‘I will do it but religion is a very personal thing’: teacher education applicants’ attitudes towards teaching religion in Ireland

Abstract

There has been extensive research internationally describing teachers' homogenous socio-demographic backgrounds and critiquing the associated equity and diversity issues, most especially with regard to ethnicity and gender, and to a lesser extent, social class and disability. Yet, teachers' religious affiliations and/or convictions have rarely been explored. Since ninety-six per cent of state primary schools in Ireland are denominational, considering religious diversity in teaching is both critically important and a complex undertaking. This paper examines primary initial teacher education applicants' religiosity, and views of teaching religion, in Ireland. Our data suggest low levels of religious practice and religiosity among ITE applicants, many of whom would prefer to teach religion using a non-confessional approach. The paper raises critical questions regarding the experiences, constitutional rights and professional practice of increasingly secular and/or non-practicing Catholic teacher cohorts in a predominantly Catholic primary education system that has survived the trend towards progressive 'unchurching' of Europe.

Gender in initial teacher education: entry patterns, intersectionality and a dialectic rationale for diverse masculinities in schooling

“…Qualitative data were analysed thematically, grouping similar descriptions (for example attitudes towards teaching religion, main reasons for choosing a teaching career) into categories (Heinz, Davison, and Keane 2018;Keane and Heinz 2016).…”

“…DITE explores compositions of primary and post-primary teacher education applicants and entrants across state-funded initial teacher education (ITE) providers in Ireland. To date, the project team has examined the participation, career motivations and experiences of various under-represented groups, including people from minority ethnic Heinz 2015, 2016) and/or minorityreligious (Heinz, Davison, and Keane 2018) and/or lower socio-economic backgrounds (Heinz, Keane, and Foley 2017;Lynch 2018, 2020), people with disabilities (Keane, Heinz, and Eaton 2018) and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community (Heinz, Keane, and Davison 2017). Analyses have confirmed the homogeneity of the Irish teaching body which has been predominantly White, Irish, and female, with significant under-representation from a range of minority and/or socially disadvantaged groups.…”

Religious Values and Educational Norms among Catholic and Protestant Teachers in Hungary

“…In some education systems, teachers who work at denominational schools are strictly required to adhere to the school's religious principles; otherwise, they can be dismissed as their opinions might contradict the school's ethos (Heinz et al 2018). On the other hand, the question is whether one's religious faith or the lack of it-or any other conviction-should surface in class and whether it influences the teaching process.…”

Wellbeing in the Irish Junior Cycle: the potential of Religious Education

“…26% of young people in this age group say they never attend a religious service (7). A study by Heinz et al (2018) also found low levels of religious practice and religiosity among young people in Ireland. Since at least the beginning of this millennium, adolescents in England who regularly attend and participate in religious activities are minority among their peers (Kay and Francis, 2001).…”