VALERIE-DAWN GIRHINY 221

instrument valable est entre les mains des étudiants et desprofesseurs. Une équipe de travail a vécu des moments ex-traordinaires de croissance. Dans toutes nos rencontres deWinnipeg à Moncton avec des parents, des étudiants, desadministrateurs, des associations, des spécialistes nous avonssenti un support qui ne s'est pas démenti. Si nous avions arecommencer je crois que nous procéderions encore à partirdes besoins réels de nos étudiants qui nous parait être uneréponse aux besoins de notre temps.

XIII

CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING OF TEACHERSOF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

WITHIN ONTARIO

Valerie-Dawn Girhiny

Teacher-Educator, Ontario Teachers'Education College, Hamilton

Formal teacher training takes place in two distinct ways — (i)at a teacher training institution, (pre-service), and (ii) aftercertification (in-service). Teacher preparation usually consistsof one or both of the above together with an "academic back-ground", i.e. the knowledge of various disciplines as acquiredthrough attendance at some institution of learning.

Most practicing teachers have attended either a public orseparate elementary school. In the public school they mayhave been exposed to scriptural readings, hymns and the Lord'sPrayer for a time period of approximately ten minutes eachday. In addition, they may have been exposed to two thirty-minute sessions per week on the discussion of a New Testa-ment "story." It is possible that recently certified teachershave not experienced the aforementioned. Those who at-tended a separate elementary school have had approximatelythirty minutes per day of formal religious education either inthe form of liturgy attendance or of the study of the BaltimoreCatechism. At present, many of the separate school studentsare participating in the Come to the Father program. Thisprogramme reflects a different emphasis.

At the secondary level, teachers who attended school in

222 CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING OF TEACHERS

the public system have had no religious education except fora small minority in recent years who have opted for a WorldReligions or Comparative Religions course. Teachers who at-tended a private high school under the auspices of a CatholicBoard of Governors have received approximately two hoursper week per year of input that has taken a more involvedlook at sacraments, Church history, ethics, morality, teach-ings of the Church, liturgy and scripture. A small percentageof teachers have attended other religiously-affiliated schools.

At the university level, very few elected to take an offeringfrom the departments of religious studies.

From these statements it appears that the majority of can-didates for teacher training has had negligible academicpreparation in the study of religion. This does not discountthe religious education acquired through the home, theplace of worship and self study.

The Ontario Teacher Education College-Hamilton, former-ly Hamilton Teachers' College, has always accepted someresponsibility for the preparation of teachers in matters ofreligion. Until approximately ten years ago, ten hours ofprogramme time were set aside for sessions with visitingclergy of different religious persuasions. In addition, studentteachers received approximately ten hours of teaching meth-odology related to the course of religious studies in Ontario.1

In 1974-75 the Hamilton campus of the new Ontario Teach-er Education College included eighteen options in religiousknowledge among the options offered in curriculum. Thesereligious knowledge options had the same status and weregiven the same academic credit as all other course selections.The eighteen options represented nine offerings that weregiven on two separate occasions and were geared to differentelementary school levels (i.e.) primary-junior and junior-in-terminate. The student teacher was free to select as manyoptions as his timetable and interests dictated. Studentteachers intending to teach in separate schools were in-volved in the twelve hour course given for that purpose. Thefour hour options on Religious Questions Children Ask, BasicJudaism, and Christianity: Learning to Understand and Re-spect its Various Forms of Expression, were selected by a suf-ficient number of students to be offered. The others were

1 Minister of Education, Regulations And Programme for Religious- Education inthe Public Schools (Ontario: 1949)

VALERIE-DAWN GIRHINY 223

cancelled. Although provision was made to meet the needs ofprospective teachers in this area, the student teachers them-selves did not see religious knowledge input as a priority. Aninteresting and somewhat confusing situation was developing.The perception existed that teachers did not have significantpreparation to teach religious knowledge. Student teachersdid not see such preparation as a priority. The public,through the media, was expressing considerable concernabout the deterioration of society, moral decline and the doublestandard. In response, this writer felt some obligation to at-tempt to discover "The Present and Preferred Status of Re-ligious Knowledge in the School Curriculum."2

The questionnaire method only was employed to ascertainthe required information.

While launching off on this project the investigator dis-covered that the terms religious education, religious trainingand religious knowledge were defined in no apparently con-sistent manner. It appears, for example, that early in ourhistory the term religious education meant training in the tenetsof the Church of England. It was finally decided: (a) to usethe nebulous term "religious knowledge," (b) to provide therespondent with a number of definitions and (c) to permitthe respondent to select that definition most in keeping withhis or her own interpretation of the term. Following this, theremainder of the questionnaire was to be completed in thelight of the interpretation given by the respondent to the termreligious knowledge.

