Page 121 - TWO OF A KIND • Erik Renkema

during the meetings. In session 2, a teacher acknowledged this discrepancy,
stating that their personal values formulated on cards in session 1 do not explicitly
mention societal values. Adding to these core values, our analysis also shows that
equality, which was a core value in our previous studies, is not mentioned on the
cards or in the school guide. However, it was mentioned in session 1 as a ‘basis
for respect’. It seems to be regarded as an implicit value that supports all others.
In addition, we also see a focus on the Christian tradition and the Bible in the
examples of Christian education practice and in the school guide concerning 5 Christian religious education, although the teachers do not mention addressing
Christian faith as a school value.
6.2. Design requirements of a new practice
School documents call collective educational practices ‘celebrations’: at the end of every week, students from both general and Christian education present to each other what they have learned that week. To stay close to this school tradition of using the term ‘celebration’ for collective activities for encounter in religious education, we used this term in our research. In the sessions leading to new activity, the teachers also interpreted their new design as a celebration, probably because of this tradition.
We found three categories of requirements for a collective celebration: child- centered focus, content and encounter. We interpret these as main characteristics of the practice of religious education that reflect the key values of the school.
a. Child-centered focus
Teachers emphasize the orientation on students’ thoughts and experiences when they design the shape and content of a celebration. Child-centeredness is a category that connects the values of the teachers, their design requirements and their celebration perceptions. The teachers consider it important that the celebration encourages students to explore their experiences, thoughts and feelings. The teachers focus on the students’ experiences and thoughts to such an extent that they do not consider the transfer of knowledge to be an objective of the celebration.
b. Content
The celebration needs to address a central theme that is discussed during the lessons of general and Christian education prior to the celebration. The teachers chose the theme ‘What makes you quiet?’, suggested by the lesson guide and addressed in the Christmas celebration. It was interpreted here as ‘What impresses you?’. In
A PILOT STUDY
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