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The last few years have been an interesting journey for me, not only in terms of my career, but also in terms of my thinking. When the Commission on RE’s Interim Report came out in 2017, I admit to being rather sceptical about a change of name for RE. However, I reflected, read and reflected more. I used to find the train or car journey’s useful for thinking about these matters!! Now I have to carve out time in the week to do this. It is important, because I believe what is being suggested in the Final Commission on RE Report (2018) regarding Religion and Worldviews is a vital paradigm shift, and not just a name change, and a potential game-changer for our subject.

On a personal level this has been a challenging and enthralling journey so far, and it is not at an end. My thinking is fluid, I am trying to see possibilities, to continue to read more and to learn from others across the diversity of our Religion and Worldviews community.  At the launch of a recent Theos report Dr Lois Lee talked about being part of a meaningful process. For me, this described not only my personal journey, but also what I think is happening in our subject community at the moment.

This is why I welcome two recent reports. The first is a literature review entitled ‘Worldview: A Multidisciplinary Report’.  This review was commissioned by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales working in partnership with TRS-UK. It aims to provide clarity as to the historical and contemporary use of the term ‘worldview’ in a number of disciplines. This report raises questions and at the end there is an invitation to engage; to be part of the conversation.

The second report, alluded to above is an independent academic report authored by Cooling with Bowie and Panjwani, entitled ‘Worldviews in Religious Education’ and published by Theos. One of the most powerful chapters in this report comprises three autobiographical reflections that illustrate the impact of worldview on academic development. The interaction between personal worldviews and what we might call worldview traditions in this section illustrates to me the educational potential of the worldview concept.

For me both these reports emphasise the fact that as a subject community we are in a meaningful process. These reports are not in themselves destinations; they are to be engaged with, discussed and reflected upon. They provide vital tools to help us work through what the new language means. Alongside these reports I have noticed  conversations opening up; I have observed and read about teachers sharing what a paradigm shift might mean for the curriculum; I have taken part in a media discussion where journalists asked questions about what Religion and Worldviews means; I have listened to Ofsted’s Dr Richard Kueh, talking about new ways of understanding knowledge within this paradigm shift…. All these moves are part of a meaningful process of engagement. The question is, will you be part of this process?

https://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/20-19438-REC-Worldview-Report-A4-v2.pdf Literature Review

https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/research/2020/10/21/worldviews-in-religious-education Theos Report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAK1lCS2_y0 You Tube Recording of Theos Report Launch Event

https://www.reonline.org.uk/news/opening-up-conversations-about-religion-and-worldviews/ Includes teachers and other professionals discussing Religion and Worldviews in a series of blogs

One of the major things I use in the classroom is controversy. I don’t mean that I say deliberately offensive things to get my students angry, but I do pose difficult questions. I often play devil’s advocate and ask them ‘Big Questions’ that are usually reserved for adults or older children. I decided to do this after watching Mary Myatt talk about ‘High Challenge and Low Threat’. If they fail, they haven’t lost anything – it was a difficult question. If they succeed, then they have tackled something huge that adults struggle with.

So, when thinking about these huge questions, about life and death and the universe, we look at Phillipa Foot’s ‘Trolley problem’. This is the first thing we study in the year 5 RE Curriculum. I use it to get the children talking to each other and posing questions, knowing that it is a question given to Harvard Law students. The problem goes roughly like this:

There is a runaway train or trolley car that is hurtling towards a fork in the tracks. In one direction there is a person tied down who will certainly be killed if the trolley travels on that track. To make matters worse in the other direction there are, inexplicably, 5 people tied to the track! There is a person, looking rather glum at the junction box – they must choose which track to send the trolley. Herein lies the dilemma; which way should the lever be pulled?

The children often spend the first 20 minutes trying to ‘James Bond’ their way out of it by placing the lever in the middle, derailing the train and quickly running to untie everyone. After these possibilities are denied to them, as inventive as they are, they start to tackle the real issues and discuss the agonizing problem at hand. The unit itself is about Utilitarianism and before we look at the Trolley Problem the children are well versed in the principle of ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’. Because of this some of the children immediately make their decision based on this principle and save the 5 and let the 1 die. Once this has been discussed we talk about the complications:

‘What if the 1 was a doctor and she could save a million lives?’

