Page 93 - TWO OF A KIND • Erik Renkema

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND CELEBRATIONS IN DUTCH COOPERATION SCHOOL
D. Collective celebrations
Results concerning this topic are placed in the overview in Appendix B.
Collective celebrations are greatly appreciated: respondents of all schools
regard them as powerful opportunities to enhance encounter and collectivity:
in a collective celebration, we “meet each other and get to know each
other better by dialogue and experiences” (respondent, questionnaire 23). 4 We also see that these celebrations follow Christian tradition: there are no religious
celebrations other than a Christmas celebration and an Easter celebration. The Christmas celebration at school 2 and 3 is conducted by students who receive Christian religious education. The students taking public religious education are very much welcome: they are spectators and do not contribute. However, respondents also indicate that these celebrations encourage students to familiarize themselves with differences and “each other’s culture” (respondent, questionnaire 13). Celebrations at school 1 and 4 are organized for and by all students together. This is also the case for the Easter celebration at school 3. During a celebration, it is considered important to mark the uniqueness of the different religious orientations in line with segregated education, informing the students of “both sides” (respondent, questionnaire 16) so that “everyone can recognize himself in the celebration” (respondent, questionnaire 16). We might interpret one respondent in this light: “we are a combination of a public and a protestant school” (respondent, questionnaire 14). The data do not reveal any celebrations in which the dialogue between all students and the exploration of life experiences by all students are stimulated.
5.1.2. Thematic analysis of the questionnaire
When elaborating on their perspective on dealing with religious differences in classrooms all respondents bring up school values like respect, equality and mutual understanding. To illustrate: one of the respondents writes that she considers it important “that everyone can have and express his opinion, without having or giving the feeling that the idea of someone else is wrong” (respondent, questionnaire 12). Differences between beliefs and views are opportunities to meet each other and to create respect and understanding. When asked how dialogue and encounter are valued in religious education, one respondent from school 3 and one from school 4 mention that dialogue and encounter are restricted because of the segregated moments of contemplation. This Values Coding shows that our theoretical concepts of encounter and the
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