Philosophy - Primary Ethics

A webinar for Global Ethics Day 2025 – Misinformation & fake news

We celebrated Global Ethics Day 2025, 15 October, with a webinar featuring an ethics class composed of adults (also including one current high school student of ethics) discussing one of our high school lessons – on misinformation and fake news. You can watch the video of the class and discussion below.

The webinar was hosted by journalist Sarah Macdonald. Primary Ethics philosopher-in-residence and curriculum author Kelby Mason facilitated the lesson – an edited version of a lesson that is currently taught in secondary schools by Primary Ethics volunteer teachers. A Q&A followed the lesson.

Our special guest students included Allegra Spender MP (Member for Wentworth), Ed Coper (strategic communications specialist and author of Facts and Other Lies), Primary Ethics volunteer teachers Alexa Stuart (Bob Brown Young Environmentalist of the Year 2024), Winnie Tang (aeronautical engineer), Jean-Paul Leung (ethics team coordinator) and Kevin Farmer (corporate social responsibility consultant), plus current Year 7 ethics student Abby Webb.

Global Ethics Day 2025 webinar

Set aside some time to watch it here – well worth it!

Global Ethics Day 2025 – Spotlight on volunteer Alokita

During this week surrounding Global Ethics Day 2025 (Wednesday 15 October), we are turning the spotlight onto our volunteers to hear about the impact of ethics education in their own lives.

This global celebration highlights ethics as a process for finding solutions in the collaborative and respectful manner often missing in today’s world. It’s about how we learn to live together, respect our differences and together face our major global challenges.

Alokita Shankhar, ethics volunteer northern Sydney for seven years

I started teaching ethics when my daughter began Kindergarten at our local public school at Hornsby. At the time there weren’t enough volunteers, so I decided to train as an ethics teacher and taught my first Year 1 class. Since then, I’ve had the joy of teaching Kindergarten, Year 1, and Year 2 and yes, even the special experience of teaching both my children along the way.

Teaching ethics opens up a window into how children think about the world which is both humbling and enlightening. Hearing their perspectives reminds me to stay curious, patient and open-minded. It has given me so much. In addition to being a weekly circuit breaker to my job, it has helped me grow as a parent and member of the community, reinforcing the importance of listening to understand, not just to respond. And I can also say, there have been many funny and heart-warming moments with the children along the way too, which I also cherish!

Some people say Kindergarten is too early to start ethics, but I have seen firsthand that it’s never too early to nurture curiosity and respectful discussion. At our school, teachers can choose to move up with their cohort and I’ve done that for three years; from Kindergarten through to Year 2. Watching the children develop not only in confidence but also in their ability to listen, question,and consider others’ viewpoints is a benefit of the program.

Ethical decision-making is more important now than ever. The world is changing rapidly and that includes socially, environmentally and technologically, with developments like AI reshaping how we live and work. As technology moves faster than we can sometimes process, helping children develop curiosity, empathy and critical-thinking skills becomes essential. Through ethics, they learn that there is no right answer but that they can get to a good answer by asking thoughtful questions and weighing consequences and then make decisions that consider different perspectives.

Discover the three ethics volunteering options

Global Ethics Day 2025 – Volunteer spotlight on Ken

It’s Global Ethics Day 2025 on Wednesday 15 October and to celebrate, we turn the spotlight onto some of our volunteers and hear about the impact of ethics education in their own lives.

This global celebration of the importance of ethical tools highlights ethics as a process for finding solutions in the collaborative and respectful manner often missing in today’s world. It’s about how we learn to live together, respect our differences and together face our major global challenges.

Ken Welsh, ethics volunteer southern Sydney for five years

For five years I’ve volunteered as the manager of two regions – Kogarah and Beverly Hills. In those regions the ethics program is taught in 12 schools to over 600 students by 32 ethics teachers.

I was a high school teacher and principal in NSW, Queensland and the ACT. Then for 15 years immediately prior to retirement I worked within the Australian Department of Defence assisting ADF members with the education of their children. These children frequently changed schools because of their parents being posted around Australia. Parents were sometimes absent due to overseas deployments or distant training. All this impacted on their children’s education.

