Our Blog - Primary Ethics

@Home bulletin for parents Term 3 2024

Welcome to @Home for Term 3 2024, 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 began 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: Disagreeing
Disagreements happen all the time, both big and small. In Term 3, our Kindergarten students will dive into the ethics of disagreeing with others. Is it okay to tell someone they’re wrong? Are there good and bad ways to voice disagreement? Our curriculum aims to help children think about their ideas and those of others. By listening to different viewpoints, especially ideas that challenge their own, students learn that respectful disagreement is an important part of learning together.
Later in the year, they’ll tackle topics like owning up and being truthful.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Being brave
In Term 3, our Stage 1 students will explore what it means to be brave. Can you be brave if you aren’t afraid or does being brave mean overcoming fear? They’ll also think about a special kind of courage – moral courage. When is it important to stand up for what we believe is right?
Later in the year, students will think about saying sorry and forgiving people.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Understanding diversity
In Term 3, our Stage 2 students will reflect on some big questions about cultural diversity. Why do different groups of people have different laws? Is it because they have different moral values or is something else going on? And is it fair that the punishments for crimes sometimes differ? For example, in Australia, we might fine someone for stealing, while in traditional Inuit culture, they might banish the person from the tribe.
Later in the year, students will reflect on whether we should always strive to avoid harming living things.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Getting ahead in sport
In Term 3, our Stage 3 students will discuss the ethics of sports and unfair advantages. Athletes use various methods to gain an edge, but what exactly counts as an unfair advantage? Is loading up on carbohydrates before a race fair? Drinking coffee? Training at special high-altitude camps? Wearing a special swimsuit? Or taking performance-enhancing drugs?
Later in the year, students will consider whether we can blame people for their actions when they have no other options.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Lizard people and fake news
The internet is full of all kinds of information, some of it quite strange. How important is it, therefore, to think carefully about what we believe? Why do so many people fall for conspiracy theories? Why might politicians spread fake news and does fake news harm democracy? Do media organisations have a duty to combat fake news? In Term 3, our Stage 4 students will dive into these questions, learning how to navigate the complex world of online information responsibly.
Later in the year, students will discuss the ethics of being ignored and whether it’s important to be true to oneself.

Twelve years an ethics teacher

Peter Scott has been an ethics teacher at an inner-Sydney school for more than 12 years now. In this blog post, Peter looks back – and into the future.

I have been a Primary Ethics teacher at Glenmore Rd PS for 12 years now and I still wake up each week with the excitement of exploring the curriculum with new students. In my early years I used to get butterflies at the thought of managing a group of students. The school’s teachers and Primary Ethics colleagues helped me with lots of tips and built up my confidence. I have taught three stages and seen the curriculum evolve over the years, becoming easier to deliver and more effective in the discussions.

I recently started a new topic with my stage 3 class, Interacting with AI. We were all excited to discuss something so important. About 10 minutes in, I asked the class to tell me what they thought artificial intelligence was. Hands shot up around the circle, but before I could choose a student, a voice calmly rang out with a full description. The class went very quiet as calling out was breaking our class rules.

More disturbing though was that the voice was not one of my students, it was Siri!

I use an Ipad to deliver the curriculum and Siri had been listening in. When the question was asked she couldn’t contain herself and jumped into the middle of the discussion. It was quite spooky and seemed entirely appropriate, although it took several minutes to get the class calmed and back on track.

So now I have an extra student in my class. I have asked Siri to please observe the class rules before she decides to call out again!

Find out more about volunteering with us!

Primary Ethics is delighted to announce the Kinghorn Award for ethics volunteers 2024, which brings substantial prize money to go to the recipient’s chosen school, as well as public recognition and appreciation for the often-unsung efforts of our wonderful volunteers.

This award will honour an ethics volunteer or a school team of volunteers who have strongly contributed to the success of the ethics program at their school – or schools. We want to acknowledge team players, good communicators, who are supportive of other volunteers, reliable and committed to our program of ethics education.

The award is open to all ethics teachers, coordinators, regional managers and members of the Classroom Support Team (except individual Primary Ethics staff – they are eligible as members of a team). Every volunteer can nominate other volunteers for this award – there is no limit on numbers of nominations. Only volunteers who have been active in 2024 are eligible to be nominated.

