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Values Education
Volume 3 Number 6, August 2009
- APPROACHES TO VALUES IN EDUCATION: (2 items)
- CIVICS & CITIZENSHIP: (3 items)
- SOCIAL INCLUSION: (3 items)
- RESEARCH: State of Australia’s Young People
- STUDENT VIDEO COMPETITION: Myfuture
- GENDER EQUALITY: Losing my religion for equality
- DISABILITY: (2 items)
- FAITH & EDUCATION: (3 items)
- OPINION: By their works shall ye know them, A.C. Grayling
- VALUES: Alive, Well and Creating Lively Debate
- CONFERENCES & EVENTS: National Conference
- ACSSO EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
APPROACHES TO VALUES IN EDUCATION
Values-based Education
The focus of this web-site is Values-based Education that is being promoted world-wide by Dr Neil Hawkes and colleagues.
Increasingly educators, politicians, parents and community leaders are recognising that Values-based Education successfully creates the positive culture for teaching and learning that is so vital for Education in the 21st Century.
Neil has worked with many educators, who together have formed an educational philosophy that seeks to empower the teacher and school, through a process of Values Education. The evidence shows that Values Education promotes high standards, whilst developing the individual qualities of both adults and students.
"Values Education is a way of conceptualising education that places the
search for meaning and purpose at the heart of the educational process. It
recognises that the recognition, worth and integrity of all involved in
the life and work of the school, are central to the creation of a
values-based learning community that fosters positive relationships and
quality in education."
Dr. Neil Hawkes
Read more at http://www.values-education.com/
Living Values Education
As we move into the 21st century, the search for ways to improve the quality of education is global. One area of focus has been that of values, attitudes, and behavior and how to develop these aspects of character in a positive and productive way. How do we empower individuals to choose their own set of values? What kind of specialized training is necessary for educators to integrate values into existing programs? How can values-based education prepare students for lifelong learning in their communities?
Living Values Education Program is a comprehensive values education program. This innovative global program offers training, a practical methodology and a wide variety of experiential values activities to educators, facilitators, parents and caregivers to help them provide the opportunity for children and young adults to explore and develop universal values.
Educators are asked to think about their values, use their creativity to see how they can incorporate values into their curriculum in a practical way, and create a values-based atmosphere.
The curriculum includes Living Values Activities for peace, respect, love, cooperation, happiness, honesty, humility, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance, freedom and unity. Used in formal and informal settings, LVE also has special materials for use with children affected by war, children in difficult circumstances (street children) and youth in need of drug rehabilitation.
Read more at http://www.livingvalues.net/
Improving young people’s contribution to our democracy
Hon Kate Ellis MP, Minister for Youth – Letter to Hon John Faulkner MP, 2 March 2009
I write to seek your support for a number of suggestions from young Australians on how to enhance their contribution to our democracy.
I believe that encouraging the participation of young people in our democracy is a vital part of ensuring the representation of all groups in Australian society. I am sure that you share my concerns that only 80 per cent of young Australians who are eligible to vote are actually enrolled, compared with 95 per cent of the remaining population. This indicates that the views of young people are not as fully represented in the democratic process as they should be.
I understand the Green Paper will draw on the various recommendations from inquiries by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, including those concerning civic and electoral education. In addition, I would be keen for the second Green Paper on electoral reform to canvass the issues of automatic enrolment, closing the electoral roll and other measures to improve youth participation.
These issues were raised at the Australia 2020 Youth Summit and reflected in the Summit communiqué. One of the recommendations - Vote for a Better Vote: Our Democracy Depends on it - was one of the top 10 taken to the Australian 2020 Summit. The recommendation, which I note has been the subject of previous discussions between our offices, covered the following issues:
- The importance of increasing engagement of disadvantaged and marginalised people in electoral processes, specifically the homeless.
- The introduction of automatic enrolment.
- Lowering the eligible voting age to 16 years old.
- Electronic voting at polling places to save paper and expedite vote counting.
The Summit communiqué also detailed the idea for a Civics Education Program aiming to ensure young people understand the link between issues that affect their lives and democratic engagement.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/nb58oc
Civics education for a vibrant democracy
Kerry Jones, 6 May 2009
Australia is recognised across the world as a vibrant democracy. We are envied for our system of government, our federation and the freedoms we enjoy under our rule of law.
We are one of the few countries to have been continuously democratic throughout the course of the 20th century. However, we suffer from a well documented lack of interest in issues of international and domestic importance, and our politicians are often lowly regarded, experiencing a general lack of respect and trust.
