Useful Resources for Educators

Click here for a PDF version of this list.

Resources on Religion in the Schools

ADL- Religion in the Public School 

•    http://www.adl.org/religion_ps_2004/
•    The ADL’s handbook about the place of religion in the school systems.  This online handbook covers various topics like; “Prayer in Public School,” “Religion in the Curriculum,” and other useful topics.

First Amendment Center: Religious Liberty in Public Schools

•    http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/rel_liberty/publicschools/index.aspx
•    The First Amendment Center’s website on religious liberty in public schools and the importance of teaching about religion in the social studies curriculum.  This website also gives information on what to do during the holiday season, student religious practices, evolution and creation and other useful resources.

Finding Common Ground-Online Book 

•    http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=3979
•    Online version of the book, Finding Common Ground, by Charles Hayes and Oliver Thomas.  The book is a guide to teaching religion in the public school system.

Maintain Neutrality

•    http://www.tolerance.org/activity/maintain-neutrality
•    This site gives information and resources on schools teaching about religious tolerance.

Diversity Council

•    http://www.diversitycouncil.org/midActivities.shtml
•    This site gives lessons plans on diversity and making the most out of your culturally diverse classroom. 

Teaching about Religion: in support of civil pluralism

•    http://www.worldvieweducation.org/
•    This site is dedicated to giving educators information on teaching in an increasingly diverse classroom.  The site offers “World View” charts that give basic information on specific world views; such as, Christianity, Sikhism, Islam and many other religions.  They also give free lesson plans.

Council of Europe- Religious Diversity and Intercultural Education: A Reference Book for Schools

 •http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/edc/Source/Pdf/Coordinators/2006_14_CDED_ReligiousDiversity.pdf
• PDF form of the Council of Europe’s book Religious Diversity and Intercultural Education: A Reference Book for Schools.  Although this book is to be used in European schools, it can be particularly helpful to educators in the United States as well. 

American Academy of Religions- Guidelines for Teaching About Religion in K-12 Public Schools in the United States

 •http://www.aarweb.org/Publications/Online_Publications/Curriculum_Guidelines/AARK-12CurriculumGuidelines.pdf
•  The American Academy of Religions set a number of guidelines for teaching about religion in the public school system.  The guidelines help to end illiteracy about religions, which will ultimately help end prejudices towards people of different faiths and will promote the academic study of religion.

Journal of Religion and Education

•    http://www.uni.edu/coe/jrae/
•    Online journal dedicated to advancing the public’s awareness on religion and education.

Tools for Teaching, Diversity and Complexity in the Classroom: Considerations or Race, Ethnicity, and Gender

•    http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/diversity.html
•    From the University of California-Berkley, this site lends tips on creating a bias free classroom from Barbara Gross Davis’ book Tools for Teaching.  This site gives general tactics to create a bias free and culturally diverse classroom, as well as strategies to get rid of stereotypes already established in the classroom.

Resources on Religion

The Gallup Coexist Index 2009: A Global Study of Interfaith Relations

•    http://www.gallup.com/poll/118273/Canada-Show-Interfaith-Cohesion-Europe.aspx
•    The results from the 2009 Gallup survey concerning interfaith relations around the world.

The Association of Religious Data Archives

•    http://www.thearda.com/
•    The ARDA gives the most up-to-date data on religion.  The association was originally developed for researchers in the field of religion, but has now created different features for educators, journalists and religious congregations. 

TeacherServe

•    http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/
•    This site gives information on the history of religion in the United States, from the 17th century up to the present.

Religious Education Online (UK Site)

 •    http://www.reonline.org.uk/
•    This site gives resources for teacher and students on different religions.  The site includes fun, interactive pages with information concerning different religions, an audio guide to religious terms, a photo bank of religious pictures and more useful topics.

BBC Religion

 •    http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
•    The BBC Religion website gives information on many of the world’s religions and spiritual beliefs. 

Teacher Vision

Membership is required for this site, however, they give members lesson plans and activities on a variety of topics, including; diversity, religion, and specific religious holidays.   
•    http://www.teachervision.fen.com/diversity/teacher-resources/33631.html

Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

•    http://pewforum.org/
•    The Pew Forum conducts research and collects data on important religious topics in the United States. 

 Books

How to be a Perfect Stranger: the Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook, by Stuart M. Matlins and Arthur J. Magida, 4th Edition (December 2006 – Skylight Paths Publishing)
•    http://www.amazon.com/How-Perfect-Stranger-Essential-Religious/dp/1594731403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297448551&sr=8-1

Handbook of Living Religions: Second Edition, by John R. Hinnells
•    http://www.amazon.com/New-Penguin-Handbook-Living-Religions/dp/0140514805/ref=pd_sim_b_7

Multicultural and Diversity Education: A Reference Handbook, by Peter Michael Applebaum
•    http://books.google.com/books?id=ZgNc-ycrzgsC&printsec=frontcover&cd=1&source=gbs_ViewAPI#v=onepage&q&f=false

Multicultural Education: Issues and Perpectives, Seventh Edition, by James A. Banks and Cherry A. McGee Banks
•    http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=e1ITbOA2jhQC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=religious+diversity+in+education&ots=8wk4UzNUM8&sig=bh--vYMn58NB9SRAjkIbXpTDfUE#v=onepage&q&f=false

Taking Religion Seriously Across the Curriculum. Haynes, Charles C., Nord. Warren A.-1998 
•    http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Religion-Seriously-Across-Curriculum/dp/0871203189

The Role of Religion in 21st-Century Public Schools. Ed. Steven P. Jones and Eric C. Sheffield-2009
•    http://www.amazon.com/Religion-Century-Public-Schools-Counterpoints/dp/1433107643/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297461580&sr=1-1-fkmr0

Religion and Spirituality in the Public School Curriculum by Ronald D. Anderson- 2004
•    http://www.amazon.com/Religion-Spirituality-Public-School-Curriculum/dp/0820458074/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297461668&sr=1-5