Through this endeavour the author sought to illuminatea portion of the obscurity that surrounded the followingquestions:

1. What interpretations are given to the term religious knowledgeby teachers?

2. What interpretations are given to the term religious knowl-edge by administrators?

3. What is the present status of religious knowledge in theschool curriculum as viewed by teachers?

4. What is the present status of religious knowledge in theschool curriculum?

5. What is the preferred status of religious knowledge in theschool curriculum as viewed by teachers?

2 V. D. Girhiny, The Present and Preferred Status of Religious Knowledge Inthe School Curriculum (unpublished M.R.E. project, McMaster University, 1975).

224 CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING OF TEACHERS

6. What is the preferred status of religious knowledge in theschool curriculum as viewed by administrators?

7. To what extent are teachers and administrators in agreement?8. What influence, if any, does level taught have on a teacher's

view of the present status of religious knowledge in the schoolcurriculum?

9. What influence, if any, does level taught have on a teacher'sview of the preferred status of religious knowledge in theschool curriculum?

10. What are the areas of agreement between public and separatepersonnel on both the present and the preferred status ofreligious knowledge in the school curriculum?

11. What are the areas of disagreement between public andseparate personnel on both the present and the preferredstatus of religious knowledge in the school curriculum?

12. What relationship, if any, exists between one's judgementof the present status of religious knowledge in the school cur-riculum and the description of one's professional preparationfor the teaching of religious knowledge?

13. What relationship, if any, exists between one's judgement ofthe preferred status of religious knowledge in the school cur-riculum and the description of one's professional preparationfor the teaching of religious knowledge?

14. Who should make decisions concerning the place of religiousknowledge in the schools?

15. What approaches to religious knowledge should be utilized?16. Who should teach religious knowledge?17. At what level(s) should religious knowledge be taught?18. How should children be introduced to religious knowledge in

the classroom?19. What relationship, if any, exists between a teacher's judge-

ment of his/her professional preparation for the teaching ofreligious knowledge and the number and nature of post sec-ondary courses completed in this field?

20. Who should provide in-service training for teachers in re-ligious knowledge?

21. Who should provide leadership in developing curriculum inreligious knowledge?

22. What should be the nature of assistance given in curriculumdevelopment?

23. What compensation should be given to teachers who takefurther courses in religious knowledge?

24. How can we be assured that teachers are aware of recentresearch and new considerations in the field of religiousknowledge?

Although space was not provided for general commentsfollowing the completion of the questionnaire, several respon-dents took the time and the trouble to express their views.

VALERIE-DAWN GIRHINY 225

A sampling of these is here listed.

It is extremely difficult to answer these questions due to the in-creasing de-emphasis on religion in both school and communitylife. In today's world all a religious-minded teacher can do isprovide incidental instruction and a good example. Anymorewould often meet with opposition from parents. It is a parent'sresponsibility as children are most strongly influenced by them.

The questions are difficult to answer. The responsibilitybelongs to the parents who are most influential. Surveys viaquestionnaires cannot offer a valid picture. The subject is of toogreat a depth for adequate responses without long-term thoughtand discussion. Parents have opted out on training. Churcheshave watered down the curriculum and society's behaviour reflectslack of concern for anything but the self. What is the solution?

Consideration of the data compiled in this study led to thefollowing conclusions:

1. The interpretations given to the term religious knowledge byteachers are varied but it is clear that most of the respondentsbelieve it is a form of value and moral education. The nextmost frequently chosen statements were that it is a study ofdifferent major religions and it is the study of Christianity.

2. Administrators' responses were similar to teachers for theterm religious knowledge.

3. The status of religious knowledge in the school curriculumas viewed by teachers is diverse. There is greater emphasisin the separate schools.

4. Administrators basically agree with teachers concerning thepresent status.

5. Most teachers are content with the present status with theexception that there is a tendency for public school personnelto desire more religious knowledge in the programme.

6. Administrators appear to be content with their status quo.7. Teachers and administrators appear to be in basic agreement

concerning both the present and preferred status of religiousknowledge in the curriculum.

8. Secondary teachers appear to involve religious knowledgeonly in a World Religions course.

9. Both elementary and secondary teachers share the same viewconcerning the preferred status.

10. Public and separate personnel basically agree on the statusof religion.

11. There is no basic disagreement between public and separatepersonnel regarding the status of religious knowledge eventhough there is a greater emphasis upon religion in theseparate schools.

12. There appears to be no correlation between an individual's

226 CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING OF TEACHERS

preparation for the teaching of religious knowledge andhis/her judgement of the present status.