Despite many millions of dollars being spent in the last ten years on civics and citizenship education programs, many by well-intentioned governments, reports continue to show no improvement in civics understanding or interest across the Australian population.
In the next ten years, the Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA) aims to turn these attitudes around by developing an informed and engaged citizenry. CEFA is building partnerships between governments, business communities and charities to establish pioneering and effective civics education projects.
CEFA is a non-profit private charity dedicated to non-partisan practical civics education programs, national civics projects, partnerships and awards that develop the civics knowledge, skills and capacities of young Australians. CEFA’s civics learning activities develop informed, responsible and active citizens through structured experiences. These experiences are stimulating, exciting, practical and interesting and engage young Australians in the history and operation of the Australian democracy.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/m8xkyx
Some Overseas Websites of possible interest re Civics & Citizenship Education
Citizenship Foundation (UK)
An independent education and
participation charity that exists to encourage and enable individuals to
play an effective role in democratic society. "Our vision is of a just,
inclusive and cohesive society in which individuals have the knowledge,
skills, confidence and motivation to engage effectively in their
communities." http://www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/
Kids Voting (USA)
The “Kids Voting” website and its resources are
mainly “members only”, civics educators may find some of the research and
approaches on their main website of interest - also some items on the
linked sites of their various autonomous regional affiliates. http://www.kidsvotingusa.org/
Civitas International (USA)
A world-wide non-governmental
organization for civic education aiming to strengthen effective education
for informed and responsible citizenship in emerging and established
democracies around the world. CIVITAS International is composed of
individuals, non-governmental associations, and governmental institutions
from many countries as well as international organizations. http://www.civnet.org/civitas_internacional.html
National Alliance for Civic Education (USA)
Launched in 2000 and
now has more than 200 group and individual members committed to advancing
civic knowledge and engagement. NACE believes the time has come to band
together to ensure that the next generation of citizens understands and
values democracy and participates in the ongoing work of building
democracy in America. http://www.cived.net/
Institute for the Study of Civic Values (USA)
A national leader in
promoting civic education at every level of education. We work to
develop programs that apply our civic values to the major issues facing us
today. http://www.iscv.org/
Center for Civic Education (USA)
A non-profit, nonpartisan
educational corporation dedicated to promoting an enlightened and
responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively
engaged in the practice of democracy in the United States and other
countries. http://www.civiced.org/
Building a Compendium of Social Inclusion Indicators – comments invited
The Australian Social Inclusion Board’s Compendium of Social Inclusion Indicators contributes first steps towards comprehensive performance measurement and evaluation of social inclusion in Australia.
It has been developed by the Board to generate discussion and debate on the question of how to measure disadvantage and social exclusion. It includes indicators developed in the EU and supplementary Australian measures, to draw a picture of how people are doing on issues such as income, access to the job market, social supports and networks, effects of the local neighbourhood, access to services and health.
The Board welcomes comments on the Compendium and input on how best to measure social inclusion in Australia. You can e-mail the Secretariat at socialinclusionunit@pmc.gov.au or write to Australian Social Inclusion Board Secretariat, PO Box 6500, CANBERRA ACT 2600. Please provide your comments by 31 August 2009, in time to inform the next stage of work on measuring social inclusion for Australia.
Compendium of Social Inclusion Indicators PDF http://tinyurl.com/m66e3x RTF http://tinyurl.com/mqw3p7
Public consultation on a National Compact with community representative organisations
Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens, PS for Social Inclusion, 14 August 2009
The Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary
Sector, Ursula Stephens, met with human rights advocacy non government
organisations this morning to discuss how to strengthen the government’s
relationship with the non-profit sector.
Speaking at today’s
Attorney-General’s Non-Governmental Organisation Forum in Canberra,
Senator Stephens provided an update on the development of a new
partnership agreement, or compact, between the non-profit sector and the
government.
“It’s no secret that during the past ten years there have been some difficult times in the government—non-profit sector relationship. A national compact will reset our relationship and form the foundation for a new way of working. A way of working founded in mutual respect,” said Senator Stephens.
A draft consultation discussion paper has been released that outlines a set of principles that will govern the new relationship and identifies potential priority areas for action by both government and the sector.
Senator Stephens encouraged all NGO Forum participants to get involved in the consultation on this discussion paper, particularly in the areas of advocacy and human rights protection.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/mdjq6t
Towards a stronger civil society and a more inclusive Australia
Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens, MS National Advocates Conference, 19 August 2009
I’ve been asked to talk to you about one of the government’s most important priorities, and that’s the social inclusion agenda and the compact.