Becoming a volunteer with Primary Ethics allowed me to continue to be involved in education more broadly and to make a contribution to my local community.

As manager of the two regions I have oversight of the program, work with ethics coordinators in some schools to promote Primary Ethics, advertise and recruit volunteers to teach in schools that do not have an ethics coordinator, allocate teachers to classes in those schools and liaise with appropriate Department of Education staff to ensure the successful implementation of the program. Because of my background I hope I also can provide support to all those 32 teachers and the coordinators if and when they need it.

‘Think critically, reason ethically and discuss respectfully’ are the three keystones of the ethics program. I can’t think of anything more important than developing those qualities in young people who live in a world that is so conflicted by differing ideas, powered by an influential social media environment and which doesn’t seem willing to listen to others. It’s a huge enough challenge for us as adults, so how important is it for us to do what we can to prepare young people to live in this future world. As adults we can become complacent in our attitudes and values – it is much easier than being challenged to examine what we hold so dear and possible re-evaluate that.

My major subject when I was a teacher was modern history. It doesn’t just require the ability to recall names, events and dates (Wikipedia can do that!) but rather the ability to examine why events occurred and how they impacted on people and societies. By questioning we learn and by learning we can change – ourselves and our societies – for the better. Primary Ethics provides opportunities for young people to do just that too. To consider how they think and feel about a particular topic. To listen to what others think and feel. To evaluate our thoughts and feelings. And maybe to change.

This old History teacher is thankful that besides the usual teachers working away in our schools there is also a group of volunteers offering their time and talents to develop enquiring minds. I’m very satisfied that I still play some part in that development.

Global Ethics Day – Volunteer spotlight on Vicky

It’s Global Ethics Day 2025 on Wednesday 15 October and to celebrate, we turn the spotlight onto some of our volunteers and hear about the impact of ethics education in their own lives.

This global celebration of the importance of ethical tools highlights ethics as a process for finding solutions in the collaborative and respectful manner often missing in today’s world. Ethics is not about getting everyone to agree on a single set of values. It’s about how we learn to live together, respect our differences and together face our major global challenges.

Vicky Votoupal, second year volunteering in northwest Sydney

Just over two years ago I saw an ad in my children’s school newsletter, calling out for Primary Ethics volunteer teachers. At the time I had been coaching/managing one of my children’s sports team and really enjoyed that opportunity to have a positive impact for children in our local community. I was also finishing up a contract work role that had been very meaningful and saw ethics as a chance to contribute in a way I might not have the scope for in a new work role. Having completed my training, my youngest child asked if I could teach their year group and I took that as an endorsement!

Come to our Global Ethics Day webinar on Wednesday 15 october 6-7pm

My first year was 2024, teaching Stage 1. The student group has mostly been the same from last year to this year, which is great. I’ll move up to Stage 2 with the same group next year.

At work I’m a procurement professional, so ethics ties in really nicely to that. Conduct, transparency and fairness are all essential in my line of work. It’s sometimes easier to talk ethics with children than with adults! I also like to be able to discuss current affairs with my children in an age-appropriate way and I think our Primary Ethics training really helps with that.

As for the students, I enjoy watching their minds open when they hear other opinions that may be different to their own. My favourite lessons are when, after a discussion, I ask if they think the actions of a person in the story are okay and they answer “A bit yes and a bit no”. They often start from a definite position because they have only considered one perspective, but most of the time at least some of the group will consider other points of view that have been raised throughout the discussion. I also think it’s important to point out to the children when there isn’t a consensus in the group. In real life, there is often no definitive yes or no yet we still need to find a pathway forward in those situations.

We hear in the media that we live in a more divided world than ever, which is a scary concept. I like to think that most people most of the time are simply trying their best to take on the challenges of daily life. If we can teach our children the concepts of fairness and equity, the ability to listen to others with curiosity and to keep an open mind, that will certainly make the world a better place.

