ICJS Teacher Fellows develop skills to transform classrooms and schools into places where learning about religious diversity prepares students for fuller participation in the life of our city, nation, and world.
Because many young people first encounter religious difference in the classroom, teachers are uniquely positioned to foster a culture of religious understanding and inclusion. Helping teachers gain facility in leading these intellectual and human encounters is a key goal of the ICJS Teachers Fellowship.
The 10-month Fellowship provides professional development opportunities for Baltimore-area educators to explore how to provide students with an informed appreciation of the religious diversity that contributes to civic life. This cohort-based program equips secondary school educators with skills to foster interreligious literacy in their classrooms and to become interreligious leaders in their schools.
The fellowship is directed by Christine Gallagher with support and instruction provided by ICJS resident interreligious scholars.
Interested in learning more about our Fellowship? Submit the Teacher Fellowship Interest Form below.
Over the course of the past year, there have been many conversations and discussions that I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in on during the ICJS Teachers Fellowship. I say “sitting in” because I was not much of a participant during many of these gatherings, only an attentive observer. This is unlike my typical nature.…
When I first started teaching 25 years ago and realized that teaching religion was my vocation, I threw myself into doing summer research so that I was prepared to teach scripture. My primary goal was to anticipate my students’ questions before they even asked. My secondary goal, though, was to be authentic to the faith…
I originally decided to make religious studies a part of my career path when I was working as a teacher in a middle school 10 years ago and realized the lack of importance being placed upon religious literacy in practically all the areas where it should be most important. As I started to dig in…
Coming out of the ICJS Teachers Fellowship, I’ve gained a lot more comfort teaching and learning about religion with students, and creating space for them to have dialogue.
Armed with increased knowledge, new community, and techniques and strategies, incorporating religious literacy into my high school world history class no longer feels overwhelming; it feels exciting and I am ready to get started.