Social inclusion is a relatively new term in Australia.
While there have been huge shifts internationally in the relationship between non profits organisations and the government, that simply hasn’t happened here in Australia.
Instead, we went down the path of contract based service delivery arrangements that in many instances depleted the sector and caused mission-drift.
And this is what the compact is about – reversing this trend, rebuilding the relationship and long-term partnership between the non profit - or third - sector and government.
This new relationship will be about more than just money. It will be about how we work together to strengthen civil society and create a more inclusive Australia.
I’ve been leading development of the government-third sector compact since early last year, when we kicked off the process with a round of consultations to determine the level of interest in developing a compact.
We had a resoundingly positive response and since that time we’ve made great progress.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/lx7a58
State of Australia’s Young People
Hon Kate Ellis MP, Minister for Youth, 12 August 2009
In an address to the National Press Club today, the Minister for Youth Kate Ellis released a snapshot of the upcoming inaugural State of Australia’s Young People Report.
The Report will highlight the issues that impact on young people and also provide key statistics about the current generation of Young Australians.
While the Report identifies that young Australians have a positive attitude towards the future overall, the Snapshot sets off alarm bells in relation to some emerging health and safety issues.
The Snapshot shows us that:
- One in four young Australians aged 16-24 years old have a mental health disorder with young people, especially girls highlighting self harm and unhealthy body image
- More than a quarter of year 8 Australian students report that they know someone who had been cyber–bullied
- Young people are more likely than others to be affected by particular crimes, such as violence.
- Teenagers aged 15-19 years had the highest hospitalisation rates for acute intoxication from alcohol among all age groups.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has also found that hospitalisation rates for intentional self harm among young people increased by 43% between 1996 and 2006.
“This is our Young Australia – so lost, so isolated and frustrated that they take to slashing their own flesh or other serious forms of harm and mutilation. If these stats aren’t a call to arms – then I don’t know what is,” said Minister Ellis.
“Of course it’s not all doom and gloom – we have a remarkable generation of young people who are truly inspired. But what these issues point to is the need for us to ensure the self esteem, self confidence and empowerment of our young people.”
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/l27zor
Myfuture
Entries Close 30 September 2009
This is an exciting opportunity for students to get involved in exploring careers and win prizes in the process. The competition gives young people (12-18 years) the opportunity to submit 2-3 minute video clips that profile a range of occupations showing real people in real workplaces.
Entries explore the duties, tasks, working conditions and personal requirements, learning pathways and qualifications required of their selected occupation. Selected entries will appear on national TV on the Crew program and may be chosen to be published on http://www.myfuture.edu.au, Australia’s national career information and exploration website.
The competition is an Australian Government initiative and is supported by the Crew program (on SBS Television) and myfuture.edu.au, Australia’s national online career information service managed by Education.au Limited.
Registration opened: 10 June 2009. Entries close: 30 September 2009.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/l6ksy7
Losing my religion for equality
Jimmy Carter, July 15, 2009
Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God.
I HAVE been a practising Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention's leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.
This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries.
At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.
The impact of these religious beliefs touches every aspect of our lives.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/nwxf8r
Jimmy Carter was President of the USA.
Family forced to head to UK for autistic son's sake
Sharon O'Neill, 7:30 Report, ABC TV, 20 August
It is estimated that 500,000 Australian families are affected by autism.
Many of them struggle not just with the needs of an autistic child or adult, but with the huge costs associated with the array of therapies required.
For the Maxwell family, that struggle came to an end last week when they decided Australia was not the place to provide the support and services needed for their autistic son.
"It is just not affordable. It's not happening here in Australia."
When Mr Maxwell began making inquiries about the support available to autistic children and adults in the United Kingdom, he was surprised by what he learnt.
"The primary difference is that the local authority has a statutory duty of care," he said. "They have to look at the child.
"Jonah has been at school here at an autism-specific school for a year-and-a-half.
"The NSW education department know him. They know of his paperwork. They've never come and seen him. They've never sat down with us and said, "Right, your child has a disability. What can we do for you? Where should we go for this?"
"When we go to the UK, within three months - we've been told it should only take two months - the local council have to sit down with us, assess Jonah and come up with an education plan for him."
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/mqbjod
Animal magic: How a farm is helping autistic children
Clare Hargreaves, Independent (UK), 13 August 2009
As well as being a farmer's daughter, Lydia Otter is a special needs teacher, who has worked with autism for 20 years.
