RE helps students to understand how and why beliefs influence actions.
Janet Dyson has been involved in religious education for nearly fifty years. Her interest was sparked when she studied religious studies at A level with Deana Doherty, an inspirational teacher who taught her students to ‘know the text’. She went on to train as a teacher at Goldsmiths College where she studied contemporary theology and philosophy with Brian Gates, another important influence who opened up the links between religion and the creative and expressive arts. She went on to teach RE in a number of schools before becoming RE adviser and then an inspector for Essex County Council. She has been writing and editing books on RE and other educational topics for 25 years. She has a wide range of academic, research-based publications and is Reviews Editor for the NATRE publication Resource. She has a particular interest in the nature and purpose of narrative and, in 2010 gave the keynote lecture entitled ‘What’s the Use of Stories?’ for the opening of the British Library’s Ramayana exhibition. Currently, she works as a consultant for schools and local authorities, teaches PGCE students and runs courses for teachers. She believes that RE helps students to understand how and why beliefs influence actions, which is essential to enable them to live successfully in today’s multi-faith society.