Find out more about the 3 options for ethics volunteering

Global Ethics Day – volunteer spotlight on William

It’s Global Ethics Day 2025 on Wednesday 15 October and to celebrate, we’ll turn the spotlight onto some of our volunteers and hear about the impact of ethics education in their own lives.

This global celebration of the importance of ethical tools highlights ethics as a process for finding solutions in the collaborative and respectful manner often missing in today’s world. We can use ethics to guide personal decisions, mitigate harmful outcomes, create a more respectful structure for debate, develop helpful public policy, build and deploy technologies responsibly and address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Ethics is not about getting everyone to agree on a single set of values. It’s about how we learn to live together, respect our differences and together face our major global challenges.

William Mitchell, volunteer in inner-west Sydney for 11 years

What drew you to ethics volunteering? My journey with Primary Ethics began through my interest in the Ethics Centre and their Festival of Dangerous Ideas. After learning over coffee about a friend’s experience as an ethics facilitator, I was immediately convinced to volunteer. I’m now approaching my 11th year as a facilitator, currently teaching Stage 1 students at Taverners Hill Infant School in Petersham, having previously taught Early Stage 1 and Stage 2 classes.

Unlike many volunteers, I don’t have children or grandchildren of my own. Rather, philosophy was the focus of my undergraduate degree, so I thoroughly enjoy having the opportunity to help the children engage in the types of thinking and skill development that I am passionate about but didn’t get to explore until much later in my life.

Come to our Global Ethics Day webinar on Wednesday 15 October 6-7pm

What do you get out of the lessons? Has it given you a clearer sense of your own ethics? The benefits I derive are numerous and profound. As a lawyer by profession, it provides a refreshing contrast to my daily work (though there are surprising overlaps between the skills required to ensure the children keep discussion on track and respectful and running meetings as a professional). The program allows me to connect meaningfully with my local community and gives me a sense of accomplishment in helping children develop crucial life skills. The children’s unfiltered, creative responses serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining open and innovative thinking in adult life – something we often lose touch with as we reach adulthood.

The curriculum has significantly influenced my own ethical framework and daily behaviour over the past decade. Preparing for classes requires deep personal reflection on the same questions we pose to the children. Likewise, the process of truly engaging with the children’s responses often challenges my own beliefs and introduces me to perspectives I hadn’t considered. This aligns perfectly with my background in philosophy and continues to enrich my understanding of ethical reasoning and subjects which, as the curriculum was designed to do, apply routinely to what is going on in my everyday life.

What do you see as the benefits for the children? The Primary Ethics curriculum offers children numerous valuable skills, but perhaps the most crucial are the abilities to engage in respectful disagreement and to be open to changing their minds based on new information or perspectives. It’s particularly heartening to witness students becoming increasingly comfortable with revising their positions as the school year progresses, demonstrating their growing capacity for reasoned discussion and intellectual flexibility. Seeing the hand of a child go up to let the group know that they’ve changed their mind on an earlier answer they gave based on someone else’s response or reasoning is exactly why I facilitate ethics.

Why is ethical decision-making important in today’s world? The Primary Ethics program provides children with essential life skills that aren’t expressly practised or developed throughout formal education. These skills and behaviours are fundamental to human interaction and decision-making, yet opportunities to develop them in a structured environment are rare and can be far more challenging to learn as an adult. By enabling the next generation to identify and meaningfully engage with ethical questions that are inherent in everyday life, we’re investing in the development of better communities and societies of which we are all a part. As a staunch believer in this mission, I volunteer my time to help children develop these crucial capabilities so that they can go on to help the world and achieve far greater accomplishments than I could ever hope to achieve as an individual.

Find out more about the 3 options of ethics volunteering

Five lessons I’ve learnt from teaching ethics

Karina Morgan is a volunteer ethics teacher who’s learnt as much from her class of seven-to-nine year olds as they learn from the ethics curriculum. Here Karina describes her own five lessons learnt.