We are looking for someone or a team who:

has made a significant contribution to our mission to deliver ethics education to children so that they can develop skills in ethical reasoning, critical thinking and respectful discussion
has conducted themselves in a manner true to our values of respect, integrity, independence, excellence and teamwork.

THE PRIZE

The winner has the privilege of directing $4000 towards the library service in the school or schools of their choosing. They will be awarded an engraved trophy and their school library will be given a hardcover copy of Unstoppable Us, volume 2. Why the World isn’t Fair by Yuval Noah Harari, containing a bookplate with details of this award winner.

We will present the award to the winner at a ceremony in December 2024.

Make your nomination here >>

Nominations close at midnight on Friday 27 September, 2024.

The winner will be announced in late November 2024.

WHY THE KINGHORN AWARD?

The Chair of the Primary Ethics Board, Bruce Hogan, through his Hogan Family Foundation, is funding this award in order to recognise the fantastic contribution of the Kinghorn Family Foundation to Primary Ethics.

Primary Ethics would not be where it is today without the Kinghorns. From 2013 through to the present day, John and Jill Kinghorn’s Foundation has provided significant funding to Primary Ethics. This generous funding directly resulted in the employment of urgently needed staff to manage and develop ethics programs and provide teacher training.

This Kinghorn Award recognises both the pivotal role the Foundation has played and the significant role of the winner in bringing our ethics program to more children in our state.

THE JUDGING PANEL

The judging panel will be comprised of:

The Chair of the Primary Ethics Board, Bruce Hogan
Two randomly selected volunteers – you can express interest in being on the panel on the nomination form
CEO of Primary Ethics, Evan Hannah
plus others to be arranged.

Now is the time to think, reason and if necessary discuss your reasons for choosing your nominee – and then go ahead and nominate them!

‘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.

Volunteer with us too!

Meet our new academic advisory board

Primary Ethics, which helps students build skills in ethical decision-making in hundreds of schools, was developed in collaboration with academics in philosophy and the education sector. We are now building on that foundation with the establishment of an academic and community advisory board that will foster ongoing academic connections and cultivate opportunities for collaboration.

Our new academic advisory board brings together several respected interdisciplinary experts in philosophy, education and educational psychology, including from within the Primary Ethics staff, to share expertise, provide expert advice and guidance and collaborate in bringing our ethics curriculum to more schools in more locations. The board’s expertise will enrich our program and ensure we remain at the cutting edge of developments in education and ethical discourse.

The Primary Ethics Director of Education Jarrah Aubourg chairs the new board, which will meet twice a year. Board members have a range of expertise encompassing both philosophy and education. This new forum is a space for them to share their insights and recommendations.

The board offers many benefits for Primary Ethics, including:

staying informed on new developments and best practice related to education, philosophy with children, classroom discussions and management
getting feedback from experts on specific issues or proposed program adjustments
opportunities for networking and participation in collaborative projects, grants and studies
perspectives on short-term and long-term goals, priorities for new initiatives and strategies for organisational growth.

Jarrah Aubourg (Chair)

Jarrah holds a Masters in Educational Psychology from the University of Sydney and First Class Honours in Philosophy from the University of Wollongong. As a philosopher, educator and curriculum author committed to ethics education, Jarrah brings a deep understanding of education theory and philosophical inquiry to his work. As the Director of Education for Primary Ethics, he oversees curriculum development, teacher training programs and classroom support initiatives.

Jacqueline Ullman

Associate Professor Jacqueline Ullman is a pre-service and in-service teacher educator at Western Sydney University. Given her background across sociology of education and educational psychology, her research explores the impact of school climate, including classroom diversity, on students’ social and academic outcomes. A/P Ullman’s research is funded by the Australian Research Council and she has a substantial scholarly publication record. She serves as a member of the Research Advisory Board for the James Martin Institute of Public Policy and is the recipient of the Australian Association of Research in Education’s Raewyn Connell Award for Significant Leadership in Research.

Daniella Jasmin Forster

Dr Daniella J Forster (she/her) is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Education at University of Newcastle, Australia. Daniella is an educational ethicist with a concern for education’s role in strengthening social justice and democracy. She was a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2023 and previously a Primary Ethics volunteer at her children’s school. She uses philosophical tools, policy analysis and conducts empirical studies to better understand ethical decision making and practice in schooling. She is the Vice President of the Philosophy of Education Society Australasia and holds qualifications in philosophy and as a secondary school teacher.

