wfn.org | BWNS -- Baha'i classes in state schools find wide appeal

[Bahá'í World News Service <bwns@bwc.org>]

Baha'i World News Service
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Baha'i classes in state schools find wide appeal
SYDNEY, Australia, 5 April 2005 (BWNS) -- About 6,000 primary school
children in Australia are attending Baha'i classes, which are offered in
more than 300 state-run schools.

The classes are offered mainly to provide religious instruction to
Baha'i children.

Yet more than 90 percent of the children in Baha'i classes are from
families who are not members of the Baha'i Faith -- indicating the wide
appeal of the Baha'i approach to religious education.

Among the parents sending their children to Baha'i religious classes at
their local primary schools is Vicki Thomas, a 33-year-old resident of
St. Ives, a suburb of Sydney.

Ms. Thomas, who is not a Baha'i, says she wants her three children to
grow up with some kind of religious feeling.

"My children are very young, and they don't need anything too heavy at
this stage, but it's important to me that they do have a faith
education," said Ms. Thomas.

"I liked the open-minded approach of the Baha'i curriculum," she said.

Australian parents have the option of enrolling their children in
Special Religious Education courses at state schools, thanks in part to
a century-old law requiring schools to offer religious training if
parents want it.

As might be expected in Australia where some 70 percent of the
population identify themselves as Christian, many more children attend
religious classes offered by Christians in state schools. Classes are
also offered in by Buddhist and Muslim groups, among others.

Moral values stressed

In accordance with the Baha'i belief that all the world's great
religions share the same divine origin and have been revealed
progressively to humanity, the approach of Baha'i Education in State
Schools (BESS) includes an introduction to the world's other great
religions.

BESS classes also stress the development of moral values as taught in
all world religions, such as patience, honesty, and compassion, as well
as Baha'u'llah's social principles, such as the oneness of humanity, the
equality of women and men, and the promotion of racial and religious
tolerance. Prayers and meditation are also incorporated.

"Parents appreciate that we teach the students to respect the different
cultures and religions of the world in the classes," said Yvonne
Perkins, a spokesperson for the Baha'i community of Australia, which has
about 10,000 members.

"They also like the moral basis of the program, and the fact that we
encourage children to look at their own behavior and how improving it
helps them to contribute to a better world," said Ms. Perkins.

The law in most Australian states and territories allows students to
obtain specialized religious education in the school setting.

Special Religious Education (SRE) is offered by religious groups,
approved and administered at the state level.

The BESS program was established in the late 1980s, when the Baha'i
community was approved by the New South Wales State Government as a
provider of Special Religious Education.

Today, BESS classes are taught by hundreds of Baha'i volunteers in most
states of Australia.

They receive ongoing training in religious education, undergo child
protection training, and are registered according to the policy of
state-level education departments. They use curriculum resources
developed for BESS classes by Baha'is who are professional educators.

An example is the situation in Western Australia where the State's
Department of Education and Training is involved.

"The Baha'i Special Religious Curriculum -- the Peace Pack -- has been
reviewed and subsequently endorsed by the Department for trained Baha'i
personnel to deliver," said Brian Rogers, the Department's principal
curriculum officer.

"In endorsing the program, the Department looked at general issues such
as pedagogical approach rather than specific information, which is left
to the individual religious bodies to decide," said Mr. Rogers.

Independent thinking

The BESS program encourages children to identify those virtues they
already possess, and those they need to develop.

The classes adhere to the Baha'i principle that education should help
people think independently. Hence, BESS teachers do not seek to convert
or indoctrinate their students, but rather to encourage them to think
about their spirituality and the ways they can serve humanity.

Children from families who are not Baha'is may only attend BESS classes
with parental permission.

"We've experienced an enormous growth of interest and numbers in BESS
classes over the past decade in particular," said Ms. Perkins. "The
classes have expanded in number and size largely through word of mouth,
and through the results that parents see in children who attend them.

"Children love the way the classes are taught -- the program is quite
varied, with a lot of arts and crafts, meditation, and stories -- so it
keeps their imagination stimulated," Ms. Perkins said. BESS teachers
also incorporate singing, dancing, games, and other participatory
activities.