‘What if the 5 were all murderous criminals?’

‘What if the 5 were very old?’

What if the 1 was the Prime Minister?’

All of these complications lead to wonderful discussions about the worth of people and what, if anything, makes some ‘worth’ more than others- and also if this is an acceptable position to hold. Some children are quite assertive that all people, no matter what or who they are, are of equal worth.

The final option we discuss is that of a ‘third way’, I let them know that the person at the lever can simply walk away, knowing that it was in a certain position before they got there and that they cannot be held responsible….But as one child countered recently;

‘Choosing not to act is still a choice.’

Starting the debate all over again…

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What possesses a madly busy Head of RE and SLE to take on extra work tutoring for Culham St Gabriel’s ‘Teach:RE’ course? Excellent question, especially in these Covid times.

The ‘passionate advocate of the value and relevance of RE’ reason. RE, done well, is essential if young people are to understand the world around them and interact positively with it. Most teachers come into the profession wanting to improve a young person’s life chances and yet many come with their own preconceptions of RE and fail to see how RE connects to this goal. Working alongside a HTLA or non-specialist teacher, primary or secondary,  as they encounter the aims of the subject over time and develop their own vision of RE and seek to implement it through planning and curriculum design.

The practical reason – secondary non-specialists find themselves teaching RE whilst a NATRE report revealed how minimal subject specific training can be as part of a primary ITT programme. Pressures on school budgets mean less SLE working 1-1 with a teacher and fewer training courses. Tutoring for, and recommending ‘Teach:RE,’ is one way I can help to upskill and boost confidence. Many schools will pay for modules to be completed although it has to be done in a teacher’s own time (unless they can secure extra gained time – nothing ventured, nothing gained if you don’t ask!).

Assorted selfish reasons – As an experienced teacher and trainer I am often running RE specific CPD and school-led CPD is often generic. Where do I go for my development needs? An in-depth study exploring aspects of Buddhism on death rituals

The ‘What’s going on in the wider RE world’ reason – focussing on the ‘bigger picture’ is inspiring and helps keep a broader perspective. ‘Teach:RE’ has allowed me inside schools and academies across the country, with different Locally Agreed Syllabi, giving me ideas to take back to my own school. As a teacher representative on my local SACRE it is crucial to know what is going on in schools and what teachers need – this course allows me to do so.

The ‘paying it forward’ reason – it comes as a shock to realise I am now nearer retirement than my NQT year! I have been very blessed to work with, and benefit from, many ‘movers and shakers’ within the RE world who have helped me to grow and develop my practice so how do I show my gratitude? ‘Paying it forward’ to the next generation by sharing my wisdom and experience.

To answer my own question – of course I will carry on as a tutor. If you also subscribe to the view that you are always learning and developing as a teacher think about becoming a tutor or taking a module as a stimulus to developing your own practice.

In the Shia tradition, arguably the most important commemoration is on the Day of Ashura (certainly emotionally), the 10th of Muharram. This was the day the Battle of Karbala took place in 680 where Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was brutally massacred alongside his family and followers by the controversial caliph; Yazid ibn Muawiya regarded by Shi’a Muslims and many Sunnis as a tyrant. Since this happened, devotees from different cultures mourn this tragedy annually in various ways. One of the most common ways that all cultures use is poetry, which is one of the original methods of expressing grief for Ashura and in line with the ancient Arab tradition of poetry.

In Shia teachings, the role of the poet is rather special, particularly a poet who writes or recites about the virtues and tragedies of Prophet Muhammad and his family (the Ahl-al-Bayt). It is difficult to compare the role to a similar one but perhaps akin to a Chazzan in the Jewish tradition. The job of the historian and journalist is to transmit the facts of what took place. However, the poet brings emotion and imagination lending to creation of hagiography. In Shia Hadith corpus, the divinely appointed Ahl-al-Bayt command poets to recite about what happened to Hussain on Ashura and also state that the one who makes people weep for Imam Hussain through poetry is guaranteed eternal Paradise. In Shia spirituality, crying and showing grief for Imam Hussain is a sign of the softness of the heart and is a means to atone for sins.

