Religion in the Classroom

Having listened to critiques made of religion by the makers of "Religulous," consider how volatile a subject religion can be and how your future students' various feelings about religion might affect your experiences as a teacher someday.

In the United States, the principle of separation between church and state set out in the First Amendment of the national constitution prohibits public school educators from propagating their religious views in the classroom, and there is currently wide debate concerning the extent to which the history of religion or religious cosmology should be allowed to enter class curricula. What is the law in Chile concerning this subject? If you teach in public schools, how will you negotiate your role as a model and mentor, balancing your personal beliefs with your desire to promote autonomy and critical thinking in your students?

Using the New York Times article and the NPR interview we reviewed in class, plus one other source you find online yourself, write a 350-word essay on acceptable and unacceptable forms of dealing with differences of opinion regarding religion. Say how you believe the topic should be handled if it arises in class, and explain how teachers should respond to students' whose views differ radically from their own.

Consider all the features of academic style we discussed previously as you write this post. Include a brief works cited at the end of your essay, and use parenthetical documentation when appropriate.


Citing Sources in a Text
Review these guidelines for in-text citation.


Review: Creating a Works Cited Using MLA Style
General guidelines for MLA style
Citing an online newspaper.
Citing an interview. (Don't forget to add citation information for the website, if the interview was posted on a website.)