Gilbert Burgh

Gilbert Burgh is an Honorary Associate Professor in Philosophy in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland, where he has taught philosophy of education, ethics, social and political philosophy and environmental philosophy. He was the founding President of the Queensland Association of Philosophy in Schools (1994-1996) and President of the Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations (2002-2003). He has published widely on educational philosophy, especially democratic education, civics and citizenship education and collaborative philosophical inquiry as pedagogy. He has several co-authored books, including Teaching democracy in an age of uncertainty: Place-responsive learning (2022) (with Simone Thornton).

Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn

Dr Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn is currently Director of Research (Pre-School-Year 12) at Trinity Grammar School and an Honorary Industry Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She has worked in primary and secondary schools in New South Wales as a teacher, school leader and education researcher for more than 25 years. Kimberley previously was a Senior Lecturer in UTS’s Teacher Education Program, with a specific focus on primary education. She has a particular interest in practitioner research and teaching innovation informed by collaborative research. Kimberley previously has taught Philosophy with children in K-6 classrooms and currently teaches Theory of Knowledge in the IB Diploma program.

Nick Brancazio

Formerly a PERL Fellow at the University of Wollongong, Nick is an active researcher in the philosophy of science, with a focus in embodied cognitive science and interaction, and is affiliated with the Philosophy Department at the University of Adelaide. She now works with Primary Ethics as a curriculum and research specialist in addition to training new volunteers. Nick has been a volunteer teacher with Primary Ethics for four years and previously worked with Philosophical Horizons through the University of Memphis. She is based in Wollongong.

Simone Thornton

Simone Thornton is an educational and environmental philosopher and lecturer at the University of Wollongong. She is a member of the International Advisory Board for the journal Childhood & Philosophy, Brazil. Simone has numerous publications in philosophy in schools, including the co-edited history book Philosophical Inquiry with Children: The development of an inquiring society in Australia. Her most recent book, Eco-Rational Education: An Educational Response to Environmental Crisis, explores the role of philosophy in both creating and responding to the environment crisis and the implications for education.

Kelby Mason

Kelby has a University Medal in philosophy and a Master of Public Health from the University of Sydney; he did his graduate work in philosophy at Rutgers, where he was a member of the Moral Psychology Research Group and a fellow at the Center for Cultural Analysis. Kelby has been a trainer for Primary Ethics since 2011 and an ethics teacher since 2012, during which time he has trained thousands of volunteer teachers and taught hundreds of students. He wrote the Primary Ethics high school curriculum and currently provides philosophical advice, trains and provides classroom support for new ethics teachers.

Ethics @Home bulletin for parents Term 2 2024

Welcome to term 2 @Home bulletin for parents – and a special welcome to those of you whose children have only recently commenced ethics classes.

Our @Home bulletin lets you know what your children will be discussing in their ethics lessons this term. We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it! These topics are relevant to us as adults too. We’d love to hear of any good discussions you have.

Subscribe here to our @Home email bulletin.

Here’s a brief look at what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term.

The topics we show you below are based on classes which began 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.

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: Doing harm without meaning to

Accidents often happen and sometimes things are broken or someone is hurt. In Term 2, students in Kindergarten talk about accidents and responsibility. They’ll talk about the difference between doing something wrong on purpose and by accident – and whether it’s okay to punish someone who does something bad by accident.

Later in the year, students will consider whether it’s okay to hide a mistake by making up a story.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Laziness

We can all be a little lazy from time to time. In Term 2, our Stage 1 students explore the ethics of laziness. They’ll think about what counts as being lazy (for example, is there a difference between relaxing and being lazy?) They’ll also consider what, if anything, is wrong with being lazy.

Later in the year, students will talk about when it’s important to share with others.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Should we keep animals in captivity?

In Term 2, our Stage 2 students ponder the ethics of keeping animals in captivity. They consider whether it matters whether the animal is kept in a zoo or a circus and whether it’s okay to treat animals and people differently.

