Sharing/conflict resolution at nursery school?

Person_one

liney wrote: »

Religious education is a 'some people believe' stance. Religious instruction, which is taught in faith schools, takes the: 'This is God, the only God, and he exists, ' stance.

Yes, I understand the difference.

Leading the children in prayer is religious instruction.

liney

Person_one wrote: »

Yes, I understand the difference.

Leading the children in prayer is religious instruction.

As I see how the prayer is approached, we shall have to agree to differ.

notanewuser

liney wrote: »

Religious education is a 'some people believe' stance. Religious instruction, which is taught in faith schools, takes the: 'This is God, the only God, and he exists, ' stance.

What ever our personal views, the majority of UK people in 2011 census said they were Christian (59%) so to follow through, this is what the majority of parents want.

You know the problem with statistics!! (Not to mention the proportion of respondents that probably didn't fully understand the question!!!

Were that religious instruction were limited to faith schools!!! That's the whole point. A school choosing to go above and beyond even the law (which itself is now OTT).

DD is very bright. We've addressed this issue at her (welsh) playgroup already. The prayers and grace stopped. They told the Xmas and Easter stories - the playgroup leader joked that DD had an incredulous face throughout, lol). I suspect she'll be the first one questioning it in class (and not with any encouragement from us!). In the meantime I'll take it up with the Welsh Government.

Mojisola

thorsoak wrote: »

The national curriculum is not overstepping the mark as traditionally there have always been prayers in the morning, grace before meals and a "thank you, take care" prayer/blessing at the end of the day in the primary schools that I have known over many years.

I've never known this in anything other than church schools.

notanewuser

liney wrote: »

There is an option to withdraw your child from assembly/RE lessons, but for the sake of a couple of lines of speech 3 times a day about kindness, love and consideration? I'm not sure that at primary age this is somehow a bad thing.

The principles it's supposed to teach I'm fine with. But they can keep the sky fairy out of it. (Scampers off to find welsh translation of "sky fairy" - it may come in handy. )

iammumtoone

Person_one wrote: »

Yes, I understand the difference.

Leading the children in prayer is religious instruction.

Even in the church group we go to the children are not lead into prayer, I said before they do not pray. They are also very good when explaining and answering questions they are careful to point out its what I or we believe- they never say anything as it is fact. If the church themselves are capable of doing this where children are concerned , why in our schools is it not like this?

I suspect the church do so so people will attend and they will attract new members this way by not forcing and allowing children to make up their own minds. I certainly would not take ds if they adopted a 'this is how it is/was' attitude.

Unfortunately for the OP schools have a captive audience, parents don't get to choose if their children attend or not.

Person_one

liney wrote: »

As I see how the prayer is approached, we shall have to agree to differ.

I'm not sure how you can disagree, if you are expecting children to pray to a particular god, how is that anything other than religious instruction? You are suggesting very strongly that that god is actually there, and that praying to them has some sort of purpose.

liney

notanewuser wrote: »

You know the problem with statistics!! (Not to mention the proportion of respondents that probably didn't fully understand the question!!!

Were that religious instruction were limited to faith schools!!! That's the whole point. A school choosing to go above and beyond even the law (which itself is now OTT).

DD is very bright. We've addressed this issue at her (welsh) playgroup already. The prayers and grace stopped. They told the Xmas and Easter stories - the playgroup leader joked that DD had an incredulous face throughout, lol). I suspect she'll be the first one questioning it in class (and not with any encouragement from us!). In the meantime I'll take it up with the Welsh Government.

Did you consult the other parents before you 'addressed it?'

Person one:

By 'leading prayers' at our school, the Head or visiting Vicar comes in, says: 'I'm going to say a prayer, listen carefully, and you can say Amen at the end if you agree.' Hence I say it is not instruction, it is showing the children that Christian people do X, and act in this way, and you can join in if you want to.

Mojisola

I'd have no problem with a "grace" that gets the children to think about all the people who have worked hard so that their lunch is there and a take care and good wishes mention to everyone at the end of the day but there's no reason to involve God.

notanewuser

iammumtoone wrote: »

Even in the church group we go to the children are not lead into prayer, I said before they do not pray. They are also very good when explaining and answering questions they are careful to point out its what I or we believe- they never say anything as it is fact. If the church themselves are capable of doing this where children are concerned , why in our schools is it not like this?

I suspect the church do so so people will attend and they will attract new members this way by not forcing and allowing children to make up their own minds. I certainly would not take ds if they adopted a 'this is how it is/was' attitude.

Unfortunately for the OP schools have a captive audience, parents don't get to choose if their children attend or not.

Well, we do, ultimately. But the only alternative is homeschooling.