Connecting RE teaching with the environmental crisis

The RE:Connect Teacher Fellowship Programme is designed to help deepen teachers’ understanding and confidence for exploring the environmental crisis through the lens of religions and worldviews in RE. The programme is not just about getting ideas, but also enhancing your teaching practice and professional network around this theme.

After a successful pilot of the programme in 2021-22, RE:Connect will be running again from September 2023, thanks to a grant from the Culham St Gabriel’s Trust. There are places for up to 10 teachers of RE (primary and secondary) on the 6 month teacher fellowship programme.

The initiative is run by Dr Jeremy Kidwell, Associate Professor in Theological Ethics at the University of Birmingham and Dr Ian Jones of St Peter’s Saltley Trust, with input from experienced primary and secondary specialists, environmental scientists, climate activists and academic researchers in religion and environment.
The programme offers opportunities to:

• Deepen subject knowledge on the intersection of religion and ecology
• Work with cutting-edge subject specialists on religious ethics/practice, ecology, and climate change
  policy
• Work as part of a supportive and dynamic team to create and trial new approaches and resources
  for teaching on this theme
• Become a champion for teaching and learning on religion and environmental crisis

The Teacher Fellowship Programme involves monthly workshops from Autumn 2023 to Spring 2024, with tasks to undertake between workshops. Programme sessions will include one fully-funded weekend residential and 6-8 online evening sessions (roughly one per month). There is no cost of participation to the teacher or their school and Fellows receive a bursary of £500 to cover costs of participation plus travel expenses to enable attendance at in-person sessions.

To hear from a teacher on the pilot project read Stephanie’s blog

Interested?

Please contact Ian Jones (director@saltleytrust.org.uk) to register your interest. Selection for the programme is by a formal application process.