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The aims, goals, foundational objectives, and learning objectives of a Christian Ethics course. It covers topics such as understanding Christian moral principles, reverence for all created life, justice and peace, nonviolence, and philosophies of life. Students will learn to use scripture to discover Christian principles, value reverence for all created life, and apply scripture passages to various issues. The course also emphasizes the importance of commitment and vocation, and requires fully qualified Christian religious educators.
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Saskatchewan Learning
Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft
Saskatchewan Education gratefully acknowledges the professional contributions and advice given by the members ofthe Christian Ethics Curriculum Reference Committee. Members of this committee are:
Lynda Browning, RC.S:8.D. #20, Saskatoon Gilbert Chevrier, RC.S.S.D. #16, North Battleford Gustave Dubois, Ecole canadienne-fran~aise, Saskatoon Larry Fry, Luther College, Regina Kathleen Grad, RC.S.S.D. #81, Regina Sr. Bonita Komarnicki, RC.S.S.D. #86, Yorkton Nigel Lacey, Briarcrest Bible College, Caronport Robert Palmarin, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, Wilcox Nadia Prokopchuk, RC.S.S.D. #20, Saskatoon Dr. Ron Richmond, University of Regina, Regina Pius Sieben, Saskatoon
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Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft
Part ofthe human experience is the search for meaning. We experience, and then we try to make sense of our experience. The high school students in our classrooms are asking, "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" "What is the purpose of this life?" and "What must I do?" The Christian Ethics courses we offer provide answers to their questions. By putting Jesus and his message at the core of our courses, we answer that Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)
Aim
The aim of Christian Ethics is for students to acquire and develop the knowledge, skills/abilities, and values of Christianity so that they are' encouraged to live as followers of Jesus Christ.
Goals
The goals of Christian Ethics are for students to:
Foundational Objectives
Foundational objectives describe the essential learnings for a particular grade level. These learnings are.to be developed gradually over the course of a unit or a year. The following foundational objectives describe the
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essential learnings of Christian Ethics (CETH) 10,20, and 30. It is intended that these learnings will not only be known, but will be lived out in the students' lives.
CETHIO
The student will:
CETH
The student will:
CETH
The student will:
Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft.
d) The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge ofthe mission of Jesus by:
e) The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of Jesus' passion, death, resurrection, and ascension by:
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CETH 20 - A Community Called Church
a) The student will be able to know about the community called Church by:
b) The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge ofthe history of the Church by:
c) The student will be able to understand the creed of the Church by:
d) The· student will be able to appreciate
. the models of the Church by: - studying the various models of Church - examining which model of the Church best fits each student's understanding of what the Church. should be
e) The student will be able to respect encounters with the sacred by:
f) The student will be able to value personal and communal practices of faith by:
g) The student will be able to understand evangelization and mission by:
b) The student will be able to understand moral development by:
c) The student will be able to understand moral theories by:
d) The student will be able to understand Christian moral principles by:
Christian Ethics 10,20,30 Draft
e) The student will be able to understand decision making by:
f) The student will be able to understand sin and forgiveness by:
a) The student will be able to value reverence for all created life by:
b) The student will be able to value justice and peace by:
.• describing the characteristics of a. healthy family
h) The student will be able to show some understanding oflife/death and brokennesslhealing by:
a) The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of religion and spirituality by: •• analyzing the el{)ments of religion and spirituality, including wisdom, works, and worship
b) The student will be able to respect various religions and spiritualities (Aboriginal Canadian Spirituality, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, etc.) by:
Philosophy and Rationale
Christian Ethics is an academic subject like any other, yet unlike any other. Christian Ethics courses require fully qualified Christian religious educators. capable of delivering the curriculum. A' curriculum is a guide to instruction in the classroom. As all good teachers know,
Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft various student questions and needs arise which must be addressed at the time, even if another topic is under study. These may be.referred to as teachable moments. Beyond the proficiency as educators who know their subject matter and how to best deliver it, Christian Ethics teachers must model Christian living, knowing that they are living models of Christ for their students.
Sacred scripture is to be used throughout CETH,10,.20, and 30. ~pecific study topics address the composition and interpretation of scripture; however, scriptures should also be used to shed light on all topics throughout the curriculum. Once again, the teacher is in the.best position to decide when, what and how to best incorporate the use of sacred scripture into a particular course.
This curriculum guide will be used in schools of various Christian denominations, a fact which has been reflected in the curriculum itself and in the accompanying bibliography. While there may be times fora school to foc:us on its own particular faith tradition, many subjects under study would be greatly enhanced by examining the. ..... traditions of other Christian denominations. More understanding on the part of our students as well as greater unity and co-operation among Christian Churches could be the fruits.ofstudy of various Christian traditions. Research, dialogue, and exchanges among Christian denominations could foster this spirit of ecumenism.
