“Just as it is impossible to define religion in a universally applicable manner, it is impossible to define exactly what all educators need to know about religion….The reality, however, ‘is not that religion cannot be defined, but that it can be defined, with greater or lesser success, more than fifty ways’ (J. Z. Smith, 2004, p. 193). It is not that we cannot definitively say what all educators should know about religion, but that there are many different configurations of this knowledge” (Soules, 2019, p. 194).
The Pedagogical Content Knowledge about Religion (PCKR) framework describes the broad concept of “religious literacy for educators” as five interconnected domains: (1) Civic & Legal Literacy, (2) Religious Studies Knowledge, (2) Pedagogical Approaches, (4) Cultural Competency & Responsiveness, and (5) Self-Reflection. The framework is designed to be applicable for elementary and secondary educators, regardless of their content area.
The PCKR framework is based on Shulman’s (1987) work on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and the work of other scholars who have explored the specifics of PCK in other content areas. Prior to this framework, most literature about what teachers needed to know about religion was focused on teachers of secondary social studies and history, classes where religion is often covered in the curriculum (e.g. Moore, 2007; Nord, 2010). However, these are not the only educators who encounter religion in the classroom. And, religion is not limited to the the classroom; it plays a role in many aspects of the experiences of schooling. The PCKR framework breaks down the often overwhelming idea of religious literacy into more manageable domains that apply specifically to the school context.
The framework was developed and refined in conjunction with my research on professional development programs about religious diversity for K-12 educators. Among the findings of this research was the consensus among the participants that professional learning about religious diversity was highly valuable for teachers in all contexts, not just those whose curricula explicitly address religion.
Possible alternative weights of the five domains:
The PCKR framework is intended to be responsive to the needs of educators working in different contexts. While the diagram top diagram shows a basic model of the relationship between the five domains, the domains may not have equal weight or importance for every educator (bottom diagram).
Each of the five domains contributes to an overall religious literacy for educators and others working in educational settings. Religious literacy is inherently a very broad concept, and it can be hard to know where to start when you are trying to develop greater religious literacy. By breaking religious literacy into these domains, educators can focus their energy on developing knowledge and skills within a specific domain based on their current needs or priorities.
I am developing a self-evaluation tool based on this framework that can be used by educators to assess their knowledge, skills, and levels of confidence in each domain. The results of this evaluation could be used to prioritize topics for personal and professional development as well as to track growth over time. You can find some of the additional questions for each domain below. If you are interested in learning more or piloting this evaluation tool, please contact me for more information.
The framework can also be used to describe the multiple contexts in which religion can be found in the school setting (e.g., Civic & Legal Literacy –> school and district policies on religious accommodations; Self-Reflection –> the complex secular, spiritual, and religious identities that students, staff, and teachers bring to school). This can allow researchers, professional development providers, and educators to define and describe the work that they are doing with more precision.
How does religion impact and intersect with public life? How does the First Amendment apply in public schools?
What do I need to know about religion in my context(s)? What are the theories and methods of religious studies? How is religion related to my curriculum?
How do I teach about religion in ways that are academically rigorous, Constitutionally sounds, and developmentally appropriate? How do I approach religion when it is relevant in my classroom?
How do I create classroom and school environments that are welcoming for students of all religious identities? How is religious diversity recognized in relation to other forms of diversity?
How does my own religious identity and background shape my perspectives and positionality? What biases do I have about religion?