Asking Sacred Questions: Understanding Religion's Impact on Teacher Belief and Action

There is a crucial need to develop a better understanding of how the religious orientations of teachers impact their development and enactment of professional teaching identities. This article identifies 5 key questions that can help educators begin to uncover conscious and unconscious ways that their religious identifications impact why they enter the profession, how they relate to students, and the instructional decisions that they make to support learning. When articulating these questions, the author uses specific examples from a qualitative case study that explored how teachers' religious orientations influenced their classroom practice in public elementary schools. A professional development model is outlined that will assist educators in further consideration of how their religious positions may impact their professional work.