The Cathedral as an educational resource
/For many years Rochester Cathedral has been used as an invaluable resource for schools and colleges in and around Kent. Increasing demand from teachers for access to this building and its wealth of potential educational material inspired the Dean and Chapter to appoint a full time Education Officer. Featured in The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 1988 (no. 2).
So what’s new?
My aim here is to present the Cathedral in as varied a way as possible, in educational terms that meet the demands of the whole curriculum. Whether the children that visit are tiny infants in well formed crocodiles or rambling young people with pre-college concerns my hope is to be able to provide for all their needs and wants. Whilst schools and colleges are my main target area there is of course no age limit to education as I discovered when called upon to deliver a presentation to a Probus group in Sittingbourne where I spent a delightful couple of hours.
Whats on offer?
The present facilities on offer include slide programmes, worksheets, guided tours and brass-rubbing. My 'Special Offer' to schools is a tailor-made worksheet directly Suited to the coursework under study. Access to the syllabus and a few days notice is all I require to research and compile the necessary information. I am of course particularly keen on meeting the demands of the GCSE and have already had some opportunity to do this. Work with 6-7th years is also feasible.
A new philosophy?
Whatever the reason for the visit, there are some basic principles that I feel apply to all groups. Therefore I stress clearly that we are 'more than a museum' hoping that young people will realise the role of the Cathedral beyond simply the preservation of an otherwise historic monument to man's ingenuity. I look forward to establishing activities which will enable children to understand what it meant to the monks who first walked these hallowed grounds as well as to those who are part of the Cathedral's spiritual life today.
regard the children who visit us as young people of value today, they are after all inheritors of the hast, part of the present and claimants to the future. I is important then thatthey lind a welcome
Learning from children
Great lessons are to be learned from the children who visit us. On many occasions I am greeted by keen, fresh and enthusiastic faces, and minds that are open and aware, often far more capable of expressing their feelings than we mature, intellectually secure adults. Above all, the children are well tuned to a sense of the numinous of our most prized educational stimulus.
A Cathedral full of children is not, of course, without its problems. A building of such immense spirituality produces a variety of response; awe, wonder, silence . .. and yes, at times noise arguably no less valid but hard to discern as a genuine response! Other problems are taken care of by our house-keeper who is exceedingly tolerant and possesses the patience of a saint!
Perhaps most touching is the generosity of the children. Their pennies do go into collection boxes and much of their trip money is spent at the gift-stall on presents for families and friends.
To close, listen to the words of a primary school child: 'When i got in the cathedral it was all write but i wouldnt live in there. It is very clean inside but it is very cold. I think it would be lonly. I thouht that i was in heaven talking to god. In a cathedral you must not shout and run because it is God's home. God is there where ever we go and do. God tries not to give you accidents.’
Anton Muller
Education Officer
The Friends of Rochester Cathedral were founded to help finance the maintenance of the fabric and grounds. The Friends’ annual reports have become a trove of articles on the fabric and history of the cathedral.
Canons, colleagues, volunteers and staff have shared their memories and reflections in many forms over the years.