Each week, for 45 minutes, I sit down with a group of Year 2 students and discuss ethics. We’ll tackle an ethical concept or dilemma, typically in the form of a story, with questions designed to draw out deep discussion amongst the class.

The Ethics Centre established Primary Ethics as an independent not-for-profit in 2010, tasked with developing a curriculum and recruiting volunteers to run weekly ethics classes as an alternative in the scripture timeslot in public schools. They now deliver lessons to 45,000 children in 500 schools from kindergarten to year eight.

Classes are led by trained volunteers, who act as impartial facilitators. Our role is to model active listening and ask questions that build critical thinking skills and encourage collaborative learning.

For me, it feels like the most important gift I can give to the next generation. And if I’m honest, I find I am learning in each and every class right alongside them. Here are five lessons I’ve learned from teaching the Primary Ethics curriculum:

1. Curiosity is the gateway to critical thinking

Embracing curiosity is how we learn; it’s the driving force for growth, discovery and innovation. The innate curiosity in children is a vital foundation for developing skills like critical thinking, empathy and thoughtful decision-making.

You see, a curious mind doesn’t accept information at face value; it probes deeper, asking why, how and what if? It fuels the critical examination of ideas, helps us identify biases, to sort fact from fiction and consider situations from multiple perspectives.

I admire the unbridled curiosity of the students I teach. It’s contagious. As adults, we can get stuck in our routines and belief systems. We accept the status quo and stop exploring what’s possible.

2. There is power in saying ‘I don’t know’

One of the most powerful moments last year came when a student asked a question I couldn’t answer. I took a breath and said, “I don’t know – what do other students think?”

And just like that, the room lit up. I had given the students permission to be knowledge holders and had modelled the open-minded growth mindset we want to cultivate through ethics lessons. Since then I have witnessed so much more willingness from everyone in the room to have a go.

It turns out there’s a kind of magic in admitting you don’t have all the answers. Teaching ethics is not about being an authority; it’s about being a partner in figuring things out. Admitting you don’t know doesn’t make you weaker – it opens the door for connection and learning.

3. To disagree respectfully, we need to be open to learning from each other

Nine-year-olds are full of opinions. But what also stands out to me is how open they are to new points of view, to listen to each other, even when they disagree. Recently, a student in my class said she disagreed with the person sitting next to her. That student smiled, said, ‘that’s okay’ and leaned into hearing her peer explain why. Imagine if we could cultivate that across the political divide.

Kids don’t assume the worst in someone who thinks differently – they assume they are trying their best, just as they themselves are. Watching them address and debate differing points of view without engaging in personal attack or any attempt to discredit each other is a beautiful reminder that respectful disagreement starts with empathy, assuming good intentions and willingness to learn from each other.

4. Psychological safety empowers new ideas and even changes minds

There’s a sense of psychological safety built through collaborative inquiry, because everyone’s ideas and questions are valid here. The kids thrive in the freedom it offers to explore, build on each other’s ideas and even to change their minds.

When I started teaching this class two years ago, everyone was itching to have their turn and to get the answer ‘right’. Now they have begun to really listen to each other – not just to respond, but to understand each other’s opinions.

This year there have been instances where students have discussed feeling conflicted over a question, proposed merit across differing sides of a debate and even changed their mind after listening to other points of view.

It’s a powerful reminder of how active listening can transform conversations. Making someone feel heard deepens trust, fosters empathy and makes room for challenging conversations. It isn’t just a tool for learning; it’s a tool for connection.

5. Ethics in education can establish a resiliency for life

Resilience, I fear, is a word that’s lost some of its charm for a lot of adults. Through ethics lessons I’ve been reminded that resilience isn’t the nefarious push-through mentality or the ability to bounce back from a setback. It can also be staying engaged with challenging situations, even when the answers are messy or unclear. It’s regulating emotions, processing stress and being adaptable to change.

