Our Blog - Primary Ethics

Ethics teaching – a family affair

This year a third member of the Scott family has become an ethics volunteer. Peter Scott describes their journey to being an ethics family.

As ethics teachers, we often reflect on the benefits the Primary Ethics program has for our students. I have been an ethics teacher at Glenmore Rd Public Sschool in Paddington for 13 years now. Not only have I seen it benefit my many students over that time, but ethics volunteering has given my family a sense of common purpose and brought us closer together as we grow older.

In my second year I taught our younger son Lachlan, who was in Year 6. He was a little embarrassed to have his dad in front of his mates, although he got used to it as I brought my soccer coaching skills to bear. Our older son Alasdair had already left for high school when I started ethics teaching and felt a little left out of the conversations we were having at the family table.

Eight years later their mother Sarah became an ethics teacher too, partly to better inform her architectural work designing early childhood education facilities. She could see how much value I was getting from teaching the curriculum. Now she is part of our group of eight teachers at the school and absolutely loves it.

Find out more about volunteering with us

Sarah tells this story about witnessing the impact of ethics thinking skills in her class:

``One of my favourite ethics moments occurred with the lesson about the intent and structure of an ethics class. I followed the script, starting the class with random questions about unrelated topics which they could not possibly have answers for. They were all initially very puzzled and confused, but then one girl had a lightbulb moment and put her hand up with much animation. 'I know what this is!' she exclaimed excitedly, then in a conspiratorial voice she added, 'It’s an ethics class about ethics classes!' They all went 'Ahhhh'.``

Sarah Scott

After all these years the wheel has now turned full circle. Alasdair, who just missed out on being in the primary school ethics program, finally had some time to contribute after completing six years of university. We did the teacher training together in January 2025 – it was my second time and after 13 years it was completely different. Not only had the curriculum evolved, so had the teaching techniques.

So now Alasdair too has become part of our group of teachers and also loves it.

So we are an ethics teaching family! We sit down at the dinner table, speak one at a time, there are no putdowns and we build upon each other’s ideas … Okay, no, that doesn’t quite happen – we are a normal family and all talk at once. However, we all recognise that the ethics program offers a really positive way of engaging with younger generations and listening to each other in order to build a future together.

xmas 2022 c — Peter, Lachlan, Sarah and Alasdair Scott

Double your impact when you donate this month

Primary Ethics to merge with The Ethics Centre

Primary Ethics, the not-for-profit organisation delivering Special Ethics Education in NSW public primary schools, will merge with its founding body, The Ethics Centre, in a strategic move to enhance ethics education opportunities.

Established by The Ethics Centre in 2010, Primary Ethics has equipped more than 250,000 students in over 650 NSW public schools with vital skills in critical thinking, ethical reasoning and respectful discussion, thanks to the dedication of thousands of trained volunteers.

For over three decades, The Ethics Centre has been a leader in developing innovative and impactful ethics education initiatives in Australian primary and high schools, including initiatives such as Moral Courage and Common Ground. The Centre is committed to developing programs that help young people navigate the ethical challenges they face now and in the future, guided by a Youth Advisory Council.

“This merger brings together two organisations that share a deep commitment to building ethical literacy in Australia,” said Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Chair of the Primary Ethics Board and Executive Director of The Ethics Centre. “We’re immensely proud of the impact Primary Ethics has made in NSW schools and this step allows us to explore future possibilities to build on that legacy.”

While the merger will bring opportunities for collaboration and growth, the day-to-day delivery of Primary Ethics classes in NSW public schools will remain unchanged. The quality of the curriculum, the role of volunteers and the integrity of donations to Primary Ethics will all be preserved.

Dr Longstaff said: “The ethics education program that our volunteers, supporters and families know and value will continue to operate as it does today. What’s changing is the opportunity to do more – to innovate, to reach new communities and to bring ethics education to a broader audience. This is about broadening horizons while staying true to our roots.”

