Connections Quarterly Winter 2018 - World Religions | Page 10

B EIN G A F O R CE FO R CHANGE
Continued from page 7
their world while also preserving some of their
childhood innocence and their belief in the
principles of the America we know and love.
Part of a necessary toolkit for any school to
broaden understanding of the rich diversity
within our world is the inclusion of a world
religions class or program. According to Mark
Wallace, Professor of Religion at Swarthmore
College, “Serious study of the world’s reli-
gions inculcates unique cultural sensitivities
among students.” Such programs enrich our
students’ knowledge of beliefs and practices
that impact the ways our friends and neigh-
bors live every day.
Additionally, a new study by CMRubinWorld
and Top Global Teachers notes that finding
common ground with fellow students has
become a crucial global competence, espe-
cially as migration is increasing our cultural
and social diversity. Students’ ability to cope
in this world full of differences will determine
how well they will thrive in society.
It is not enough, however, to simply impart
knowledge. A spirit of respect and appre-
ciation for one another must accompany
the learning to truly foster an environment
that values our differences and affirms our
shared values. In this way, we can reduce
the risk of creating a sense of “the other” and
promoting our sense of common humanity.
We live, love, celebrate, and mourn in ways
that can be both comfortingly similar and
uniquely different. Helping students foster
better understanding is one of the most ef-
fective tools against racism and hatred.
Page 8 Winter 2018

“...finding common ground
with fellow students has be-
come a crucial global compe-
tence, especially as migration
is increasing our cultural and
social diversity. Students’ abil-
ity to cope in this world full of
differences will determine how
well they will thrive in society.”
At New Horizon, we take our comparative
religion classes one step further. We incor-
porate an interfaith program with the goals
of promoting mutual love, respect, and un-
derstanding for people of other faiths and
developing attitudes and actions that help
create a more peaceful world.
Our program begins in fourth grade and
uses the California Social Studies focus on
the missions of California as a stepping
stone to discuss Christianity with students.
Teachers discuss the similarities and differ-
ences between Islam and Christianity and
emphasize the importance of showing re-
spect in their visit to a local mission.
The California Social Studies standards con-
tinue in grades six and seven to serve as a
catalyst for discussions on the religions and
philosophies of Buddhism, Hinduism, and
Taoism, and our seventh graders visit a Bud-
dhist temple.
For the past twelve years, New Horizon’s fifth
and sixth graders join in a fellowship of song at
the Daniel Pearl World Music Concert with stu-
CSEE Connections