Later in the year, students will think about bragging and taking the time to imagine how others are feeling.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Beliefs, opinions, tolerance and respect

People have all sorts of beliefs and opinions – about things like smoking, politicians, the moon landing, aliens, ethics and so on. In Term 2, our Stage 3 students reflect on how tolerant and respectful we should be of other people’s beliefs and whether people are always entitled to their beliefs.

Later in the year, students will consider the ethics of how they can now use artificial intelligence, like ChatBots.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: From moon trash to migrant horses

In Term 2, our Stage 4 students discuss some big questions to do with environmental ethics and what caring for our land can mean. As part of this, students consider custodianship, land ownership, littering and introduced species.

Later in the year, students will discuss the ethics of being ignored and how to navigate fake news.

‘Each lesson is an adventure’ – Lee’s story

Lee Edgerton’s story of volunteering as an ethics teacher at his daughter’s school in Sydney’s north.

“Volunteering as a Primary Ethics teacher has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. It’s been a journey that has not only allowed me to bring such a valuable curriculum to young minds but also to learn and grow alongside my students.

Their unfiltered perspectives often challenged my own, pushing me to view situations through a lens of simplicity and honesty.

While Primary Ethics readies their volunteers with in-depth training, nothing can prepare you for taking those first steps into the classroom. From my first lesson with my Stage 1 class (Years 1 and 2), there were students absolutely soaking up what I was sharing. Teaching ethics isn’t about conveying morals; it is about nurturing their ability to find their sense of right and wrong and helping them understand the importance of values and principles in everyday life.

Each lesson is an adventure, for the children and me. In term 1 we explored the theme ‘pride’ through storytelling, interactive discussions and visual aids. While they were thinking deeply about what it means to be proud, I was learning about myself and about how I can engage with my own children on these topics in a better way.

It was very rewarding to see how involved the students were. With six-to-seven year olds, you need different strategies to manage the class, so that you can cover the topics and reach every student. But by the end of the first term, when a child was being noisy and distracting, their classmates would tell them to pay attention. It was amazing to see students so interested and encouraging others to be interested too.

As much as I was there to teach, I found myself learning from these young philosophers. Their unfiltered perspectives often challenged my own, pushing me to view situations through a lens of simplicity and honesty. Not only that, but the positive Primary Ethics approach to managing behaviour in the classroom has given me tools to use at home with my own children.

Volunteering has given me a profound sense of fulfillment. Knowing that I’ve played a part in helping these young minds to develop their reasoning skills – and their compassion – is rewarding in itself. It’s a privilege to contribute to their journey of ethical development and to plant seeds that can grow into strong, ethical foundations for their future.

Where magic happens

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these children. While I’ve sometimes felt out of my depth, I’m often reminded that’s where the magic happens. I look forward to continuing this journey of teaching, learning and growing together.

Teaching ethics to primary school children is not just an educational endeavour – it’s a way to build a better world, one lesson at a time. And for anyone considering volunteering in this capacity, while I can say it comes with its own challenges, I can absolutely also say it will be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you’re thinking about volunteering to teach ethics, via [email protected]”

Getting to ethical grips with AI

Our ethics lessons are an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful discussions of real-life issues. These discussions are not just academic – they’re about equipping young minds with skills in critical thinking, ethical reasoning and respectful discussion that will help them navigate the complexities of the world they’re growing up into.

Practical ethics isn’t a static subject. Since our curriculum was first developed, we’ve seen some pretty significant changes in the sorts of technologies students engage with on a day-to-day basis. Technologies that bring with them a whole host of new (and sometimes old) ethical dilemmas.

Is it okay to use artificial intelligence to help with schoolwork?

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. So we’ve developed an exciting new topic on AI for Stage 3 (Years 5-6). Some of the big questions students consider 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? To what extent can we trust AI and how do we know when not to trust it? Can we be friends with a chatbot? Is it bad to be cruel to artificial intelligence?

This new addition to our curriculum is not just about keeping pace with technological trends. It’s about preparing students for a future where they can confidently and ethically navigate the digital landscape. By fostering a deep, nuanced understanding of these issues, we’re helping shape a generation of informed, ethical digital citizens.

‘It’s a privilege’ – Kangaroo Valley ethics

Every Thursday in term time, three trained volunteers teach ethics at Kangaroo Valley Public School. In ethics classes, children from kindergarten onward are guided to develop their skills in critical thinking, ethical reasoning and respectful discussion. Ethics lessons explore everyday ethical issues such as truth and lying, getting even, being fair or unfair, cheating and friendship.