This brings me to Bassim Al Karbalai, an Iraqi reciter of poetry and a master of the art. He is referred to as the “Voice of Zahra” (in reference to Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima) as he transmits the tragedies that took place on the Ahl-al-Bayt through his recitations. He may not be a household name to many but has status of royalty amongst reciters and considered to have the greatest voice of all time by many. I have listened to his voice daily for most of my life, both externally and internally through my conscience. Although most of his poetry is written for him by poets, it is his voice that brings them to life and paint a picture in our minds of what took place to the Ahl-al-Bayt. Even though I cannot fully grasp the Arabic language, I understand what he is saying through the pain in his voice. I believe the language of Ashura is universal since grief is a common language all of humanity shares.

I have had the pleasure of listening to Bassim recite live in the last couple of years when he has come to London which was a dream come true in itself. However, I had the honour of meeting him recently through the kindness of someone who works with him. I got to meet the voice I listen to every single day, thank him and kiss his forehead (a customary way to honour someone). It remains the greatest moment of my life and inspired me to serve Imam Hussain further, the same way Bassim has for his whole life. Serving the cause of Imam Hussain is serving God, since Imam Hussain calls towards God. I choose to serve God through educating young people to practice wisdom and develop curiosity.

One of the 10 Obligatory Acts (Furu ad Din) in Shia teachings is Tawallah (to show nearness, love and devotion to the Ahl-al-Bayt) which is best done by remembering and honouring the memories of saints who have passed. Bassim is my means to performing this action daily – remembering the sacrifice of Imam Hussain which is what gives me life and motivation to educate others. Bassim inspires me because he delivers to me the beauty of Imam Hussain.

In times of hardship, it is natural for people to band together and use their sense of community to overcome challenges that they face. However, COVID-19 has kept communities of all sizes apart in a way that was previously unthinkable. The impact that the pandemic has had on communities across the globe has been life-changing, and this includes religious communities. As a part of a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course through Culham St Gabriel’s, I had the opportunity to research a topic of my choosing and I chose to research how the Muslim community and Eid celebrations have been affected by lockdowns.

For the UK, Eid ul-Fitr happened in the middle of the national lockdown. A celebration typically characterised by lavish festivities and families coming together to feast was instead celebrated as individual households, lacking the sense of community that is usually central to Eid ul-Fitr. A similar situation arose for the celebration of Eid ul-Adha, with Muslims having to celebrate in line with the relevant social distancing measures and also with the further restrictions imposed by the Health Secretary in Northern England on the eve of Eid ul-Adha. There were many adaptations that the celebrations underwent in order to go ahead, but the sense of community and celebration was not diminished because of these.

These issues and adaptations are not completely specific to the UK, with many Eid celebrations internationally being affected too. One of the biggest changes for this year was the restriction on how many Muslims would be allowed to take part in Hajj; even those who were permitted to go had to undergo quarantining prior to rituals and observe social distancing measures at all times. What is also common though is the praise that the Muslim community have received across the globe for their resolve and their compassion in this time of crisis. The respect for the government guidelines and protecting the wider community has been at the heart of the global Muslim community’s response to COVID-19 and is an excellent example that many could learn from.

In the midst of the pandemic and the lockdowns that so many people have found themselves in, it is very easy to forget that these same issues are having an effect on communities across the country and across the globe. It was enlightening and somewhat grounding to research how our global community has worked together to maintain a sense of togetherness. COVID-19 has of course caused celebrations such as those for Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha to be reshaped and reimagined quite dramatically. However, it is apparent that a new sense of community has been able to emerge in spite of the restrictions, and the sense of unity and understanding within the Muslim communities I studied was particularly inspiring. My research often provided a refreshing perspective on a situation that has caused such unhappiness and separation, and I think this would be incredibly valuable to consider in the classroom. Undoubtedly, COVID-19 will have an impact on students in either a physical or emotional capacity, and engaging in conversations about global communities’ reaction to the challenges they’ve faced may provide a sense of comfort and compassion that students have struggled to find at this time.