Ethics lessons are about grappling with tough questions, sometimes without any resolution. Nine-year-olds handle this better than you’d think, certainly better than a lot of adults. When there’s no clear answer, they meet the discomfort of uncertainty with curiosity and creative thinking.

Find out more about volunteering with Primary Ethics >>

Originally published by The Ethics Centre

How Critical Thinking Empowers the Next Generation in the Age of AI

What if the future of our society rests in the hands of the next generation learning to think critically?

That’s the question Sinéad Fitzgerald pondered in 2023 while delivering work presentations about AI. Although she had heard of Primary Ethics, this question and the follow-up rhetorical reflection, ‘What are you going to do about it Sinéad?’ gave her the drive to become a volunteer ethics teacher.

Sinéad writes: Over the course of 2024, I had the absolute privilege of teaching ethics to an engaged and fun group of Year 5 students. These young minds — nine to 11 years old — opt for ethics over scripture and what I witness in their discussions is nothing short of remarkable. Their curiosity, resilience and willingness to grapple with ethical dilemmas give me hope, not just for their futures but for the future of our world. In their questions and reflections, I see the seeds of a generation ready to navigate an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI). Watching these students explore complex issues reminds me of an essential truth: we are equipping them with perhaps some of the most necessary skills for the future — skills in ethical reasoning, critical thinking and collaborative inquiry.

Critical thinking: the compass for the AI era

How do we ensure our children are equipped to navigate a world dominated by AI?

As AI reshapes industries and lifestyles, critical thinking emerges as a non-negotiable skill. AI can analyse data, recognise patterns and even mimic creativity, but it cannot replace human abilities to question, interpret and decide based on values. For today’s young people, the overwhelming flood of information — often a blend of truth and distortion — makes critical evaluation essential.

Primary Ethics is a not-for-profit organisation offering secular ethics education as an alternative to scripture classes in primary schools. The curriculum is crafted by a team of philosophers, educators and experts, ensuring lessons are age-appropriate, engaging and relevant. Aligned with The Ethics Centre, Primary Ethics offers a robust program that equips young minds with the tools to navigate moral and social challenges, fostering a generation of empathetic, informed and ethical decision-makers who can contribute meaningfully to society.

Lessons that inspire

Over the year, our lessons explored themes such as A Fair Society, where students tackled the question, do societies have a responsibility to ensure everyone has access to education and healthcare? This led to debates about the challenges of addressing inequality and whether luck — good or bad — should influence social responsibilities.

In Appeal to Authority, students examined when it’s appropriate to accept advice or rules from authority figures, such as teachers or doctors, and when it’s okay to challenge them. This lesson was instrumental in developing discernment and confidence, helping young thinkers navigate a world where blind trust can sometimes lead to misinformation or manipulation.

Discussions on Extending Human Rights to Animals asked whether rights traditionally reserved for humans, such as the right to free speech or education, should be extended to animals like chimpanzees. Students were encouraged to reflect on what it means to have rights and whether ethical considerations should transcend species boundaries.

Other lessons, like Beliefs, Opinions, Tolerance and Respect, prompted students to consider whether all beliefs deserve respect and tolerance, especially when those beliefs may cause harm. Meanwhile, the topic of Teasing dove into understanding when, if ever, teasing is acceptable and how it can impact relationships and emotional well-being.

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like chatbots, search engines and personalised recommendations become ever-present in students’ lives, it’s important for them to reflect on how they engage with such technologies. I was delighted to teach a new topic called Interacting with AI. Some big questions students discussed in this topic include: How is AI different from and similar to human intelligence? Is it okay to use artificial intelligence to help with schoolwork? Can we be friends with a chatbot? Is it wrong to be cruel to artificial intelligence? Can we trust the information provided by artificial intelligence?

The most profound moments in my ethics classes have often come from the students themselves. During our AI-focused lesson, a discussion emerged around AI-generated art. A student asked, “If AI can create art, is it really ‘stealing’ or are we redefining creativity in a new way?” which sparked a spirited debate. Several students argued that human intent makes art meaningful, while others proposed that art’s value lies in the audience’s experience, not its creator.

