1. Symbols and rituals help us express and celebrate events and times in our lives
Students will learn:
- about the symbols and rituals we use in everyday life
- to explore the symbols and rituals used in everyday life
Symbols speak to our imagination, our senses, our emotions, in fact to the whole person. Life is full of symbols and rituals. We use them for a wide range of experiences from the ordinary to the special events in our lives. In greeting each other we shake hands, kiss, hug. We may have particular ways of doing things. The things we have, the things around us may be symbols with rich meaning to us. Symbols and rituals are all around us, often they are taken for granted.
Symbols have unlimited meaning and can carry different interpretations simultaneously. Some symbols reach the imagination of a community that has a shared understanding and shared meaning. They have a broader meaning than signs, which are usually fairly definite.
This unit content prepares students to explore the sacramental symbols and rituals in Confirmation. While it is an important section it should be a short section. The topic of symbols and rituals is also covered in the unit ‘We Celebrate the Sacraments’ (5.7).
Retrieved from CEO Sydney, 2013.
- about the symbols and rituals we use in everyday life
- to explore the symbols and rituals used in everyday life
Symbols speak to our imagination, our senses, our emotions, in fact to the whole person. Life is full of symbols and rituals. We use them for a wide range of experiences from the ordinary to the special events in our lives. In greeting each other we shake hands, kiss, hug. We may have particular ways of doing things. The things we have, the things around us may be symbols with rich meaning to us. Symbols and rituals are all around us, often they are taken for granted.
Symbols have unlimited meaning and can carry different interpretations simultaneously. Some symbols reach the imagination of a community that has a shared understanding and shared meaning. They have a broader meaning than signs, which are usually fairly definite.
This unit content prepares students to explore the sacramental symbols and rituals in Confirmation. While it is an important section it should be a short section. The topic of symbols and rituals is also covered in the unit ‘We Celebrate the Sacraments’ (5.7).
Retrieved from CEO Sydney, 2013.
These common signs and symbols can be used to introduce students to basic everyday symbols prior to analysing religious signs associated with confirmation. Being the first unit content within the unit, pedagogical wise these resources reflect more of a remember and understand approach when considering Blooms Taxonomy.
These images are great starting points as they provide a variety of different contexts, not all religious so students can relate to their own experiences, this building the field. When teaching signs and symbols teachers need be cautious and mindful as it is a controversial topic area. Some convey sign and symbol as one not two separate entities as Cooke highlights "All symbols can be classified as signs." (2009). Whereas other literature debates that symbols serve to 'represent' other things and that signs are messages with meaning.
These images are great starting points as they provide a variety of different contexts, not all religious so students can relate to their own experiences, this building the field. When teaching signs and symbols teachers need be cautious and mindful as it is a controversial topic area. Some convey sign and symbol as one not two separate entities as Cooke highlights "All symbols can be classified as signs." (2009). Whereas other literature debates that symbols serve to 'represent' other things and that signs are messages with meaning.
These images of common rituals can be used to help students identify important rituals they are involved in with their families and in the school community. In relation to Blooms Taxonomy these images encourage students apply their previous knowledge and own experiences in relating personal rituals while exploring this topic. Issues with using these images that could arise: students forgetting that in terms of religious education rituals require prayer, nurturing our relationship with God and engaging with various scriptures. However these images of simple day to day rituals allow for students to grasp the idea of what ritual ultimately means. Just be cautious to add in the rituals in church and what that involve.
This below video of The Last Supper can also be used in the classroom to remind and model to students of a crucial religious ritual. This resource is also beneficial as it highlights that not all rituals associated with religion are sacraments. This video, being a visual and ICT based resource supports constructivist educational teaching methods as opposed to rote learning and just reading about The Last Supper.