FIRE

The acronym FIRE stands for the First Immediate Response of the Emotions.

When you use some stimulus material – such as a video clip, a piece of music, a poem or prose text – it is good to ask the students to record the feelings they had as the extract developed. Too often in school we leave things at a cerebral level when we know that much good learning in RE happens in the gut or the heart.

It may seem a bit corny at first, but once your students have got used to it, they will ‘FIRE’ with only minimal introduction from you. Here’s how it works:

• Make sure the students are properly equipped, with pens and paper at the ready.
• Present a stimulus.
• Shout ‘FIRE’.
• Watch the students scribble down their thoughts and feelings in response to what you have shown, read or given access to.
• Invite students to share their feelings with the class if they would like to do so.