Sinéad Fitzgerald

This wasn’t just a theoretical exercise but a testament to the power of critical thinking. The students weren’t just finding answers — they were learning to ask the kind of questions that lead to deeper understanding. Across all lessons, students are encouraged to question assumptions, evaluate arguments and consider the broader implications of their ideas.

A small role, a big impact

I genuinely enjoy playing my small role in helping our children become ethical decision-makers. Watching them learn to think critically, give evidence-based reasons for their opinions and have attentive discussions, even in respectful disagreement, has been deeply rewarding. These skills will serve them for a lifetime, enabling them to navigate and shape an ethical, equitable and thoughtful society.

These young thinkers show us that tomorrow’s potential lies in curiosity and empathy. They recognise that technology, including AI, is neither inherently good nor bad — how we use it determines its impact.

The World Economic Forum and LinkedIn’s recent analysis of the skills most in demand for future talent notably emphasise that critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential for the modern workforce. This aligns perfectly with what we’re cultivating through these lessons, which are more than classroom exercises — they are opportunities for students to develop the tools needed for thoughtful and engaged citizenship in a rapidly changing world.

By nurturing these capabilities today, we are cultivating a generation that will thrive in the AI age and steer it toward a more inclusive and ethical future. Imagine a world where our leaders, innovators and creators are as conscientious as they are competent—a world shaped by those who ask not just what can we do? but what should we do?”

Let us prioritise critical thinking in education, recognising its role in creating a brighter tomorrow. By empowering young minds to ask big questions, engage in thoughtful discussions and tackle ethical dilemmas, we prepare them to navigate and redefine the complexities of our world.

The future is not just bright — it is inspiring, dynamic and waiting to be shaped by a generation of thinkers ready to lead.

In time, not very much time at all, it will be the decisions of the children we teach today that will shape the world

Dr Simon Longstaff, The Ethics Centre and Primary Ethics Board

Find put more about ethics volunteering

An ethics student speaks out

“Ethics classes have been a huge help to me, both in primary and now in secondary school,” writes 16-year-old Keean from southwest Sydney.

“In ethics classes, I have seen so many shy students gain confidence and we have had so many interesting discussions. I learnt how to critically think about problems and delve deeper into my opinions and why I thought certain things.

Instead of just stating my opinion, I was able to understand how to reason and how to convey my opinions in a thought out manner instead of blankly stating them.

I also learnt how to have a functional group discussion with people with different opinions in a respectful manner.

Ethics classes have helped me in high school as well. They taught me not just to trust any information I come across, but rather check other sources and gather more information before coming to a final decision or answering a question.

Overall, ethics classes were so enjoyable, rewarding and so helpful for me, I highly recommend participating.”

Make a difference for students like Keean by volunteering as an ethics teacher >>

‘What I noticed was the remarkable level of engagement’ – two ethics volunteers speak

In June, two of our many thoughtful volunteers joined us for a webinar to talk about their very positive experiences of teaching ethics. Here’s an edited version of their questions and answers on the night.

Edwina Scerri is a psychologist, living in Wagga in the southwest of the state and teaching her daughter in Year 1.
What drew you to ethics and why do you think it’s important for children?

I’m from Sydney and I just assumed my daughter was going to be able to access ethics once we relocated to Wagga. And to my surprise, there were hardly any schools in Wagga that provide ethics. So I said, right, my daughter’s starting. I wanted her to have this opportunity, so I trained. I’m in my second year now. And I think it’s really important for her and her classmates to have the opportunity for these discussions.

Can you recall a recent topic or scenario that really engaged your students or one that got you thinking differently?

With ethics, there’s often a story. And then from that story, there’s questions and, you know, [for me as the teacher] practising being curious about what comes up. And this was a story about finding an injured bird in the wild, bringing it home, getting it well, then the child wanting to keep the bird.

And so we had this whole discussion about keeping the bird or not.

I think it's done something for me as a parent in terms of the quality of my conversations with my daughter.

