Religious Tolerance

What is religious tolerance, and how can we teach it to our students?

Teaching religious tolerance in our classrooms sounds a great deal easier in theory than it is in practice. When we broach such a potentially conflict-ridden topic as religion in our classrooms, we have to be especially careful. As individuals, our religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) might be extremely important to us, and that could tempt us to preach instead of teach in the classroom. We must always remember that as teachers, we should appear more neutral than we would as individuals.

Teaching religion in our schools is a wonderful opportunity for both teacher and students to be involved in a dynamic discussion and learning process. We can and should take advantage of this opportunity by researching, learning and finally teaching about various religions, those practiced far away and closer to home. Children should be encouraged to bring in information on their family's religion and religious beliefs, and an atmosphere of mutual acceptance should be created and maintained throughout.

While often teachers are looked to for their expertise in a particular area, we should not act as if our own beliefs are somehow better or more valid than the beliefs of others in the area of religion. It is vital that we show our students to respect and try to understand diverse beliefs. Through the process of exploring other religions, our students will gain a fuller understanding of other people and cultures, and they will gain a better understand of their own culture and religion.

Rather than teaching inside the box of our own thoughts and beliefs, we have to consciously step outside our zone of comfort and work hard to show our students that it is much better to learn and understand than to be "right." Only by showing such respect, in this case through the process of teaching about various religions, can we instill it in our students.