We were delighted to recently welcome Charlotte and Peter Vardy to Edge Hill to spend a day with a postgraduate and third year undergraduate RE students and a small number of school based patrners, helping them think about how to teach RS to pupils in the sixth form.

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The day began with a discussion of the proposed changes to the GCSE and A-level content which have been proposed, followed by an introductory session considering what is truth and what this means in a post-modern age. After a break came two weighty sessions led by Charlotte Vardy explaining some tried and tested approaches to teaching the Design Argument and the  Cosmological Argument.  Students and teachers were able to improve their knowledge and understanding of the arguments, becoming more confident in their teaching.

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After lunch Dr Peter Vardy considered how to teach the problems of Evil and Suffering, considering the fundamental philosophical issues it raises about truth, human freedom and responsibility, before Charlotte Vardy explored Utilitarianism, considering what differentiates between mediocre teaching from excellent teaching in relation to this topic.

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The thought provoking day ended with a final Peter Vardy session discussing Natural Law and Sexual Ethics.  This was a mentally taxing day which was made much easier by the energy and enthusiasm of the speakers and has enabled students to be ready and confident to teach these topics during the Post 16 elements of  their teaching placements.  The school based partners were equally pleased to have been able to attend and leave having considered how to improve their teaching of A level.

“Thanks for a informative, educational day” – Glynn, teacher of A level RS in a partner school.

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