Educating for Intelligent Belief or Unbelief (The John Dewey Lecture) (Professional Development and Practice Series) [Paperback]

Nel Noddings (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0807732710 | ISBN-13: 978-0807732717 | Publication Date: November 1, 1993

One of the most enduring and controversial issues in American education concerns the place of individual beliefs and moral standards in the classroom. Noddings argues that public schools should address the fundamental questions that teenagers inevitably rasie about the nature, value and meaning of life (and death), and to do so across the curriculum without limiting such existential and metaphysical discussions to separate religion, philosophy or even history classes. Explorations of the existence of a God or gods, and the value and validity of religious belief for societies or individuals, she writes "whether they are initiated by students or teachers, should be part of the free exchange of human concerns - a way in which people share their awe, doubts, fears, hopes, knowledge and ignorance." Such basic human concerns, Noddings maintains, are relevant to nearly every subject and should be both non-coercive and free from academic evalution.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Teachers College Press (November 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807732710
• ISBN-13: 978-0807732717
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,635,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Covers most facets of educating about religion in schools., June 9, 1999

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This review is from: Educating for Intelligent Belief or Unbelief (The John Dewey Lecture) (Professional Development and Practice Series) (Paperback)

Noddings discusses ways that teachers can help students learn why what they believe is important, and often can do this effectively while teaching math or science or other subjects. She sees religion as dealing with critical issues of life and reality. Much of the book then discusses a broad range of what people believe. And she closes by discussing how her suggested approach can actually work in public schools. I think she makes a good case, and that her summary of beliefs is knowledgeable and carefully thought out.