The cooperation between teacher of religion and parents according to The religious education core curriculum of the Catholic Church in Poland (2018)
Jerzy Henryk Kostorz
uoAbstract
Currently one can observe the recession in involvement of parents in the process of education of their own children in faith. One of the symptoms is lack of interest of parents to actively cooperate with religion teachers. That is why the reflection on cooperation between parents and religion teachers is necessary and required. This article focuses on this issue in the light of The new core curriculum of the Catholic Church in Poland (2018), which will take its effect on the 1st of September of 2020. At the beginning the understanding of the term "cooperation of parents and religion teacher" was described. Following train of thoughts of authors of the new document the work and dialog focused on education in faith of children and youth were emphasized. The author of the article took under consideration evangelization, catechization and education of parents. Then the focus moved toward goals and content, within the core curriculum itself, that are crucial to this kind of cooperation. Religion teacher must support parents in raising their children in faith by reminding them about their parental duties as first educators as well as through faith education of parents and their evangelization which can be accomplished through formation meetings. Such forms, according to authors of the new curriculum, are crucial in cooperation of religion teacher and parents. They need personal contact and relationship building, based on dialog and trust. Authors, though, are skeptic about indirect contact with parents (such as on-line class registry).
To sum up all of the proposals of the cooperation of religious teachers and parents included in new core curriculum, some pastoral postulates were formulated. The need for thorough diagnosis through empirical exercises has been highlighted. New technologies as ways for dialog with parents were deemed important, as well as initiating evangelistic actions and religious education of parents too.