Detailed planning for the merger is underway, with full implementation to follow stakeholder consultation.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Primary Ethics: Susan Ardill – communications@primaryethics.com.au M: 0478356969

The Ethics Centre: Kathleen Evesson – communications@ethics.org.au M: 0414171945

Download this media release

Empowering young minds: webinars

We run regular one-hour webinars for anyone interested to find out more about ethics classes and volunteering with us.

You’re very welcome even if you know you can’t volunteer but simply want to find out more about ethics. You’ll be able to participate in a demo lesson (to see our teaching style in action), hear first-hand experiences from current volunteers, hear about our comprehensive free training and support and also learn about what’s involved in volunteering with us.

We welcome questions, which you can ask in advance when you register.

Spread the word – not only to your local community, but also to anyone who lives near a NSW public primary or high school (as we’re looking for more volunteers all across the state!)

12.30pm – 1.30pm Friday 25 July 2025
6pm – 7pm Thursday 4 September 2025
12.30pm – 1.30pm Friday 24 October 2025
6pm – 7pm Tuesday 11 November 2025
6pm – 7pm Thursday 11 December 2025
12.30pm – 1.30pm Friday 30 January 2026

@Home bulletin for parents Term 2 2025

Welcome to @Home bulletin for Term 2 2025, where we let families know what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term.

Subscribe here to receive our @Home email bulletin once a term.

The topics we show below are based on classes which begin at the beginning of the year. Schools start at different times of the year, some lessons go faster or slower than others, some schools skip ethics for the first and last weeks of the term while others teach every single week – and so on.

We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it!

If your child tells you they are discussing a topic you don’t see in this bulletin, you can also look at the Curriculum section of our website.

Kindergarten: Making things up and showing off

Young children are learning to navigate social situations – and this term, they’ll explore why people sometimes make things up or show off. Is it wrong to invent a story to hide a mistake? Why do people brag when they win? Students will reflect on honesty, pride and how our words make others feel.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Different kinds of animals and different kinds of needs

Most kids know pets need food and water – but what about play, space and freedom? Is it just as important to play with a fish as it is to play with a dog? And is it okay to keep a wild animal as a pet, as long as it has everything it needs? This term, Stage 1 students will explore the needs of different animals and think about how we care for living things – even when their needs are very different from our own.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Persuading

Children are often natural persuaders – but not all persuasion is equal. This term, students will explore how we try to influence others and what makes persuasion fair or unfair. Is it okay to exaggerate a little? Or only tell part of the truth? And what about advertising – should companies be allowed to use tricks to make us want things? These conversations will help students think about honesty, fairness and how far to go when trying to persuade someone.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Being vain

As children grow, appearance often starts to matter to them more – both how they see themselves and how they think others see them. This term, Stage 3 students will explore questions about vanity and appearance. Is it okay to want to look good – or better than others? Where do we draw the line between taking pride in how we look and caring too much? And how do our choices about appearance affect the people around us?

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Giving and accepting apologies

Every day, all around the world, people apologise – sometimes sincerely, sometimes awkwardly, sometimes because they have to. But what makes an apology genuine? Can you really apologise if you don’t understand what you did wrong? And do people always have to accept a good apology? This term, Stage 4 students will reflect on what it means to say sorry – and explore more complex questions about group responsibility and when, if ever, someone can apologise on behalf of others.

Each term brings new ideas and questions and we hope these topics spark interesting conversations at home as well!

Find out more about being a volunteer ethics teacher >>

Inquiring Minds March 2025

Welcome to Inquiring Minds for autumn 2025, where we bring you stories and reflections from our ethics classrooms, as well as recent Primary Ethics highlights.

In this issue we collected stories from many of our wonderful volunteers, such as:

Sinéad Fitzgerald, who works for Microsoft and thinks the skills we teach in ethics are ideal for preparing this generation to thrive in the age of AI.
While Karina Morgan finds her own life enhanced by five lessons she’s learnt as an ethics volunteer.
Five years ago, COVID launched Lalita Kanetkar on her journey to be an ethics teacher.
And Jim Neely teaches a remarkable five lessons a week in four different schools in the south of the state.

To receive the next Inquiring Minds, make sure to subscribe to our newsletters at the bottom of our home page.

