PD for Staff - Mission

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF

The Vision Statement for Anglican Schools in the Diocese of Brisbane encourages the provision of staff who model the Christian life and ethos of the school and have access to professional development. The Anglican Schools Commission provides a range of seminars to fulfil this statement.

These seminars explore topics of importance to the spiritual life and ethos of Anglican schools. Each interactive session is 90 minutes and includes time for input, discussion, as well as question and answer.

To book a seminar contact: Richard Browning
3835 2289 | richard.browning@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Reading the Bible Intelligently: An Introduction

The Bible is the foundation document for Christians, but for some people, it is confusing and hard to understand. This seminar will explore key information and ideas for understanding the Bible, including its history, structure, and genres. Participants will gain a basis for approaching and understanding the Bible as a complex document and a simple methodology for going deeper. A comprehensive list of resources for use in and out of the classroom will be provided.

Finding God in Popular Culture

Research suggests that students’ preference for visual styles of learning extends to learning through the narratives of film and TV. Combine this fact with the rise of prominent spiritual themes in Pop culture and the recipe for education is clear. In this workshop, participants will explore facets of the collision between spirituality and cinema. By examining a number of movies and TV shows, looking at resources on pop culture and identifying numerous pedagogic strategies, teachers will gain skills for use in the religious education classroom and beyond.

All the Pieces: the Spiritual Ecology of Australian Students

The spiritual development of young people is shaped by a range of influences emerging from the interconnected contexts they live in. These contexts include school, family and community, as well as wider social and cultural spheres. This seminar will explore some of the key influences and trends in the world of young people and consider the potential they have to shape young people’s ideas and perception of religion and spirituality in 21st century Australia.

Strategies for Working with Diversity

An Anglican ethos for schools acknowledges and accepts diversity but this raises many questions. If we work in an environment based on Christian ideas, how should we treat other ways of seeing the world? Other faith traditions? In this workshop participants will be introduced to simple strategies for working with diversity that encourage the strengthening of community. These proven methods are easy to grasp
but revolutionary in effect and can be used by all staff.

Anglicanism in a Nutshell

An integral part of an Anglican school is the expression of its ethos, grounded in the life and faith of the Anglican Church. But what is Anglicanism? Can it be described in simple terms? This workshop will consider some of the key features of the Anglican ethos and what the church is all about. In addition to this, participants will engage in an exploration of how the important principles of Anglicanism might be more fully expressed in the life of the school.

The Bible : Key Themes and a Drama in Six Acts

The Bible, as the foundational text for the Christian faith is woven into the art, literature and music of Western society. Many people today, however, have lost touch with the themes and narratives that stretch across this library of books. This seminar seeks to provide participants with two different ways of thinking about the big story of the Bible. The first by exploring it as a drama that unfolds in a number of acts starting at creation. The second by considering some of the themes that continually appear throughout the Bible.

Christian Values in the Classroom

Many schools have embraced values and character education in the last decade. Christian schools in particular have promoted the importance of their own values. These values, however, have at times become disconnected from the stories and theology they are grounded in. This seminar will explore some of the key Christian values, their connection with scripture and a variety of approaches for exploring and developing them in the classroom

Exploring Faith in the Classroom

Religion and spirituality pervade all aspects of life in the 21st Century despite the increasing secularisation of society. Every subject explored in Australian schools has some connection with religious beliefs or ethics. This raises the question: Should religion be considered across the curriculum? This seminar explores how issues of faith may be raised in the classroom in ways that are relevant, meaningful and natural.