Page 119 - TWO OF A KIND • Erik Renkema

b. Safety.
This value is stated on paper by three teachers and formulated in the formal identity
of the school. It is also referred to in the session dialogue, where teachers interpret
safety as a common value in their personal views and in the formal views, as a
condition for the encounter between children and as a “good pedagogical climate”.
It is seen as an opportunity for children to express themselves in a personal way.
In session 1, one of the teachers mentions that the school celebrations correspond
to this value of safety. 5
c. Respect.
Two teachers formulated this as a core value. It is also specified in the school guide (2014-2018, 4) as “respect for the differences between children”, as “tolerance and mutual solidarity”, as “active attention for diversity in society”. It is also explicated as an objective for general religious education. However, it is not mentioned explicitly as a characteristic of Christian education. Like the value of safety, one of the teachers interprets respect as a value that links personal and formal school views. A teacher of general religious education formulates one of her objectives referring to respect as follows: “I teach students to have respect for differences between religions and for the differences between children in the group.” (session 2). Respect is linked to diversity in class and in society by the teachers as well as the school guide. The value of openness that one teacher formulated on a card can be placed in this category. The school guide (2014-2018, 4) affirms openness as a value: “every child is welcome”, and diversity is encouraged.
d. Encounter.
Encounter is as a key value because it is mentioned frequently in the school guide and in session 1 and session 2. The first line of the mission statement in the guide labels the school as an “encounter school” (2014-2018, 4). This is interpreted as the cooperation between “teachers, students and parents from various religious backgrounds” (2014-2018, 4). Teachers indicated in session 2 that this encounter is limited to encounter between “atheistic” and “very ecclesiastically engaged students”.
The school guide describes encounter as an objective of Christian education: “to bring the children in contact with God, the Bible and the other” (2014-2018, 4). Teachers recognize moments of encounter in religious education. They
A PILOT STUDY
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