Jim Neely Q+A

We asked Jim Neely, who, alongside the Northmead Public School team, was Kinghorn Volunteer of the Year 2024, to do a Q+A for us.

Jim is embarking on his second decade of volunteering this year, having started in 2015! He has quite a spread of experience with ethics, from the school level down to the lesson level. He’s regional manager for ethics programs in seven schools in the broader Queanbeyan region in southern NSW – four in Queanbeyan as well as Bungendore, Jerrabomberra and Sutton. Between them they deliver lessons to thousands of students each week. Currently, he supports 12 ethics teachers and himself teaches five classes every week in four different schools.

When accepting the Kinghorn Award, Jim said: “As you all know, we are delivering a very worthwhile and important program and I get a lot of satisfaction out of my engagement with the students, as well as with the other volunteers – which is what keeps me motivated.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the wonderful support we receive from what I consider the ‘head office’ team: from the Help Desk, to the classroom support team, the trainers, area managers, communications team, the curriculum team…

“Your helpfulness, expertise and ongoing striving to improve the program and the volunteer experience contributes enormously to the satisfaction I get from my Primary Ethics volunteering.”

Here’s Jim’s Q+A.

How did you hear about ethics and what drew you to volunteer?

Originally I read stories in the Sydney Morning Herald about the attempts to establish Primary Ethics in NSW public primary schools and thought, ‘What a great idea’! It was obviously such an important program for children. When I heard that the program was in place at Queanbeyan Public School, I volunteered.

Jim with Barb LaGanza (Kinghorn 2023), Jill Kinghorn and Swee Goh (Kinghorn 2022).

What have you done over your 10 years as an ethics volunteer?

I’ve continued as an ethics teacher and coordinator across that decade, but after retiring I also took on the Regional Manager role and worked to establish the program in more schools in the Queanbeyan area, plus Goulburn, which I looked after for a couple of years.

It’s very satisfying to now see many more children in the area having the opportunity to attend ethics classes.

What do you see the kids get from ethics and what do you get from it for yourself?

It’s very rewarding to see the development in the students’ ability to engage with the topics – to listen to each other and give thoughtful responses to the questions.

When a child says, ‘building on what so-and-so said’, I give an internal fist-pump! Also, when a class is going well, I feel a real sense of community develop, a level of trust, which is reflected in how the students engage with the discussions.

I also very much value working with such an inspiring bunch of people from different walks of life, many of whom I know have full lives already, managing work and children, but who also manage to fit in this commitment because of the value they place on it. I also value the sense of community that has developed between the volunteers in the different schools and the willingness to help each other out.

What’s your favourite lesson topic?

A number come to mind. With the little kids, the topic involving meerkats. This is one I know they remember. With Stage 3, I like the way the topic on Authority develops over four lessons, from a girl who shows courage at school in standing up for a disabled student, to the story of Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights movement in the US. This topic always engages the students.

Are there other rewards you weren’t expecting?

As time has gone by, I’ve come to appreciate more the broader benefits the children get out of the classes, beyond the development of their critical thinking/ethical reasoning skills, such as increased self-confidence, empowerment… For example, I recall one girl in a class who was initially very reluctant to contribute but became more confident as the year went on. When I asked in the end-of-year lesson, ‘How did you feel when you were talking and everyone else was listening?’, she said ‘Respect’.

Another reward is hearing about our impact. One school invited me and other community volunteers to an end-of-year morning tea. In speaking to the assembled group, the school’s SRE/SEE coordinator specifically mentioned our program and commented that the conversations from ethics often continued afterwards in the regular classes. That was very gratifying to hear.

Thanks Jim!

@Home Bulletin for parents Term 1 2025

Welcome to @Home for Term 1 2025, where we let families know what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term.

Subscribe here to receive our @Home email bulletin once a term.

We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it!

If your child tells you they are discussing a topic you don’t see in this bulletin, you can also look at the Curriculum section of our website.

