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T. A. Raman and J. M. Luetz
religious beliefs. This drives the school practice of keeping the environment clean,
including the school compound, classrooms and student desks.
Respect and care for others including plants and animals is another common
element amongst the faith-based schools.
In the Catholic schools the environment is discussed in religious studies. Reference is made to the role one is expected to play as ‘stewards of God’s creation’
which involves looking after the environment and all living creatures including plants
and animals. A principal mentioned Pope Francis’s encyclical ‘Laudato si’ guiding
conversations on the environment in religion classes:
It is important for our students to see the level of concern being expressed by the Pope, so
they know that religion is also about our current issues – it helps them to relate to what’s
happening around them.
There are also rituals that occur outside of the religion classes:
We reflect on God’s creation…. and to appreciate nature and have morning prayers and
devotion and focus on God’s creation and the environment around us. The time for reflection
is very important because it allows us to think about our own actions.
Interview data from the principal of the Methodist school emphasised similar
discussions about care and respect for the environment and living things in religion
classes:
We start our assembly with a prayer and give thanks to God for all that we have and remind
students that we all have a job to protect our environment.
Some student projects and school events also focus on environmental topics such
as climate change:
We asked the students to decide the theme for the annual school concert and they chose
climate change. Each form focused on something about climate change. They did poetry,
songs, dances and storytelling – it was really good to see how interested they are about
climate change.
The school that follows the Sikh religion has a ‘Sikh Environment Day’ every
March:
That is when we spend more time on God’s gifts and we plant trees. Every form (class) plant
a tree and they have to take care of it too. We also have an assembly that day and invite guest
speakers to speak about the environment.
In addition, they have what the principal called ‘religion/moral’ classes. Each
form has one class per week where they discuss the importance of the environment
for survival:
Because everything is connected and we must respect and look after each other, the
environment and all other creatures. It is important that the students get this message.
The principal added that religious values must be reinforced in the home and
parents need to work in partnership with teachers and teach good practices in the
home.
T. A. Raman and J. M. Luetz
religious beliefs. This drives the school practice of keeping the environment clean,
including the school compound, classrooms and student desks.
Respect and care for others including plants and animals is another common
element amongst the faith-based schools.
In the Catholic schools the environment is discussed in religious studies. Reference is made to the role one is expected to play as ‘stewards of God’s creation’
which involves looking after the environment and all living creatures including plants
and animals. A principal mentioned Pope Francis’s encyclical ‘Laudato si’ guiding
conversations on the environment in religion classes:
It is important for our students to see the level of concern being expressed by the Pope, so
they know that religion is also about our current issues – it helps them to relate to what’s
happening around them.
There are also rituals that occur outside of the religion classes:
We reflect on God’s creation…. and to appreciate nature and have morning prayers and
devotion and focus on God’s creation and the environment around us. The time for reflection
is very important because it allows us to think about our own actions.
Interview data from the principal of the Methodist school emphasised similar
discussions about care and respect for the environment and living things in religion
classes:
We start our assembly with a prayer and give thanks to God for all that we have and remind
students that we all have a job to protect our environment.
Some student projects and school events also focus on environmental topics such
as climate change:
We asked the students to decide the theme for the annual school concert and they chose
climate change. Each form focused on something about climate change. They did poetry,
songs, dances and storytelling – it was really good to see how interested they are about
climate change.
The school that follows the Sikh religion has a ‘Sikh Environment Day’ every
March:
That is when we spend more time on God’s gifts and we plant trees. Every form (class) plant
a tree and they have to take care of it too. We also have an assembly that day and invite guest
speakers to speak about the environment.
In addition, they have what the principal called ‘religion/moral’ classes. Each
form has one class per week where they discuss the importance of the environment
for survival:
Because everything is connected and we must respect and look after each other, the
environment and all other creatures. It is important that the students get this message.
The principal added that religious values must be reinforced in the home and
parents need to work in partnership with teachers and teach good practices in the
home.