Abstract
Integral to the Life Orientation curriculum is democracy and human right. This article contends that considering human rights cannot simply be a theoretical exercise as the implementation thereof affects lived human experience. Currently held narratives of lived experience need to be dialogically explored. Integrally linked to any such exploration is the identity of the explorer. It can be said that individuals are made to varying degrees by systems and networks of power in society, including dominant discourses. However, they also have the capacity, by exercising individual agency, to make themselves according to the way in which they respond to the intersections that shape identity, including ethnicity, culture, class, religion, gender, sexual orientation and so forth. This article seeks to explore teacher identity and, in particular, teacher religious identity, with a view to transformed Religion Education. The argument is made for Life Orientation teachers to negotiate their religious identity from a position of ‘religious identity paralysis’ or ‘religious identity paradox’ or even ‘religious identity flexibility’ to one of ‘religious identity transformation’. Both in-service and pre-service teachers participated in the studies informing this article.
Highlights
Human rights issues are embedded in the teaching-learning of democratic values as outlined in the ‘Manifesto of Values, Education and Democracy’.1 Included in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Life Orientation (LO) (Grades 7–12)[2] are the topics: Constitutional rights and responsibilities (Grades 7–9) and Democracy and Human Rights (Grades 10–12)
Teachers identifying with a particular religion that is more exclusive in nature, struggled the most.[8,20]
Pre-service teachers need to consider the juxtaposition between what is envisaged by the Religion and Education Policy[6] and their personal religious identity
Summary
Human rights issues are embedded in the teaching-learning of democratic values as outlined in the ‘Manifesto of Values, Education and Democracy’.1 Included in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Life Orientation (LO) (Grades 7–12)[2] are the topics: Constitutional rights and responsibilities (Grades 7–9) and Democracy and Human Rights (Grades 10–12). This article seeks to explore teacher identity, in particular, in relation to the human right to freedom of religion, with a focus on Religion Education (RE), located within the LO curriculum. The findings that support the arguments for unpacking the religious identity of the RE teacher are drawn largely from two localised research projects[8,9] undertaken by the author in 2008 and 2012 These projects were located within two largescale international projects facilitated by HREiD in (2004–2008 and 2009–2012).[10,11] HREiD is a South African research group established in 2000, focusing on human rights and Human Rights Education in multicultural societies. This can lead to religious identity transformation and contribute to the RE teacher’s professional capital.[19]
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