Edwina Scerri, Psychologist

I don’t know if I’ve got the right words for it, but I could just see the kids processing and going, this is why I think I wanted to keep it, I might miss the bird [when it leaves] but the bird’s home is in the wild.

And it was just lovely. It wasn’t anything I said. It was me just facilitating the conversation and really practising being curious about what they had to say, asking ‘what do others think?’, having those prompting questions. It was, wow, powerful. It’s half an hour a week, but these kids really can get into it when they’re given that space.

And is there disagreement?

Respectful, curious disagreement. And again, it’s good to make that okay for children, that it’s okay to have a different thought or oh, now that you’ve heard someone else’s thought, how might that impact? Just having a moment to reflect and listen to someone else and then come back: I might think differently about this now. I think it’s a great platform that every child should have an opportunity to experience.

And does your daughter bring the questions home?

I’m a psychologist and I ask people questions for a living, but there’s something different in the way I interact around her now. Those questions come to me more out of curiosity now. It creates another space ready to explore and be curious rather than ‘you should think this way’ or ‘that’s the wrong way’.

My daughter and I love talking and ethics is a lovely extension. It’s her favourite time of the week.

What’s your experience with the children’s behaviour?

The training was very practical and gave me lots of ideas of what to do to manage behaviour. Last year I had a couple of students I wasn’t too sure which way to go with. I had a lot of online support, I had telephone calls and felt really supported and just tweaking a few things made a huge difference. So I know I can ring any time. There are online modules in the training. It was very practical training I could easily transfer and I still refer to my notes sometimes.

In general, a bit of redirection does a lot for kids. And once they build that connection with you, it, it seems to flow okay. I actually think they look forward to it. It’s a different way of being at school, just getting to talk and to have somebody hold that space and facilitate a discussion rather than ‘you’ve got to do this or we’ve got to do that’.

Are there any benefits to you in teaching ethics?

It’s something I look forward to doing every week. It’s probably impacted the way I carry on conversations with my daughter outside my ethics teaching. So I think it’s actually done something for me as a parent in terms of the quality of my conversations with my daughter.

Were there continuities `{`between university teaching and primary ethics teaching`}`? To be honest, there were so many continuities that I was shocked.

Associate Professor Bruce Isaacs

Bruce Isaacs is an Associate Professor in film studies at Sydney University and teaches in his son’s school – but not his son – each week.
You’re a uni lecturer, which is obviously very different from teaching at primary level. What drew you to ethics and why do you see this work as important?

ProfBruceIsaacs — Associate Professor Bruce Isaacs

I’m the kind of person who would say everything’s philosophy, right? Our school was asking for volunteers. I was really interested in what were the alternatives being offered in schools. But more than anything, I really believed passionately that ethics should be a fundamental part of our curriculum, not just at primary school, but at high school. And so I wanted to be part of this.

I’m very interested in education at university. And I wanted to compare what we were doing to what would happen in a Year 6 classroom with an ethics curriculum. Were there continuities? And to be honest, there were so many continuities that I was shocked. The degree to which what the Year 6s were doing spoke so beautifully to what I was doing with 20-year-olds. It affirmed everything I’d hoped it would.

Can you recall a recent topic or scenario that really engaged those Year 6s?

Sure. Because they’re Year 6, I feel they are really up for high levels of uncertainty and open-endedness. Yesterday we talked about whether you should think for yourself – which on one level sounds very simple, but on another level has plagued us for thousands of years. I love the fact that the curriculum does not dumb anything down. You know what I wrestle with in them in Year 6? It’s precisely what I wrestle with in adults undertaking university education.

So the story was about Rosa Parks getting on that fateful bus. Rosa Parks in Alabama USA in the 1950s was not permitted to sit down on a bus because it was white-only sitting in a particular area – that was the law. And she (a Black woman) simply refused to stand up. Then she was escorted off the bus, taken to gaol in a police vehicle. And so the question that was posed to students to think about, which is stunning for me, is do you think she should have done what she did [broken the rule]? And what are some of the issues that opens up for us?

