7 year old doesn't want to do R.E.

tbourner

gayleygoo wrote: »

My 7 year old DD told me last night she didn't want to go back to school, because "all they talk about is God and it's really boring".

Are they only teaching Yahweh based religions? If so then that's not right. Tell her to ask about Islam, Satanism, Buddhism, Hinduism etc.

thorsoak

Personally, were I in your shoes, I would not be happy in asking for my 7 year old daughter to be excused from RE classes because she finds it boring ....what if she then decides that she is bored by maths or english or science - or any subject - she may think that she doesn't have to bother with any subject she finds boring.

Ziggazee

I'm in agreement with thorsoak here.

Your daughter is going to come across many activities in education and work that she finds 'boring'. You're sending her the wrong message if you ask the school to excuse her on the basis that she's' bored'. She's going to come across many situations in her education and in her later working life that she finds 'boring' but she can't simply opt out.

I sent my son to a Catholic School (we are not Catholics but the school is an excellent school) and yes, the constant bleating about Jesus, etc, did get boring, but he got used to it and the years went quickly.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

To be fair, it's not really that she finds it boring, it's that she thinks it's all a load of [tries to find least offensive way of offending people with beliefs - and fails] sky fairy claptrap.

Unfortunately, religion is very important to some, to the extent of murders and terrorism being an all too common occurrence.

The way I'd explain it to her was that, yes, it does sound very boring, but it's very important to lots of people and it's better that she knows and understands about it, rather than have to be away from the rest of the class lots of the time.

Worked with my youngest. She's predicted A* for RE, because she learned about it, not how to do it. Useful reasoning and communication skills, musical, historical, psychological and political understanding will all come from sitting tight and doing the boring God stuff. Plus learning when it's a good idea to keep your mouth shut and not upset or alienate people.

System

My kids went to a C of E primary school (with all that that entailed). They also went to church regularly with me.


Are they all God fearing, bible spouting Christians? I fear not.

Tiddlywinks

A 7yo not wanting to do something because it's boring? Nothing new there then.

She needs to learn that there are lots of things in life that form part of the rules and she just needs to get on with it.

Anyway, RE is there to provide information on a wide range of different cultural beliefs... given the wars going on at the moment, I think that knowledge of differences is pretty important.

It's not about requiring anyone to believe in a higher power - it is about promoting an understanding of the culture and beliefs of others.

It's not brainwashing, it's education. Better to encourage her to open her mind to new ideas than to dismiss them without knowledge, don't you think?

lulu_92

Judi wrote: »

My kids went to a C of E primary school (with all that that entailed). They also went to church regularly with me.


Are they all God fearing, bible spouting Christians? I fear not.

I don't think this is arguing the Christianity is like this, I think it's more about people having a choice.

fivetide

sinizterguy wrote: »

It's not 'comprehensive' unless they cover all religions equally.

And they have to be sure that they aren't just teaching the biblical side of things and that science goes along side too. Otherwise it is just brainwashing.

LutonGirl

I found the way RE was taught at my junior and secondary schools boring too, we all did, but we had no choice, we sucked it up and got on with it, mostly coasting and doing the least we could to get through it.

In later life, on travels far and wide I found that even a smidge of knowledge of other religions was quite useful and very interesting, especially when I went to live on a Kibbutz. I did a course with the OU on the subject and to this day find it fascinating.

I'm not religious, no more so than any other person in the UK today, it's just one of a number of topics I enjoy and it helps make understanding world events a little easier.

Hermia

LutonGirl wrote: »

I found the way RE was taught at my junior and secondary schools boring too, we all did, but we had no choice, we sucked it up and got on with it, mostly coasting and doing the least we could to get through it.

In later life, on travels far and wide I found that even a smidge of knowledge of other religions was quite useful and very interesting, especially when I went to live on a Kibbutz. I did a course with the OU on the subject and to this day find it fascinating.

I'm not religious, no more so than any other person in the UK today, it's just one of a number of topics I enjoy and it helps make understanding world events a little easier.

Even if you don't travel I think a knowledge of other religions is useful in our multicultural globalised world. I have a colleague who was home-schooled and was never taught about any religions except Christianity. I have lost count of the amount of times she has made a twit of herself in front of colleagues and customers of other faiths!

I am an atheist, but loved RE at secondary school as our teacher made it so interesting.