13. A comment similar to (12) applies as well to preferred status.14. For the public schools the data is inconclusive as to who

should make the decisions concerning the place of religiousknowledge. For separate personnel it appears that decisionsshould be made jointly by teachers, clergy and parents.

15. The approaches to the teaching of religious knowledge shouldbe varied.

16. The preferred teacher of religious knowledge is not clearlydiscernable. The majority of separate personnel indicatedevery teacher whereas the majority of public personnel in-dicated specialists.

17. Religious knowledge should be taught at all levels.18. There does not appear to be any clear cut preference as to

how religious knowledge should be introduced into the class-room.

19. There appears to be no correlation between a teacher's judge-ment of his/her professional preparation for the teaching ofreligious knowledge and the number and nature of post sec-ondary courses completed in this field.

20. School boards, teacher training institutions, universities andclergy are to share in the necessary in-service work.

21. Leadership in curriculum development should be provided byclergy, boards of education and teachers.

22. Workshops are the preferred form of in-service programme.23. Certification is the preferred form of compensation to be

given to teachers who take further courses in religiousknowledge.

24. Awareness of recent developments in the field of religiousknowledge appear to be furthered best by board-sponsoredworkshops, professional development days and in-servicetraining programmes.

At the conclusion of the project seventeen recommenda-tions were made. A few are currently in the implementationstage. Some of the more significant recommendations are asfollows:

Noteworthy Recommendations

1. It is recommended that the position of the public schoolauthority re: religious knowledge be clarified and com-municated to school personnel.

2. It is recommended that there be further consideration of thefeasibility of the inclusion of moral education in the publicschool curriculum, divorced from any particular religion.

3. It is recommended that a study be undertaken to determine

VALERIE-DAWN GIRH1NY 227

how more religious knowledge could be introduced into thepublic school programme.

4. It is recommended that ways be found to enable clergy, trustees,teachers and parents to effectively co-operate in the devel-oping of new programmes in religious knowledge.

5. It is recommended that a study of how clergy could assume aleadership role in programme development be undertaken.

6. It is recommended that a study be made to determine howclergy and parent and community volunteers could be used to as-sist teachers in this area of study.

7. It is recommended that innovative methods of including re-ligious knowledge in the curriculum be developed for/atteacher training institutions.

8. It is recommended that combined methodological and aca-demic courses be developed and offered by universities,teacher training institutions and boards of education. (Thisauthor is presently working on the development of one suchprogramme).

9. It is recommended that individuals offering in-service pro-grammes utilize the workshop seminar approach.

10. It is recommended that professional development days andboard-sponsored workshops be used to provide up-to-date in-formation concerning religious knowledge.

11. It is recommended that the views of clergy, trustees andparents concerning the present and preferred status of re-ligious knowledge in the school curriculum be solicited.

Although there has been a degree of digression to in-vestigate the perceptions of teachers and administrators,some discussion of pre-service has been initiated.

As for in-service preparation very little occurs in the pub-lic sector. The Ontario Ministry of Education does not offercertificate programs in religious education. The OntarioInstitute for Studies in Education offers courses in moral edu-cation. In the separate sector local boards may and do offervery short in-service programs in religion. In 1969 the On-tario English Catholic Teachers' Association and the OntarioSeparate School Trustees' Association initiated a program ofreligious education certificates. There are three certificates— Elementary, Intermediate and Specialist — all recognized bythe Ministry for standards purposes, by separate schoolboards for category purposes, and by the QualificationsEvaluation Council of Ontario (Q.K.C.O.).

These certificates are the main ones available locally in thearea of religious education except for ones issued by the Divine

228 TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN ALBERTA

Word Institute in London, Ontario. These are not expresslyfor teachers and do not carry the same automatic recognition.Some universities, such as McMaster, offer a Master ofReligious Education program but to the writer's knowledge nouniversity in Ontario offers a doctoral program in religiouseducation.

Between the ideaAnd the realityBetween the motionAnd the actFalls the Shadow

For Thine is the KingdomBetween the conceptionAnd the creationBetween the emotionAnd the responseFalls the Shadow. . . . 3

For this writer, "the Shadow" represents the Alpha andOmega of religious instruction in Ontario schools.

XIV

TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS INRELIGIOUS STUDIES AND MORAL EDUCATION

FOR THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA

Richard LaPlante

President, Religious Studies and MoralEducation Council, Alberta Teachers' Association,

Edmonton, Alberta

PARTI

PREAMBLE

It is recommended that the Faculty of Education at the Univer-sity of Calgary make provision for a legitimate B.Ed. ReligiousStudies and Moral Education Major within the basic require-ments of the B.Ed. Degree.

3 T. S. Eliot, The Complete Poems and Flays (London: Faber and Faber, 1969)p. 85.