Religious Literacy Final Reflection

Prompt 1 and 2-enhanced religious literacy, successes and setbacks

I came into this week thinking and believing that everyone has a valid viewpoint when it comes to religion.  I don’t think I have ever felt that one is “better” or “worse” than another.  I also feel like my idea that within religions things vary as much as between religions, so that idea was not new to me.

What I took mostly from this week was the power of people to be so, so kind and respectful to each other.  I saw cultures and religions come together to find commonality of human experience.  This doesn’t happen when you simply read books or watch videos.

On that note, I have increased my belief that experience is the best teacher.  Going to physical spaces and talking with physical people was wonderful, and while I didn’t learn everything about every religion, I am more “religiously literate” than I could become from a text.  It was great to see things in real time as they are practiced in this area.  I’ve been to plenty of churches in my life, but I had no idea what existed within ten miles of my house and in the service are of my school.  This learning was most valuable.

Prompt 3-essential question

Given that there are many cultural and religious beliefs and behaviors in a classroom, and given that religious, political rhetoric is so emotionally charged, biased, or filled with logical fallacy, how do we navigate a text with neutrality?

I almost think this question is inappropriate now!  It’s not offensive or off topic, but I think the idea of navigating a text with neutrality is almost impossible.  Eliminating religious or cultural passion is impossible and probably not appropriate. 

Yes, as an English teacher, I need to help kids read texts and create texts that eliminate as much bias as possible.  This is just good reading and good writing. 

However, what I need to do as an educator is not to wash these differences and viewpoints away, but to bring them out.  We need to discuss these differences in order to understand them.  Bias and stereotypes and misconceptions do not go away by ignoring them.  This week has reminded me of this.  My fear of textual bias needs to take a backseat to human understanding.  There is a line I need to walk as a professional that validates and accentuates all the culture in my room.  THEN we can tackle an issue or a text WITH multiple lenses, not simply knowing that they are there.

Prompt 4 and 5-further plans and impact on practice

I think I alluded to my future in the above passage and my other blogs posts.  Not only will I bring my kids to as many of these cultural and religious centers when they are older, but I am definitely due for a change in my view of children from other cultures and faiths.  I am an ELL teacher, I’ve taught kids of almost every culture, but it wasn’t until this week that I realized I wasn’t actively engaging them.  Sure, I’ve read books, I’ve been trained, I’ve been exposed, but I haven’t been the best teacher I can be for students from other cultures. 

In short, I have learned to remind myself to branch out, to ask questions, and to get to know my kids on a different, more “personal” level.  I am mad that I can’t tell you where some of my students were born, what they celebrate, what their cultural beliefs might be.  This needs to be my job. 

All education research points to notion that kids learn when they feel respected and honored.  A week ago I would have said I was good at this.  Now I’m not so sure, and I plan to fix this.  Thank you to John Camardella and our school district for making this possible!

Religious Literacy Blog Post #4

Guidelines 1 and 2 of teaching religion are as follows:

1. "Religions are internally diverse, not homogeneous."

2. "Religions are dynamic and changing, not static and fixed."

I think the above guidelines were extremely evident today on our trip to the Beth Shalom synagogue in Northbrook.  Rabbi Ari guided us through our visit.  We were given the opportunity to ask questions of Rabbi Ari, and it was not only enlightening to learn more about the Jewish faith, but it was evident that this young Rabbi was also battling with some of the answers to our group’s poignant questions. 

He talked about the three major divisions in his faith, and he qualified almost every answer with the notion that his thoughts were his own and that we would get different answers from almost any and every other Jew.  He discussed political issues in his community, arguments over proper etiquette and tradition, changing policies over time and his own internal strife over some of these issues.

Rabbi Ari was very open with us, and it is refreshing to see the human side of a religious leader.  Religion, faith, and even life itself is ever-changing, and we grow and learn from those around us.  This goes back to my original post, and I think it would be a theme for the week.  People are people. We naturally struggle with different ideas in different ways, and we grow and adapt to what happens in our communities.

I have always thought of Western religions as more rigid that those of the East.  It was clear today that this is not true.  I am left with the feeling that religious literacy (as I’ve said before) is the same thing as human literacy.  As long as we respect the traditions, rites, and behaviors of others, most of the rest doesn’t matter.  Rabbi Ari continually came back to this idea, whether explicitly or implicitly.

Of particular interest to me today was his discussion about marriage rites.  Someone asked about rules in his faith about inter-religious marriage.  In his tradition he is not allowed to officiate such ceremonies, yet he see both sides of this issue.  He wants to be part of a special moment for a couple, but he also understands that his Jewish blessings might be lost on a non-Jew.  I had a similar debate when I got married.  Without going into details, there was disagreement among my family and my wife and I as to best hold the ceremony.  We talked, debated, even argued, and in the end, came to an “agreement.”  It was not easy, but again, it was good to see someone in so prominent a position battling with some of the same issues.  Nothing is static, nothing is homogeneous, and cultural and religious decisions are not easy.

Religious Literacy Blog Post #3

Yesterday we visited the Turkish American Society in Mount Prospect.  We gathered there for a 3 part tour: ebru art, cooking, and a coffee and henna.  We also watched a video about Turkey and visited their Muslim worship room.  We were then fed a monstrous meal of Turkish cuisine.

Once again we were greeted with reverence and respect, and everyone went out of his/her way to make us feel welcome.  However, this is not what I want to talk about in today’s blog. 

