In late July in Alice Springs, over 100 people gathered from across Australia at the Edge of the Sacred conference to deepen their connection to the land as part of an authentic Australian spirituality.  Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AO taught how to ‘listen to the land’ while David Tacey and Sarah Bachelard reflected on reconciliation and reimagining Australia as our ‘spiritual home.’ You can listen to excerpts on ABC The Spirit of Things and read more about insights from the Conference here.

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Issue 35 – May 2016 Dialogue Australasia Journal 

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285 teachers & hundreds of senior students attended one of Robert Kirkwood’s Australasian workshops in March 2016.  Special thanks to those schools and teachers who hosted Rob.

• Additional resources from Rob’s PD workshops have been added to Dropbox for participants to access.  Please contact the DAN EO if you have any queries about this.
• You can order Rob’s latest book ‘The Only Way is Ethics’ online at:  http://www.sparksintheclassroom.org.uk    Books are sold in packs of 5 for $100 AUD, and delivery takes 3-4 days.

Rob giving a Student Workshop at Wesley College, South Perth, 15 March 2016

‘I thought it was so interesting to consider that we never really put our own culture and assumed religion under the microscope, while being sceptical about the religions and philosophies of other cultures…’

Yr 10 Student

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ABOUT DAN

Established in 2002, Dialogue Australasia Network (DAN) is an exciting and important initiative arising from a commitment to teach Religion and Philosophy with intellectual rigour and contemporary relevance in Australasian schools. We have over 300 members from Independent, Catholic and Government schools and Educational Bodies in Australia and New Zealand.

DAN’s PURPOSE is to help young people become more fully human by nuturing and promoting the development of a broad-based academic approach to the teaching of Religion and Philosophy.

DAN’s VISION is to be a vibrant organisation that brings together educators who have a shared sense of the importance of our purpose, and a willingess to work together to achieve its objectives.

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A FIVE STRANDS APPROACH

DAN promotes a Five Strands approach to form the base for each school’s RAVE Curriculum from Prep – Yr 12 covering five essential areas:

• Textual Strand: An appreciation of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures (and the Judeo-Christian heritage underpinning much modern culture)
• World Religions Strand
• Philosophy of Religion Strand
• Ethics & Values Strand
• Affective Strand: Silence and Stillness

Every school is encouraged to develop these strands according to their specific curriculum aims, traditions, ethos and strengths. Read more …

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MEMBERSHIP OF DAN

Membership of DAN is open to any individual, school or organisation committed to furthering the aims of the network. DAN supports its members through:

• Dialogue Australasia Journal (twice yearly)
• Website with access to online Teaching Resources
• Professional Development Opportunities including Workshops & a biennial Conference
• Periodic e-Newsletters and Updates
• A network of like-minded colleagues throughout Australia and New Zealand

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Check out our range of online resources including curriculum outlines, schemes of work and detailed lesson plans.

The  5 Strands Beginners Curriculum is offered as one possible way into teaching RAVE for new and non-specialist  teachers.

Yr 9 Matrix Course, Dr Nicholas Coleman, Wesley College, Victoria