Many teachers draw on a Baha'i curriculum known as the "Peace Pack." It
was initially developed in Western Australia by professional teacher
Georgina Sounness and illustrator Terri Turner.

"The whole purpose of it is to empower children to believe that peace is
achievable and to give them the tools to become peacemakers and assist
them in bringing it about," said Ms. Sounness.

To help children imagine a peaceful world, the authors use the idea of
building a "Peace House" with cardboard, paint, and felt.

Children understand that if one part is missing, the house isn't
complete, Ms. Sounness said. "If the oneness of mankind is missing, or
gender equality is missing, there will still be an absence of peace."

Changes in behavior

The response from parents to the BESS classes has been overwhelmingly
positive.

"I've had parents call to thank us for giving their children a spiritual
education," said Ms. Sounness. "They want to give that to their children
but are often at a loss on how to approach this.

"They've given written permission for their children to attend the
classes, so they know what they're receiving, but beyond that they fall
in love with the curriculum too."

Ms. Perkins said many parents have commented on how their children's
behavior has improved through attending BESS classes.

"Our teachers work from the view that while a child's qualities might be
masked by poor behavior that's developed over time, everyone
nevertheless possesses something wonderful.

"Baha'i teachers actually search for those good qualities in the
children, to show the children the wonderful qualities they have,
ignoring labels like 'poor concentration' or 'badly behaved'," said Ms.
Perkins.

"For a child, to have someone encouraging you to develop your good
attributes once a week instead of focusing on what's wrong with your
behavior -- this can all make a dramatic change to a child's life."

Robert Chivers, a 50-year-old software developer in Perth, who has
taught BESS classes for three years, said parents often say they see
improved behavior after the classes.

"Parents notice the difference on the days the children have Baha'i
classes -- for example, their children are calmer, and talk about using
virtues," Mr. Chivers said.

BESS teacher Venus Nasrabadi said the number of pupils in her class has
risen dramatically over the past eight years.

"Children really do recognize God, in the sense that they have a feeling
for their own spirituality, and I give them a lot of creative activities
which illustrate the themes they're learning," Ms. Nasrabadi said.

"For example, in teaching about Moses, we made paper baskets to
illustrate the story that His parents had to put Him into a basket and
place him in a river, and that helped introduce our study of Moses and
His achievements and the Jewish faith.

"For Mother's Day, the children made a gift card containing a prayer for
mothers from the Baha'i writings, and covered them with sequins, shells
and colors. Later, their mothers told me that they absolutely loved this
craftwork partly because it is a gift thanking them for their service as
parents, and also because their children are learning respectfulness."

Michelle Ostowari, 47, is married to a Zoroastrian and chose BESS
classes for her daughter, being "the closest thing" she could find to a
Zoroastrian class.

"It's been very good for my daughter; she has become genuinely tolerant
towards everyone, no matter whether they're Jewish, Muslim, or whatever
-- she gets on with everyone, and we're delighted that, for her,
religion will never be a barrier to friendship," Ms. Osowari said.

Jan Heath, a 46-year-old teacher in Brisbane, who is not Baha'i, sends
her son to BESS classes at the Fig Tree Pocket State School. She says
the class has helped him develop respect and tolerance for others.

"My son certainly seems to be heading towards growing into a caring
young man," said Ms. Heath. "He may have done this anyway, but constant
reminders and praise in Baha'i classes can only help. I feel that the
teachings reinforce our family values."

Ms. Thomas, of the Sydney suburb of St. Ives, likewise said her children
seem to enjoy the Baha'i classes.

"There is an emphasis on peace and unity in the Baha'i teachings, which
the children love," said Ms. Thomas.

"They come home with beautiful work and beautiful quotations, and
there's a real gentleness of spirit that comes across, which is really
beneficial for them," said Ms. Thomas. "It's definitely one of the
highlights of the week, they look forward to their Tuesday mornings so
much!"

Reporting by Corinne Podger.