In 2001 she set up the Pennyhooks Farm Project with Richard Hurford, a former Probation Service Officer, who now manages the 100-acre organic beef farm that has been in Lydia's family for more than 50 years. Between them, they secured funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and various charities to construct a purpose-built centre for the students.
"We saw the difficulties that autistic people face, such as social interaction and heightened senses," says Otter. "Then we thought about the farm, its animals and the amount of space, and realised it needed people to work it. It made sense to match the two up."
Students were referred by care managers and teachers, and she persuaded local social services to fund the students and their carers to come to the farm for anything from one to five days a week.
In time, Lydia would like to see students being funded by central government, in the same way as students who go to college or get day care.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/m8rgmk
Fundamentalist exams – are they on a par with A-levels?
Michael Shaw, Times Education Supplement, 31 July, 2009
Exams for an Evangelical Christian curriculum in which pupils have been taught that the Loch Ness monster disproves evolution and racial segregation is beneficial have been ruled equivalent to international A- levels by a UK government agency.
The National Recognition Information Centre (Naric), which guides universities and employers on the validity of different qualifications, has judged the International Certificate of Christian Education (ICCE) officially comparable to qualifications offered by the Cambridge International exam board.
Hundreds of teenagers at around 50 private Christian schools in Britain study for the certificates, as well as several home-educated students.
The courses are based around the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) programme, which originated in Texas in the 1970s. Pupils study a range of subjects, including science and English, but spend half their studies learning from Bible-influenced US textbooks, often in isolation from each other, Jonny Scaramanga, a music lecturer who attended an ACE school in Bath as a child, said he was astonished the courses were judged comparable to international A-levels and O-levels.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/lrhj7z
Atheism needs to be studied in schools
Michael Reiss & John White, Independent, 16 July 2009
It is a laudable aim of the current National Curriculum that pupils "know about big ideas and events that shape the world". But one of the biggest of these is too infrequently studied in schools.
We are thinking of the growing loss of faith, over the past two centuries, in a religious picture of the world. David Hume's 18th-century onslaught on arguments for the existence of God was an early catalyst, Darwin's 19th-century attack on what today is known as creationism a later and more devastating one.
Nowadays, according to an ICM poll in 2006, the majority of adults in Britain describe themselves as non-religious.
Those who determine the curricula that are taught in state schools insist on knowledge of all sorts of particular facts and approaches to understanding in different subjects.
But they do not require any awareness of this revolution in belief, arguably the most dramatic since the origin of Islam. True, the non-statutory RE curriculum now allows for teaching about humanism, but – unlike Christianity and other major world faiths – leaves it optional, and on a par with Zoroastrianism.
Where else might you expect to find an informed and systematic introduction to and examination of atheism and agnosticism? In the science curriculum? In history? English? Citizenship? Your search will be fruitless. There is no curriculum pigeonhole for an idea as big as this one.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/l6kv3o
The writers teach at the Institute of Education in London
Muslims press public schools on recognition of Islamic holidays
Omar Sacirbey, Religion News Service, 12 August 2009
Akter belongs to the Coalition for Muslim School Holidays, a group of more than 80 religious and ethnic organizations lobbying to have the two Eid holidays designated as days off in New York City schools, in which 10 percent of the 1.1 million students are Muslim, according to a study published last year by the Teachers College at Columbia University. The city's school calendar already recognizes Christmas and the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Religious holiday controversies, of course, are not unique to Muslims, or to New York City. The issue can loom as large as church-state donnybrooks or as quotidian as concerns from students aiming for perfect school attendance while also wanting to observe their faith.
Non-Abrahamic religions also face difficult choices, but do not have the numbers to ask for school holidays. Ishani Chowdhury remembers how her parents wrote notes to teachers asking them to excuse their daughter on Diwali, a major Hindu holiday usually celebrated in the fall.
"We think you can discuss these issues with teachers. You can take a proactive approach. You can observe your faith and still work towards your educational goals," said Chowdhury, who is director of public policy at the Hindu American Foundation.
Read more at http://tinyurl.com/mph8ya
By their works shall ye know them
A.C. Grayling, Guardian, 16 August 2009
If one were asked to prescribe the fundamental condition for a good world, it would be: peace and freedom for all, where "freedom" means personal autonomy and mental liberation from prejudice, superstition, ignorance and fear.
Cynics will no doubt think this a saccharine sentiment merely, if only on the grounds that it is unattainable and that one had better stick to the realities of a world in which the majority of people are trapped in economic and intellectual prisons made by history, perpetuated and promoted by demagogues and the greedy and powerful.