I had a bit of a revelation during our ebru art demonstration, but a bit of a back-story first.  I have been actively trying to convince my wife to leave Chicago and Illinois as of late.  In my mind, there is too much traffic, too many political and economical issues, and I really like the northwoods.   What I was reminded of yesterday, however, is how much culture we possess in this area.  In the past two days we have been to some amazing cultural centers, and we have scarcely had to leave the “neighborhood” in order for this to happen.  Again I think of my children and their opportunities as they grow up here. 

I then think of our students and all of the opportunities they have in this area.  I don’t think they (you) know this.  Get out and explore!  By Oasis, the trailer park that serves a large population, there are four or five restaurants from various cultures.  The same is true of Elk Grove Village.  There are people from all over the planet RIGHT HERE, and I don’t know if we always realize the opportunity this presents. 

So I encourage you to recognize this, embrace this, and act on this!  Talk to the people near you in the cafeteria who might be “different” from you.  Everything we have done this week has celebrated culture and our differences.  Please join this movement right here in our school.  They are here.  We are here.  And I might just put off trying to convince my wife to move for a few more years while our kids grow up!

Religious Literacy Blog #2

Yesterday 85 suburban teachers visited two Hindu temples and a Sikh temple as part of our course. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but I was excited to branch out and see some places of worship in the area.  I had no expectations, and part of me thought we would be “intruding.”  What I discovered was the exact opposite reaction.  We were treated so well by everyone we encountered, and by our third stop, I’ll admit, I was swelling with a little bit of teacher pride.  It seems as if everyone we met went out of his or her way to make us feel welcome and respected.  They wanted to exhibit their faith to us, to have us see their passion, and ultimately, to have us respect their ways of life. 

Therefore, I’d like to amend my previous post by saying that it isn’t simply enough to recognize differences of opinion, culture, and religion, but it is imperative that we all seek out understanding of these differences.  I wake up today wanting to know more, to explore more, and it was so clear in everyone’s twinkling eyes yesterday, that all of us are better off for the experience.

I talked with my wife last night about our own children’s religious “literacy.”  When my children are a bit older, I plan to take them on a field trip similar to what we did yesterday.  I want them, at an early age, to visit all the culture Chicagoland has to offer.  This in no way says I want to push them to one religion or another.  I simply want them to understand custom, cultural differences, etc.

Yesterday, at the Sikh temple, I couldn’t help but think of a high school experience I had. There was a boy in my PE class who was a Sikh.  I did not know him at all; he was two years ahead of me.  However, in the locker room each day he would take off his head covering (patka) and expose his REALLY long hair in order to retie it, and some of the older kids in his grade would tease him, touch his hair, tease him and so on.  I was the bystander, again, two years younger, not knowing what was going on or why he wore his hair as such.  If even one of the other kids in that locker room had been where I was yesterday, he would have probably stood up and explained the custom, backed up the Sikh boy, and dispelled the stereotype (Sikh don’t cut their hair because they believe God created the human body as perfection).  To me, this is why we explore, ask questions, and withhold judgment when encountering difference, religious or otherwise.  This is why we take a course like this.  

Religious Literacy for Educators

For fellow teachers in our course: This is an active blog designed for student use in my AP Language and Composition course.  Students post and read the material on here.

For students: This is a blog post for my course entitled Religious Literacy for Educators.  I did not wake up today and decide to reflect on my religious literacy and post it for you!

According to our readings, religious literacy is defined as the “the ability to discern and analyze the fundamental intersections of religion and social/political/cultural life through multiple lenses.” 

I feel like I am fairly literate when it comes to the basic tenets of most religions.  I am in no means an expert.  Raised in a Lutheran family, attending Sunday School for years, and most importantly, being a History minor in college, I have at least been exposed to major texts and beliefs of the “major” religions.

However, if you take the word “religion” out of the definition, in many ways, this is the foundation of AP Language and Composition.  It is literacy.  How does we take a text (image, words, speech, etc.) and discern it through multiple lenses?  How do we write essays that address multiple lenses?

I feel like this is where my “religious literacy” must come from.  Recognizing the idea that there are multiple cultures, religious beliefs, and even multiple interpretations of the same belief within my room, I need to “walk the line” so to speak.  My job is to get students (you) to deal with words, arguments, and meaning.  Your job is to interact with text and learn to do your darn best to leave your personal beliefs, religious or not, at the proverbial door.  You can and should have them, but your job is to argue well, not argue your view.

What I am quickly realizing in this course, confirming my earlier beliefs, is we cannot judge an individual on any label (again, religious or not) that he/she claims or possesses.  Two Christians may have “less in common” than a Hindu and a Christian based on their behaviors, proclivities, and interests, for example.  People who are religious vary in every way, and so there is no one approach a religious group.

Therefore, I hope my assessment of religious literacy doesn’t seem glib, but here it is: yes, I know something about most religions and their social, political, and cultural influences, but I almost think that this isn’t so important in the language arts classroom that I run.  My “literacy” has to come from the idea that I know everyone is bringing something to the table, all of those things are different, and a good writer/thinker knows how to navigate text and ideas with the least shrouded view of what is actually being said. Recognize bias in others’ writings and try to take bias out of your own thought process.  To me, this is literacy.  This is the goal of the AP Lang student, and it should be the goal of all people as we live our daily lives.

My Essential Question: Given that there are many cultural and religious beliefs and behaviors in a classroom, and given that religious, political rhetoric is so emotionally charged, biased, or filled with logical fallacy, how do we navigate a text with neutrality?