So we had this absolutely fantastic, engaging, but most importantly unclosed discussion about how you might respond to that. What is most memorable for me and most vital I think about the ethics curriculum is that it teaches young people to live with that degree of not-knowing.

So much of our lives growing up is find the answer to something. This lesson invites you not to find the answer, but to wrestle with the uncertainties of ‘what does this side look like? What does that side look like? And are there even only two sides to anything?’ And I’m amazed that 11-year-olds get it like that. It’s astonishing to me. I wish we did more at university, to be honest.

Is there any part of your experience with ethics teaching that’s spilled over into your day job?

Oh completely. So what I discovered with Year 6, I started teaching them two years ago, they were like sponges when it came to wanting to put forward their opinions. And what I noticed was the level of engagement, it was remarkable to me. They were highly expressive. They wanted to get into the meat of these questions. And the ethics classes are based so much on creating dialogue in those spaces and the script is incredibly supportive to enable you to create the dialogue. I lifted some of that for my university teaching, not the actual ethics script itself, because obviously I would adjust it for different levels of learning, but that dialogical mode. I leaned on that in my own university classes, especially in first year where I was teaching a critical theory course.

I can only speak from teaching Year 6, but I’ve talked to friends who do other grades and it seems to be the same experience. I can say that the dialogue that is established between the student and the teacher without telling the student right or wrong is absolutely transferable to the university space. And if anything, that’s what we require of all students at university. So I would like to think that what ethics is doing, and I see it firsthand, I see the students who come at 18 or 19 years old, from what I can tell from the Primary Ethics curriculum, ethics prepares them for a really high level of learning and critical engagement.

We often have questions about classroom management from our ethics teachers or new applicants. How do you deal with behaviour in your classroom? And do you feel the Primary Ethics training prepared you for what you found in the actual classroom?

Sure. Firstly, the ethics curriculum is amazing. Whoever designed that, kudos to that person and that team because they distilled from such complexity an amazingly elegant program. Then the training was astonishing. The help in how to manage the classroom is really great. And so I would say to anyone who wants to do it, in training you get in a team with other volunteers and you become close with that team and you do lots of mock lessons. I thought that was such fun. I loved it. I felt so much more confident then going into the class. This is not to say it isn’t challenging. I learned very early on that Year 6s are probably going to listen to you less than first or second year university students. And for that, if you have a teacher in the classroom from the school, which I do some of the time, that’s fantastic because this is a kind of authority. But if not, there are lots of support systems and I’ve got to say I feel equipped to manage the class.

Anyone who starts, I would say don’t be tough on yourself. If it’s a little bit challenging for a few weeks, the students don’t know you. And so you have to build a bit of rapport and get their trust and then slowly this relationship starts to emerge.

But the ethics training spends a lot of time on how do you work in the classroom, how do you deal with disruptive students, how do you support them and work with them. So I would say to anyone thinking of it, that’s the least of my concerns now when I go to class. I think the students are wonderful.

Have you found some personal benefit with having been through the ethics training and now teaching?

Yeah, absolutely. I love the classes. I love the bonds with students. I’ve taught at university for many years, but not in this kind of space. I know it sounds cliched … teaching is astonishingly rewarding in itself. So the act of teaching for me is as if you’re constantly engaged in a social good. So on that one level, it has been rewarding to teach people who are younger and to see that development in more stark terms in light of ethics lessons. It’s just incredibly rewarding.

I love Edwina’s word ‘curiosity’. One of the things I do research into is learning philosophies, pedagogy and curiosity is a big one. What ethics gave me in speaking to 10 to 11 year olds on a weekly basis is that when I talk to my own son, who’s eight (he does the Year 3/4 class), I try to remind myself to approach almost anything from that place of not-lip-service curiosity. What does it mean to be genuinely curious about any position? And I think that is something we have to craft in ourselves, which is why I’m so committed to ethics from very young. It’s something that needs to be developmental, all the way through your life.

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