The cynics are of course right about the realities, but that does not mean one should shrug one's shoulders and capitulate. There is something one can do to fight back, by taking part in the battle that underlies it all: the battle (to put it in Voltaire's terms) between those who seek the truth and those who claim to have it.
On one side are those who inquire, examine, experiment, research, propose ideas and subject them to scrutiny, change their minds when shown to be wrong and live with uncertainty while placing reliance on the collective, self-critical, responsible and rigorous use of reason and observation to further the quest for knowledge.
On the other side are those who espouse a belief system or ideology which pre-packages all the answers, who have faith in it, who trust the authorities, priests and prophets, and who either think that the hows and whys of the universe are explained to satisfaction by their faith, or smugly embrace ignorance.
Read entire article: http://tinyurl.com/o3avn8
VALUES – ALIVE, WELL AND CREATING LIVELY DEBATE
Discussion topics on the national Values in Education Website
The “Opinion” section of the Values in Education website is a public forum where we invite people to contribute their views - some of which may be controversial and at odds with other viewpoints - on values important to Australians and how they are taught in Australian schools.
These columns are an attempt to show that tolerant communities can differ in their opinions but can do so in a civilized manner. This is what we attempt to teach young people as part of the values and citizenship programs. The opinions which guest columnists present in these columns do not necessarily represent the current policy position of ACSSO.
The following discussion pieces were added in the first half of 2009:
A new progressive consensus for Australian schools: The Hon Julia Gillard MP, 19 June 2009
A Different World: Christine Milne, 17 June 2009
Don't like chicken? There must be something wrong!: Katrina Sharman, 17 June 2009
How fundamentalism fails American science education: Randolph T. Holhut, 5 June 2009
Want world class schools? Its time to agitate!: Brian Caldwell, 29 May 2009
Tertiary Fees & Community Values: Zoe Morrison, 25 May 2009
School is only part of an education for indigenous children: Jude Davies, 23 May 2009
Real communities: Hugh Mackay, 14 May 2009
Lets stop brainwashing children: Johann Hari, 8 May 2009
Schools of Conscience: Charles C. Haynes, May 2009
Human Rights-based Values Education Programs: Can Australian schools learn from those of Canada and the UK?: Isabelle Macgregor, 27 April 2009
Fairness and funding: it doesn't add up: Lyndsay Connors & Jim McMorrow, 27 April 2009
Suspending belief: Sheryl Hemphill, 27 April 2009
Amanda Bell: Boris Frankel, 20 April 2009
Creativity and a high regard for the concept of scholarship: Amanda Bell, 3 April 2009
How much inequity should we allow?: Ken Henry, 3 April 2009
Education is no place for a free market: Chris Bonnor, 1 April 2009
A better future starts with indigenous history: Tim Goodwin, 17 March 2009
The five pillars for education reform: Barack Obama, 10 March 2009
League Tables Increase Social Segregation and Inequity: Treveor Cobbold, March 2009
Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best: Fran Smith, 28 February 2009
The central importance of science in education: Rt Hon Gordon Brown, 27 February 2009
Summing up a failure in Mathematics teaching: Marty Ross, 23 February 2009
They say they want a revolution: Dean Ashenden, 19 February 2009
A disturbing set of numbers: Nalini Joshi, 18 February 2009
Creationism Left Out of Science Education for Valid Reasons: Richard B Katskee, 10 February 2009
The free-market: bad for the economy but good for schools?: Chris Bonnor, 5 February 2009
New school networks for Australia: Partnerships are a key to improving educational outcomes: Rosalyn Black, 1 February 2009
Further articles will continue to be added through the balance of this year, at: http://www.valuesineducation.org.au/opinion.htm
ACSSO – APC National Conference 2009
Schools – heart of our community:
Building partnerships to support student health, resilience & well-being
12-13 October 2009 – Hobart, Tasmania
Internationally renowned educationalist Dr Neil Hawkes from the UK will lead an outstanding array of speakers, presenters and panellists drawn from across the country, exploring and illustrating the central importance of student health, resilience and well-being – and how to build effective community partnerships to support our young people’s positive personal development.
ACSSO and APC jointly present a national conference for everyone with an interest in education – parents, teachers, principals, researchers, academics, journalists – from all fields and sectors of education. Lively interactive discussion draws on the real-life experience of school communities – and seeks to focus on the practical things we can all do in our own local community to create an effective learning environment in a linked-up learning community.
Details and Registration Forms at http://www.acsso.org..au/conf09/
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