The old adage that ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ is undoubtedly true. The subjectivity of an image sparks individual moments of wonder, interpretation and understanding. And yet, the opportunities and realms of understanding that are opened up as we delve into the meaning(s), stories and origins of a word can be equally as illuminating.

I am a self-confessed etymology geek; I love learning about the origins of words and this fascination has been exacerbated by the wonderful podcast, Something Rhymes With Purple’ hosted by the walking lexicon Susie Dent, of Countdown fame and the exuberant spinner of yarns, Gyles Brandreth. From eggcorns to scurryfungers (you’ll definitely know some), the episodes left me feeling more knowledgeable about the world around me and, vitally, feeling like I could understand and interpret it in different ways.

And yet, I don’t know if I’d truly taken this intrigue into the RE classroom in an overt manner (apart from one of those ‘word-a-day’ calendars a few years ago!). Yes, I had made the link between incarnation and reincarnation and where the word ‘Christian’ came from, but no more than the obvious. That was until I came across this podcast.

As I walked, ran or drove and listened to the weekly instalments, I found myself becoming drawn to looking at the origins of many of the plethora key terms that I would teach across a week, especially to my GCSE groups. Take the topic of Crime & Punishment and the three aims of punishment outlined in the AQA specification. As I have spoken through deterrence, reformation and retribution, I found myself dwelling on the words themselves for longer than I had before, yet the results have justified the outlay.

With retribution, I may have previously resorted to a simplified, banal explanation of ‘get your own back’. Yet by delving into its origins, seeing how it emanated from the concept of “that which is given in return for past good or evil”, my students have been able to make quicker connections to which forms of punishment might therefore be seen as retribution, rather than the usual correct, yet simplistic, connection to being physically harmed as a punishment.

The same has been true in Key Stage 3. With my new Year 7s, as I sought to establish their varying previous knowledge, the concepts of monotheism and polytheism arose. By choosing to spend longer on these terms than I would have done previously (and making the, hopefully , memorable link to Monopoly), I immediately saw some sparks of realisation as connections were made to polygons, monorails and even atheism, as they also grasped the true meaning of theism, which was originally meant to be explored in a future lesson.

I have also already had students remark on how their understanding of terminology studied in RE has aided their learning in other subjects, especially in English and History, where religious or spiritual motifs and references are commonplace. Long may it continue!

And so, the journey continues; as I plan, rework and adapt lessons, I aim to continually challenge myself to talk about the words more, to delve deeper into their meanings and origins and to see how this opens up our wonderful subject in a different way. If I also create some etymology fanatics – which, by the way, has stronger religious connotations than you might think – then great!

‘Once upon a time,’ four seemingly ordinary words, but, whenever spoken together have the power to transport the listener to far-away worlds, and on thrilling adventures. Yet, these words tend to stay in our childhood, belonging rather to the primary school, than a secondary Religious Studies classroom.  So, it was with great surprise that my MA research led me to discover that teenagers are still inspired by, and want to learn through the power of a story.

My MA research took the form of a social action research project, which was conducted in collaboration with a group of Year 10 students.  Together we explored the intent, implementation and impact of RS within our secondary school in York, specifically focusing on a Scheme of Work on Holocaust Education.  Baumfield (2012:206) comments that pedagogy builds the bridge between the curriculum and the learner.  So, together, through a group interview, the students and myself explored pedagogical strategies, and discussed how they wanted to be taught in RS; what would engage them in their studies and inspire them to want to learn.

These students consistently referred to wanting RS to be relevant to their lives.  When asked how they thought they should be taught, all of the students preferred activities which were more creative and engaging, with one student stating that RS was about real people, so should be made about real life.  Consistently, all the participating students leaned towards a more experiential learning style; they wanted RS to be something more than facts in a textbook which has no relevance to them, but rather something more tangible that they could relate to.