Going one step further, Christian Ethics should include the study of world religions. Gone are the days when Christians isolate themselves from other religious influences. Christians now , recognize that their answers to life's ultimate questions are not the only answers. In Canada, the increasing
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Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft variety of religions and spiritualities calls for greater understanding, compassion, and community among all Canadians.
The study of world religions can open students up to truth which enlightens people everywhere. This study can provide a fresh look at Christianity, often revealing facets which can enrich one's own religious practices and values. As Christian religious educators, we have a responsibility to properly prepare our students for the future. We do this by guiding them to know their faith more profoundly, to understand the faiths of others more accurately, and so to live more fully.
Implementation defines Core Curriculum as .including seven Requir:ed Areas of '. Study, the Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension and Locally Determined Options.
Common. Essential Learnings
Christian Ethics offers many opportunities to incorporate the Common Essential Learnings (C.E.L.s) into instruction. Such incorporation helps students better understand the subject matter content under study and prepares them for their future learning both within and outside the kindergarten to grade 12 educational system. The Common. Essential Learnings are.Communication, Critical and Creative Thinking, Independent Learning, Personal and Social Values and Skills, Numeracy, and , '. Technological Literacy. ·The decision to. focus on one or more C,E.L.s within a lesson is guided by the needs and abilities
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of individual students and by the particular demands of the subject area. Throughout a unit, it is intended that each Common Essential Learning will have been developed to the extent possible.
It is important to incorporate the C.E.L.s in an authentic manner. Some subject areas may offer many opportunities to develop the understandings, values, skills and processes related to a number of the CommonE~sentialLearnings .. The development of a particular C ,E .L., however, may be limited by the nature of the subject matter under study.
The Common Essential Learnings are intended to be developed and evaluated within subject areas. Since the Common Essential Learnings are not necessarily separate and discrete categories, it is anticipated that working toward the ,achievement .of one foundational objective for C.E.L.s may contribute to the development of others. For example, many of the processes, skills,
. understandings, and abilities required for the C.E.L. of Communication are also needed for the development of Independent Learning.
Incorporating the. Common Essential Learnings into instruction has implications for the assessment of student learning. A unit which has focused on developing particular C.E.L.s should also reflect this focus when assessing student learning. If students are encouraged to think critically and creatively throughout a unit, then teachers need to develop assessment strategies for-the unit which require students to demonstrate their critical and creative thinking abilities. The Common Essential Learnings are to be integrated,
. '., accommodated and incorporated within the evaluation of each content area.
Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft
The Adaptive Dimension of the curriculum allows the classroom teacher flexibility so that exceptional children are given every opportunity to perform to the full extent oftheir potential. Teachers should make use of appropriate additional materials as well as school or division-based resource teachers and consultative personnel in planning suitable activities. The cues that some students' needs may not be adequately met come from a variety of sources. They may come to the perceptive teacher as a result of monitoring for comprehension during a lesson. The cue may come from an individual project or unit test, or from a student need or background deficiency .' that has been recognized for several /. years. A student's demonstrated knowledge of, or interest in, a particular topic may indicate that enrichment is
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.appropriate. The adaptation required may vary from presenting the same content through a slightly different instructional.method, to providing additional background information, to establishing an individual or small group enrichment activity. The duration of the adaptation may range from five minutes of individual assistance, to ongoing support for a group of students. The identification ofthe need and program adaptation maybe adequately handled by the classroom teacher., or maY r!)quire the expertise of other support specialists such as the school's resource teacher. It is critical that the teacher be aware of and use whatever support services are available, both within and beyond the school. Some of the resources that may exist outside ofthe school system include social workers, health care professionals, and career centres. Parents and/or guardians are, of course, a major resource.
The Adaptive Dimension includes all practices the t,eacher employs to make. learning meaningful and appropriate for each student. Because the Adaptive Dimension permeates all teaching practice, sound professional judgement becomes the critical factor in decision making. This curriculum guide allows for such flexibility and decision making.
For more information, see The Adaptive Dimension in Core Curriculum.
Gender Equity
Expectations base!i primarily on gender limit students' ability to develop to their fullest potential. While some, stereotypical views and practices have disappeared, others remain. Where,. ··schools have endeavoured to provide. equal opportunity for male and female students, continuing efforts are required so that equality may be achieved and
maintained. Saskatchewan Education is committed to providing quality education for all students in the kindergarten to
. grade. 12 system. Therefore, it is the responsibility of Saskatchewan schools to create an educational environment free of gender bias. This can be facilitated by increased understanding and use of gender-balanced materials and strategies. Both female and male students need encouragement to explore a wide variety of options based on individual aptitudes,. abilities and interest, rather than gender.
