religious, Moral and Spiritual Dimensions in Education, parts one and
two, (Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer, 2006).
The lecturer reserves the right to alter the course at any stage.
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 Marino Institute of Education in association with Trinity College Dublin

28. Watson, B. & Thompson, P. The Effective Teaching of Religious Education. (2nd Edition)
(London: Longman, 2006).
29. Palmer, PJ The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life,
(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998).
30. Hay, D. & Nye, R. The Spirit of The Child (Revised Edition) (London: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers, 2006) & Nye, R. Children’s Spirituality: What it is and Why it matters
(London: Church House Publishing, 2009)

31. Journal articles in the areas of RE, World Religions, Self-Knowledge, Spirituality
(including Children’s Spirituality), and Morality and Ethics from journals such as the
following:
i. The Furrow
ii. Concilium
iii. The Catechist
iv. The RE Teacher’s Journal
v. Spirituality
vi. Theology Today
vii. The Pastoral Review
viii. Religious Education
ix. British Journal of Religious Education
x. Journal of Beliefs and Values
xi. Journal of Philosophy of Education
xii. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality
xiii. Early Years
xiv. Journal for the Study of Spirituality

Websites including
32. Vatican.va
33. dublindiocese.ie
34. reonline.org

14. Evaluation
An Instrument from Stephen Brookfield’s ‘Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher’ (Jossey-
Bass: San Francisco, 1995) will be adapted and used for the purposes of collecting feedback
and improving the course:
• Course Evaluation Form (p.268) – Terminally

15. Module Co-ordinator

Dr. Gerry O’Connell

16. Module Teaching Team

Dr. Gerry O’Connell & Dr. Aiveen Mullally & Dr. Lily Barry

The lecturer reserves the right to alter the course at any stage.
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