Michael Cox is entering his seventh year as an ethics volunteer. He started out teaching his grandchildren but they’ve moved on. Michael stayed because he wanted to keep contributing within his community and finds the course materials “excellent” and personally interesting.

“The course explores how we humans derive our sense of right and wrong and our principles such as honesty, fairness and equity, how we can live together in a way that facilitates human flourishing and wellbeing. We could do with a bit more of all that,” Michael says.

The capacity to evaluate

‘In these times where there is increasing blurring of what’s true and what’s not and lapses of ethical behaviour in some of our social institutions, I think children need to be equipped with the skills to reason out ethical dilemmas and to engage in respectful dialogue with others. And to develop the capacity to evaluate and make their own considered judgements about what they see, hear or read and to become proficient at spotting bias.”

Irene Dungey has also been volunteering for several years – in fact she taught ethics in Dapto and Port Kembla before moving to Kangaroo Valley.

“Initially, I was retired and searching for something to volunteer for in the community. When I heard about the ethics program, I was excited at the prospect of teaching something I believed in. I found my initial training excellent and we were given feedback that was very useful.

“When the fires went through the valley in 2020/21 our house was destroyed. By the time I was back on my feet I heard that ethics had started at our local school and here I am.”

Gai Halcrow also initially began teaching ethics outside of Kangaroo Valley. “I first volunteered for Berry Primary School when my child was in preschool. Then when he started at our local small school here in Kangaroo Valley, I joined Michael and started teaching my son as part of the kindergarten class. We are now up to Grade 4.”

Each of these volunteers greatly enjoys teaching ethics.

Says Michael, “I sometimes feel quite inspired by the ability of the children to address complex issues … when a child comes up with an insightful way of looking at a problem we’ve posed and others pick up on this and make a further contribution, even though there may be no clear black and white answer.

“I feel I’m making some humble contribution to the emerging generation of good citizens and community members. I would hope they feel that it has been of benefit to them in developing ways of figuring out what’s okay and why it is okay – or not. And we have a bit of fun.”

Irene echoes this. “The lessons constantly make me rethink some of the ideas I had about certain topics and hearing the children’s perspective is encouraging to me.

“I enjoy the interaction with the students. Giving them the space and time to think about the reasons for their decisions is, I believe, a big step towards them understanding and thinking more deeply about the question. Hearing what others think and say can guide their mind to thinking in another direction, other possibilities.”

What are Gai’s reasons for volunteering with Primary Ethics? “Firstly, volunteering with small schools is a really lovely way of being a part of this community. Secondly, I’m an aid worker by profession and I’ve always appreciated the values and ideas behind ethics and the types of discussions we have around social justice issues. Thirdly, the kids! Each ethics circle as the years have progressed, they bring their own perspectives and ways of thinking through topics.”

Pro-social behaviours

Michael explains how he came to be an ethics teacher. “I had never taught children before, but as a grandparent I have a personal interest in fostering the ability of children to think for themselves, solve problems in living and develop pro-social behaviours. Having retired from work I had the time available.

I undertook a two day in-person training course [there are also fully-online training courses]. I did not find the course material difficult, I think it is excellent and well thought out.”

Michael estimates that he spends 30 to 60 minutes in preparation each week, a bit of time printing out material [some people read the lesson scripts from a tablet], 20 minutes each way in travel. Kangaroo Valley’s class time is 50 minutes.

“The classes are discussion-based and follow a clear format provided in the lesson script each week. I don’t impose my own views but try to draw out ideas from the children using the course material provided. Questions are posed, stories read that raise issues for consideration within the group or sometimes in pairs.”

Irene feels that being an ethics teacher is a privilege. “To have the opportunity to teach children ethics is a fulfilling and rewarding experience.”

Gai agrees. “It’s a privilege and it’s great to have our little valley school be able to support this program and to have our numbers grow to the point we can offer three classes this year.”

In fact there is demand for a fourth ethics class at Kangaroo Valley Public School in 2024 but all ethics lessons require a volunteer to teach them. If you have a spare hour a week on Thursdays, find out more about what is required on our website. To chat about options, call the helpdesk between 9am-5pm on weekdays on (02) 8068 7752.