The perception of experiential learning is often that it needs to be something exciting and out of the ordinary.  However, Brand (2013) suggests various experiential activities which can be completed within the classroom.  Certainly, one of the findings discussed within my research, which has personally fascinated me and had the biggest impact on my own teaching, is the use of stories as part of experiential learning. Pelupessy-Wowor (2016:102) comments that human-beings are story tellers; we have a natural disposition to interpret our experience into a story, meaning that consequently the use of a story is a universal teaching aid (McNett 2016:185-186), which engages students (Yogan 2020:2).   The use of storytelling is not a new concept, with McNett (2016:188) suggesting that when trying to teach a large topic or event, frame it around one key figure; teach it through their story. Student G commented that ‘listening to someone made it real.’  The students agreed that by listening to a real-life story about something, it makes it relatable and real. For example, hearing how someone felt whilst completed Hajj makes it more understandable, than just learning the stages of Hajj and being able to regurgitate it for an exam.  As an RS teacher, I do not just want students to learn facts, I want them to be engaged, challenged and inspired.

Obviously, this does not come without its dangers, as Stern (2006:21-22) comments there is a danger that when using dialogue in teaching, it can turn into a monologue.  A story is from one perspective, so whilst I may use a story to frame a topic, it is done critically through using other stories and factual evidence, to try to ensure fairmindedness.  However, rather than this being a concern, I have found this generates more debate; exploring how one event can have different interpretations; how one religion leads to many individual faiths.

The educationalist Hywel Roberts (www.createlearninspire.co.uk) has coined the term ‘botheredness.’  Explaining that most students will be engaged with their studies because they are conscientious and want to do well.  However, if teachers can get students to be bothered by their subject, to see a relevance beyond a GCSE grade, then their motivation increases and consequently their progress is enhanced.  I have found that the use of a story to share experience and feelings, makes students bothered. Religion is not merely a fact to be learnt, but for millions of people around the world is a lived reality.  For students to engage in its study, they must be inspired, they must have something tangible that they themselves can experience and relate to. So, whilst I may not use the words ‘Once upon a time’ I am finding myself asking ‘are you sat comfortably, the story is about to begin…’

Baumfield, V (2012) ‘Pedagogy’ in Barnes, p, (ed) Debates in Religious Education. Oxon:Routledge. Pp 205-212.

Brand, N (2013) ‘Learning from the Past, Building for the Future’ in Journal of Museum Education. 38:3. Pp 298-307.

McNett, G (2016) ‘Using Stories to Facilitate Learning’ in College Teaching. 64:4. Pp 184-193.

Pelupessy-Wowor, J (2016), ‘The Role of Religious Education in Promoting Religious Freedon: A Mutual Enrichment Between ‘’My Story,’’ ‘’Your Story,’’ and ‘’Our Stories,’’’ in The Review of Faith & International Affairs. 14:4. Pp 98-106.

Stern, J (2006), Teaching Religious Education. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Yogan, L (2020) ‘Where are All the Happy Stories? The Role of Positive Stories in Teaching and Curriculum Design’ in Sociological Focus. 53:1 pp 1-9.

Reflexivity as a learning process is a focus needed in all RE classrooms to develop learners who can become critical interpreters of the world. Reflexivity is defined as the “reinterpretation of oneself, having considered the ‘other’, with awareness of one’s own distinctiveness heightened by the encounter of the other” (Freathy and John, 2019). In the conscious active development of self, reflexivity encourages pupils to become active participants of this pluralist modernity which has been called ‘post secular’ by scholars such as Radford (2019) and Boeve (2019).

Having reflexivity as a focus during lesson planning is likely to make the teacher aware of their own biases. It is probably not wise to deem one’s pedagogy as entirely objective, irrespective of how a teacher might be critical in their pedagogy (Cooling, 2020: 411). Striving to create learners who are reflexive will create a learning space which promotes a critical hermeneutic approach to all knowledge including the unconscious moments where teachers share their views.

A teacher seeking to create reflexivity in RE can approach it from different angles including art, where pupils create their interpretation of a knowledge that has been presented to them with the help of prompt questions or a thinking criteria. It can also be done orally, in classroom vocal debates or silent debates. The depth of evaluative essay writing is also a way of promoting reflexive learning. Pupils can at times be told to argue in writing or vocally against the view they personally hold to encourage them to reflect on their own views/ biases and those of others. It is however very important to make the knowledge being studied very relevant to the everyday life of pupils.