In order to meet the goal of gender equity, Saskatchewan curricula reflect the variety of roles and the wide range of behaviours and attitudes available to all members of society. The new curricula strive to provide gender-balanced content, activities, and teaching approaches. This will assist teachers in creating an environment free of stereotyping, enabling both young men and young women to develop their abilities to the fullest. Gender roles are to be discussed. throughout Christian Ethics.
In order to ensure gender equity in Christian Ethics, the teacher should:
Indian and Metis Curriculum Perspectives
The integration of Indian. and Metis content and perspectives within the kindergarten to grade 12 curricula fulfils a central recommendation of Directions,
Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft the Five Year Action Planfor Native Curriculum Development and the Indian and Metis Education Policy from "'Kindergarten to Grade 12. In general, the policy states:
." The inclusion of Indian and Metis perspectives benefits all students in a pluralistic· society.. Cultural representation in all aspects of the school environment empowers students with a positive. group identity. Indian and Metis resources foster a meaningful and culturally identifiable experience for Indian and Metis students; and promote the development of positive attitudes in all students towards Indian and Metis peoples. This awareness of one's own culture and the cultures of others develops self-concept, enhances learning, promotes an appreciation of Canada's pluralistic society, and supports universal human rights.
Saskatchewan Indian and Metis students come from different cultural backgrounds and social environments including northern, rural, and urban areas. Teachers must understand the diversity ofthe social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds of Saskatchewan Indian and Metis students. Educators need cross- cultural education to develop this understanding. Teachers ofIndian and Metis students require an increased awareness of applied sociolinguistics, first and second language acquisition theory,
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. '. Use a variety of resources in classroom teaching, showing students that you are a researcher who constantly seeks out sources of knowledge. Discuss with them the use of other libraries, government departments, museums, electronic information systems, and various outside agencies in their research.
Questions most often asked about implementing resource-based learning:
How can I run a classroom or give the same lesson and assignments when the students do not all have the same book?
Christian Ethics 10,20, 30 Draft It is not possible for me to plan.for all of the changes needed to incorporate resource-based learning into my already too ,busy teaching schedule. How can I be expected to do this when there is already too little time in the day?
How can I have a variety of resources available to the students when I have little money to buy them? Various strategies for acquiring resources could be employed:
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Christian Ethics 10, 20, 30 Draft 'helps by givingyd\l ideas for using resources already available.
For more information on resource-based learning, teachers may refer to Resource- Based Learning:Policy,Guidelines and Responsibilities for Saskatchewan Learning Resource Centres.
Saskatchewan and Canadian Content
Students in Saskatchewan schools benefit greatly from using resources which reflect their own experiences. One way to increase the likelihood that resources reflect their experiences is t~ use resources from Saskatchewan and Canada. While it is true that the vast majority of religious education .publications come from the United States of America, Saskatchewan and Canadian resources should be searched out and given priority usage whenever possible.
Instructional Guidelines
Knowledge of what constitutes effective teaching and learning has increased,. significantly. Likewise, knowledge (jf teaching and learning~tyles has led to an appreciation of what constitutes the best practice in meeting individual student needs. Learning is an interactive process. ... Students need to be actively involved in tasks that are achievable, useful, relevant, and challenging if they are to
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respond.successfully to the curriculum challenges posed for them.
The. teaching methodology recommended in this curriculum is the pattern of Experience - Information - Application - Action. All instruction begins with the students' experience, so that subsequent teaching maybe connected to it. Next, information is given to inform the students' experience. The students are then required to apply that information, .i· helping themtoabsorb the information. Finally, the students recommend or take some action which will show that the learning has made a difference in their lives.
In any Christian Ethics class there will naturally be a mixture of students who bring with them a diversity of preferred learning .styles. A student's learning style is the unique way in which she or he prefers to'leatn. Teachers also have unique learning styles. Teachers tend to teach in harmony with their own learning styles. .'!f a teacher consistently .teaches using a preferred learning style there may be numerous students whose learning styles do not match that ofthe teacher and, therefore, their needs will '. not be met. To meet the diverse needs of students in a Christian Ethics class, it is important that teachers utilize a variety of instructional approaches throughout each unit.
Instructional Strategies
Decision making regarding instructional strategies requires teachers to. focus on curriculum, the prior experiences and knowledge of students, learner interests, student learning styles, and the developmental levels of the learner. Such decision making relies on ongoing student assessment that is linked to learning objectives and processes.