National Religious Education resources available for Catholic educators

Tuesday 3 August, 2021

New video resources are now available for school leaders and teachers to support the delivery of Religious Education in Catholic schools across Australia.

The series of professional learning videos are designed to encourage discussion among Catholic educators through the unpacking of the Framing Paper on Religious education in Australian Catholic Schools (2018).

Produced by the National Catholic Education Commission’s Faith Formation and Religious Education (FFRE) Standing Committee, the resources were developed in collaboration with Catholic educators across the country. Ballarat diocesan schools, leaders, teachers and students feature throughout the series, but predominately in Video Three: Religious Education in the Mission of the School.

National Catholic Education executive director Jacinta Collins said the resources provide a practical understanding of the framework and support for faith formation in the 1,755 Catholic schools across Australia.

“Faith formation lies at the heart of the work of Catholic schools,” Ms Collins said. “These resources assist teachers and school leaders to reflect and deepen their understanding of the place of Catholic theology in Religious Education, and aim to build professional collaboration among staff.”

FFRE Standing Committee chair Sr Elizabeth Dodds RSC said the videos promote dialogue about the practical considerations for an engaging Religious Education program.

“These resources support Religious Education staff to consider the variety of learners in the classroom with their unique life experiences, particular motivations, expectations and aspirations,” Sr Dodds said. “These videos will enliven and energise staff, building their capacity to provide Religious Education which is responsive to their local school context and authentic to the Catholic tradition.”

There are 1,755 Catholic schools, educating 777,000+ students – or one in five Australian students and employing 100,000+ staff across Australia.

The resources which come with a reflection guide are available via the NCEC website.