For reflexivity to happen the classroom must also be a safe haven where pupils must feel comfortable to allow themselves to be creative and evaluative. There has to be a relationship with pupils. Irrespective of the opposition they might face, there has to be a culture of respect and freedom to speak without being judged. Pupils must know they must respect others if they want to be respected. A mantra that can be a classroom law.

It is important to realise that the process of reflexivity takes time and as a RE teacher it needs to be an intention. Reflexivity will not only fulfil the assessment criteria’s for exam boards such as AQA and Edexcel; but it encourages learners to develop from their learning. It is possible that their personal views will change or become stronger, but yet evolved forming their educated views. Pupils will seek to learn for life long and they will naturally become curious participants of our world. Having it as teaching and learning intention in RE will not only encourage open-mindedness but a deep desire to allow one’s self to thrive and commune with and alongside others who are different because of the education and richness it brings. This skill and attitude reflexivity births is very much needed in our globalised modern 21^st century.

Bibliography

Boeve. L (2019) Faith in dialogue: the Christian voice in the catholic dialogue school, International Studies in Catholic Education, 11:1, 37-50, DOI: 10.1080/19422539.2018.1561132

Cooling. T (2020) Worldview in religious education: autobiographical reflections on The Commission on Religious Education in England final report, British Journal of Religious Education, 42:4, 403-414, DOI: 10.1080/01416200.2020.1764497

Freathy. R & Helen C. John. H C (2019) Religious Education, Big Ideas and the study of religion(s) and worldview(s), British Journal of Religious Education, 41:1, 27-40, DOI: 10.1080/01416200.2018.1500351

Radford. M (2012) Faith and reason in a post secular age, Journal of Beliefs & Values, 33:2, 229-240, DOI: 10.1080/13617672.2012.694065

In spring we had the same meeting that many departments had before the A Level reforms came in to play.  Which religion were we going to teach? Should we teach Buddhism- being so close to the London Buddhist Centre and with staff expertise in the area? Should we teach Christianity- which was guaranteed to have a textbook? Or should we teach the religion that the majority of our students adhere to- Islam?

We had some year 13 A Level students in a room nearby working late, so we asked them for their opinion. “Oh no, you can’t do Islam at A Level- It’s too challenging to study your own religion… It makes you think way too hard!” As their Year 13 teacher, I took it as a compliment that my teaching had made them think.  Their comments tipped the balance for us to go with Islam.

That summer we got hold of as many sources as possible and went back to studying like undergraduates. We knew it would be tough, but we had until the Spring term the following year to prepare. The summer holidays were spent reading, and the autumn term planning lessons and resources.

As a department we were still getting to grips with the GCSE reforms, there were times I wished we had gone with Christianity- so that I could pull a text-book of the shelf, and use my own subject knowledge to teach it. But having taught the Fundamentalism A2 course, which came with very little guidance and no specific resources, I had already been through something similar. It went from being the scariest thing I taught to my favourite lesson each week, as it was something I knew from the original sources and I had created all my teaching resources from scratch.

By the end of the year, Developments in Islamic Thought was my new favourite- and in that first round of exams it was the unit our students achieved most highly in.  It transformed how I taught the subject at GCSE, and whilst I was annoyed initially with the timing so close to the GCSE reforms, I have to admit I’m glad they both came in at a similar time. The year was intense, but I loved having debates on Islamic Theology across the office table at lunch with my colleagues and having mind-blown moments myself when I was expecting only the students to.

If your department is facing a similar choice at the moment, and you’re concerned about not having a textbook for your chosen religion here are my tips and reassurances, having been in that same position myself.

Collaborate with your colleagues– although we taught separate parts of the course, planning with my colleagues was an absolute game changer. If you are teaching and planning it alone- reach out on social media, you will find someone else in the same boat as you to bounce ideas off of. I made a Facebook group for Islam at A Level teachers so that I could find other people to share ideas with.

