“Compulsory Reading” for all involved with Christian Outdoor Centres!

“Religious and Moral Education through Outdoor Learning” is Education Scotland’s latest Professional Dialogue Paper on Religious and Moral Edcuation.

Learning in the outdoors is becoming a more common feature of children’s experiences in both RME and RERC which is helping children in the primary stages to develop as responsible citizens with some understanding of sustainability issues. Children in rural and urban settings are more often encouraged to develop their sense of awe and wonder through exploring aspects of nature. In the best examples children and young people use their time outdoors to reflect on their own and other people’s beliefs and they are able to reflect on their own response to the natural world. Increasingly, these experiences are very well planned and managed so as to take account of the beliefs and family background of individual children.

Children and young people often demonstrate strong awareness of their responsibilities for the environment both now and in the future. Older children in primary schools and young people in a few secondary schools, say this way of learning challenges them to think about the relationship between humans and other living things. They can talk about the consequences of natural events and humankind’s impact on the world and reflect on how this links to ethics and morality.

Three case studies are included in this report exemplifying good practice in RME through OL.

Read the Paper at https://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/r/rmethroughoutdoorlearning.asp?