Kindergarten: Being curious and asking questions
Young children are naturally curious and our curriculum is designed to nurture their curiosity, thinking and questioning skills – helping them grow into confident, independent thinkers. In their first topic of the year, students will explore why we ask questions and consider why it can sometimes feel difficult to ask questions out loud, especially when we’re worried about looking silly.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: When is it fair?
Our Stage 1 students will explore fairness, starting with a story about some animals baking bread – where all but one help with the work. Should the animal who didn’t help still get to share in the bread? Later, they’ll discuss fairness in different contexts, including how to divide slices of cake. Through these discussions, they’ll consider different ways of thinking about fairness and what makes something feel fair or unfair.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Being greedy
Stage 2 students will think about what it means to be greedy, starting with the story of King Midas, who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. They’ll also explore stories of children collecting things and discuss questions like: Is it wrong to want more toys than you can use? Is there anything wrong with wanting to be the richest person in the world? They’ll consider different perspectives on greed and whether wanting more is always a bad thing.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Voting
Our Stage 3 students will explore questions about voting, beginning with student elections. Should you vote for someone just because they’re your friend? How should we balance self-interest with the needs of others when deciding who to vote for? They’ll also consider whether voting should be compulsory or voluntary.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: You’re not the boss of me
Stage 4 students will reflect on how much control they should have over their own lives. They’ll start by considering screen time – who should decide how much is too much, and why? They’ll also look at smoking laws and explore why some rules exist to protect individuals from harm. What right do parents, adults and governments have to limit teenagers’ freedoms? Why do we have age limits? Is it ever okay to stop people from doing things for their own protection? These discussions will encourage them to think critically about rights, responsibilities and personal autonomy.

Each term brings new ideas and questions and we hope these topics spark interesting conversations at home as well!

Become a volunteer ethics teacher!

Dr Simon Longstaff is our new Chair

Dr Simon Longstaff AO, CEO of The Ethics Centre and longstanding member of the Primary Ethics Board, has become our new Chair on the retirement of founding Chair Bruce Hogan.

Dr Longstaff said, “It is with a deep sense of honour that I have accepted the Primary Ethics Board’s invitation to succeed Bruce Hogan as Chair.

“I have had the privilege of being part of Primary Ethics’ unfolding story from the first. It began with an email from a parent of children attending Neutral Bay Public School. Peter Carre asked if it might be possible to offer ethics classes to those not attending Special Religious Education (Scripture) – and the ball began to roll.”

Dr Longstaff paid tribute to founding Chair Bruce Hogan.

“Bruce has been a committed volunteer in the service of this proudly volunteer-driven organisation. He has given his all – wisdom, passion, experience, time and energy – in helping Primary Ethics become the force for good that it is today. I extend to Bruce our deep thanks and respect.”

Evan Hannah, CEO of Primary Ethics, also saluted the outgoing Chair. “Quite literally Primary Ethics would not be operating without Bruce’s hard work gathering funds and supporters in our early years. His energy, vision and passion are the reason we are still here, along with his own outstanding personal generosity. What we have achieved rests largely on his shoulders and all of us – volunteers, staff and directors – owe him a significant debt.

“Bruce can be proud of bringing ethics classes to the many thousands of students who have benefitted since our launch 15 years ago.”

Simon Longstaff taking up the role of Chair coincides with Primary Ethics moving to share The Ethics Centre offices. Simon sees the need for ethics education as only growing. “Primary Ethics was established by The Ethics Centre as a heartfelt response to the plight of children who were subjected to unjust treatment – simply for not attending scripture classes. There is still much to be done to realise the original mission. And we can’t diverge from working towards that goal for as long as the need remains. Our curriculum and distinctive mode of teaching and learning has vast, untapped potential.”

Simon went on to acknowledge everyone who contributes to the work of Primary Ethics. “The parents who entrust their children to our care; the school communities who host our program; our dedicated staff who enable and support a high-quality program to be delivered every week; our donors and supporters who enable this work to be done.

“Above all, I thank our thousands of trained volunteers, who build the capacity of young people in ethical decision-making and thus help make a better world.

“I look forward to working with them all to broaden and deepen our impact.”

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