Teach each other what you are learning– in our fortnightly key stage 5 meetings we taught each other 15 Minute sessions on what we were planning and teaching- this helped us all to see the bigger picture of the unit, and helped our students with making those synoptic links across the religion topics as well as the Philosophy and Ethics units we taught.

Connect with faith members, ex-faith members, representatives and communities– either in person, or online- see how the theory matches up to the lived experience of what you are teaching. This helped me to bring the wordy sources to life as well as give points for debate and evaluation to my students.

Communicate with your exam board– let them know that you are teaching the religion- it will encourage them to offer more training, more resources and more support for others too. We found our exam board really helpful in answering questions and directing us to more clarification for tricky content matters.

Have confidence in your ability as a learner– as teachers we hope to foster a lifelong love of learning in our students, and this was a great opportunity for me to return to learning. Except this time round I learned in a far more focused and fine-tuned way than I ever managed as an undergraduate.

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Many teachers will be able to empathise with me when I begin my ‘Inspired by….’ story with the panic of having arranged an outside speaker to present to the whole of Year 9 who pulled out a few days before!

Our proposed speaker was a Holocaust survivor who I had arranged through the Holocaust Education Trust. We had been very fortunate to host a survivor at my school for several years in a row, including Rudi Oppenheimer, Ruth Barnett and Joanna Millan. It was inevitable that one day the visitor would not be able to attend due to illness. But, I had 200 Year 9 pupils prepared for the talk and numerous colleagues who were looking forward to both listening at the back of the assembly hall and to not teaching Year 9 that day!

Five days before the scheduled date I began phoning all the contacts I had trying to find a replacement who would be able to travel to my school in the West Midlands. A very helpful member of staff at the Holocaust Education Trust gave me the number of Mrs Mindu Hornick. He knew she was a survivor of Auschwitz and she lived in Birmingham, but he did not know if she had spoken of her experiences before, especially to a school group.

Between lessons, I rang the number not knowing who would answer or what I would say.

Mindu answered, “Hello?”

I began, “Good morning, my name is Rebecca, and I teach RE in a local school. We were expecting a Holocaust survivor to come and speak to Year 9 next week, but he has pulled out due to ill health. I wonder if you might be able to come and talk to 200 enthusiastic and interested pupils about your experiences of Auschwitz?”

“I have not visited a school before and I am still trying to get my story into a coherent presentation”.

[So that isn’t a ‘no’. I thought] “My pupils aren’t bothered about a neat presentation, they would just love to meet you.”

“Would I be able to bring two friends from the Synagogue to accompany me?”

Whoop! And so began Mindu’s service to educating pupils about the Holocaust in many schools across the West Midlands, including 5 years visiting my own school.

Mindu Hornick is an incredible woman. She will cause a rowdy group of Year 9 pupils to be awe-struck and show deep respect. Her story of survival is astonishing and pupils fall into a revered silence listening to her voice.

In 2015 I moved into Higher Education, after 20 years in the secondary RE classroom. Mindu was delighted for me and when I asked if she would speak on Holocaust Memorial Day to staff and students at the University of Worcester, she immediately accepted. Once again, she gripped the lecture theatre which was filled, standing room only.

Little did I know at the time that a number of staff in the room were so inspired by Mindu’s far-reaching work within West Midland schools that shortly afterwards she was nominated for an Honorary Doctorate for her work to educate young people about the Holocaust. She received her Doctorate in Worcester Cathedral on 8^th November 2018 and you can read the citation here.

Following this well-deserved achievement, I worked with the Vice Chancellor’s office at the University of Worcester to nominate Mindu for a New Year Honours. In December 2019, Mindu was awarded an MBE for her work on Holocaust education and commemoration. A BBC news report about this is here.

Mindu receives all thanks, praise and admiration with her usual modesty and humility. She makes everyone she meets feel valued and has time to answer questions from pupils. She responds honestly, patiently and positively leaving her audience with a sense of wonder at her survival and also with hope for a brighter future. It is my privilege to call this inspiring woman a friend.

You can find out more about Mindu’s story by watching this episode of HARDtalk, filmed in January 2020, where she is interviewed by Stephen Sackur.