Webinar Series 2015

The role of ‘values education’ in schools & community cohesion

4.00pm - 4.45pm

Tuesday 14th July 2015 http://www.interfaithexplorers.com/webinars

www.interfaithexplorers.com

• Supported by UNESCO• Helps pupils understand the world around them &

respect cultural and religious diversity• Offers high quality cross-curricula resources to use with

pupils at Key Stage 2 and those embarking on their Key Stage 3 transition

• Supports core personal and social skills development as well as self-directed, exploratory learning

• Promotes universal core values & the development of ethical thinking

• Designed to compliment RE and PSHE teaching, alongside citizenship education

Webinars• Support teachers in their work around

interfaith dialogue and RE; as well as PSHE and Citizenship learning in schools

• Offers a space for teachers to come together and think about issues arising from classroom practice in these areas

Webinar Presenters• Claire Clinton

o An experienced teacher within EYFS, Primary and Secondary education

o She has over 20 years of classroom experience, and 16 years of advisory work at a national and local level

o For the past 8-years has been the Religious Education Advisor for the London Borough of Newham

Session objectives• To consider the role of values education in

schools; • How values education can contribute

effectively to spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development in pupils;

• To consider the relationship between shared human values and the aims of liberal education

• To provide teachers with ideas for the classroom that can promote values;

Human Values: a definition

“Human values are the principles, standards, convictions and beliefs that people adopt as their guidelines in daily activities. Principal human values are the foundation on which professional ethics are built. They are a set of consistent measures and behaviours that individuals choose to practice in the pursuit of doing what is right or what is expected of them by society. Most laws and legislation are shaped by human values.”

Values are nurtured in a child’s life

Peers

Religious Leaders

Teachers

SocietyParents

Friends

http://saieditor.com/falco/images/values-grid.jpg

What is the value of values?

• How does your school build these values within: o the curriculumo Extra-curricular activitieso Your school policies

• What is the relationship from these to Fundamental British values?

• How schools can benefit from the impact of your work around values?

British Education

• Our schools exist within a western liberal education system. In practice this means we use critical realism to consider and evaluate different points of view. In fact our education system wants children and young people to have their thinking challenged, to give different points of views to them whether we are thinking about economics or religion.

Encountering faiths and beliefs

• Report launched by 3FF last week: o www.3ff.org.uk/reportso Pupils from different backgrounds need to interact

with each other to build tolerance and understanding

• Question to consider: how many different faiths and beliefs do your pupils encounter during their time in your school? What is the impact of their encounters?

Encountering faiths and beliefs

• It proposes several principles for good practice:o Schools need to move beyond

‘multiculturalism’ and towards intercultural education which actually engages with differences between beliefs;

o Pupils need to be taught skills to deal with controversial issues surrounding belief effectively;

o Education should tackle challenges different communities are facing, such as inter-religious tensions and prejudice.

Interfaith dialogue• “Interfaith dialogue equips young people

with both the skills of dialogue and secure knowledge and appreciation of diversity.”

• “Interfaith dialogue gives students personal involvement and allows for

students to be influenced, affected or even altered by the encounter.”

Barbara Usher, winner of the Hockerill / NATRE prize for innovation in RE teaching, 2013(Taken from workshop called ‘inter-faith dialogue in class, to foster religious literacy and combat

extremism’)

Activities that promote values

• Talking and listening activities; • Encountering people from a variety of religions,

races and cultures; • Using scenario’s that look at possible inter-

religious conflicts and then work our possible reponses, and consequences for these possible options;

• See www.interfaithexplorers.com website: ‘Making choices’ guide and Learning Unit section on ‘Values’

• Being encouraged to ask questions!

SWOT Analysis template

Best Practice

• Our schools are places that effectively educate pupils to be an active part of life in modern Britain;

• We develop and nurture critical thinking in our pupils;

• We ensure pupils can be part of wider communities outside their own ethnic, cultural and religious groups, mixing well with others and showing respect;

• Pupils can disagree agreeably with their peers and adults.

Wrap up

Any questions?

Contact usFor further information about the webinar series and

how Interfaith Explorers can support you visit:

www.interfaithexplorers.com

or contact

Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Chief Executive

Maimonides Interfaith Foundation rokhsana@maimonides-foundation.org