Our Blog - Primary Ethics

‘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.

Ethics arrives on Lord Howe Island

Our most isolated program – Lord Howe Island Central School (LHICS) – commenced its first ever ethics program in Term 4 2023. Lisa Ralph and Lucille Wilson, friends who are both school parents, trained as ethics teachers and kicked off the program. LHICS is a tiny school with just 41 students from Kindy to Year 6. In its first term, ethics enrolled a third of the student body! The island does not have mobile coverage, but it does have an ethics program.

Lisa moved to Lord Howe 12 years ago and with her husband runs the Dive Lord Howe shop. Lu came to the island in 2021. Lisa and Lu were very enthusiastic about bringing ethics into their school as an alternative for the non-scripture students. In the past, students who opted out of scripture would sit in a separate room together doing colouring-in, hardly a ‘meaningful activity’.

A unique island

People living on the island find themselves in a unique environment. There are countless advantages to the tranquillity and beauty; there are also inherent challenges in the isolation. Note, though, the Primary Ethics remote online training model works really well!

Lu says that “offering Primary Ethics is an important part of ensuring our kids have access to the same educational experiences as students on the mainland. Having my own son in my class is really enjoyable, because I get to see firsthand how he works with his peers and I really love being able to engage with the kids as a teacher, rather than just Leo’s mum.”

Lisa Ralph& Lucille WilsonLord Howe crop — Lisa Ralph and Lucille Wilson outside their pretty island school.

Our remote location means our kids are less exposed to city-based influences, but they know there’s a wide world out there and I think ethics will help them be ready to embrace it.

Lisa echoes Lu’s thoughts. “I’d also like to add that I thoroughly enjoy fostering critical thinking and watching the students’ intellectual growth as they respectfully explore the complexities of right and wrong. Having my eldest daughter in the class is both challenging and rewarding and I love witnessing her contribute to our conversations, both during our sessions and at home.”

Lu also thinks that “the popularity of ethics within the school is a great indication of the progressive nature of the next generation coming through on the island. Historically, we might have a conservative culture and our remote location means our kids are less exposed to city-based influences, but they know there’s a wide world out there and I think ethics will help them be ready to embrace it.”

Working with a small remote school

Initially in 2023, both the classes on Lord Howe were just under the eight mark, which is usually our minimum for a class. We worked with the volunteers and school to ensure that lesson materials matched the group needs. In 2024, the program and class sizes have grown, so that both now number over eight. It’s wonderful to have a program that’s growing on such a small island!

Ethics@Home bulletin for parents Term 1 2024

Welcome to 2024 ethics – and a special welcome to those of you whose children start ethics this year. This @Home bulletin lets you know what your children will be discussing in their ethics lessons this term.

Subscribe here to our @Home email bulletin.

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. Schools commence their ethics programs at different points of the term – some are quick to start, others take awhile to get organised and begin in late February or early March. If you haven’t yet heard, give it a week or two then ask your child.

We always – no exaggeration- need more volunteers to teach ethics. You don’t need any previous teaching experience and it only takes an hour or so a week, at the same time every week so there’s no spillover into the rest of your life. Check out what a volunteer does and how you can apply (or suggest it to friends or grandparents.)

Here’s a brief look at what your children are exploring in their ethics lessons in Term 1 2024.

The topics we show you below are based on classes which begin at the beginning of the year. Schools start at different times (and depend on there being enough volunteers), 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: Being curious and asking questions

Young children are curious about countless things and a goal of our curriculum is to nurture this curiosity (as well as their thinking and questioning abilities) so that they’re motivated and confident enough to think critically and for themselves about issues that matter to them. Our first topic of the year encourages students to start thinking about why we ask questions. Students will also consider why it can sometimes be hard to ask questions out loud when we’re worried about looking silly.

Later in the year, students will consider questions about sharing, fairness and doing harm without meaning to.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Pride

In the first Stage 1 topic of the year students explore some big questions to do with pride. What does it mean to be proud of something? Is it okay to be proud of our accomplishments? What about being proud of the things we’re given, like gifts and rewards – is that okay? And why are we sometimes proud of other people?

Later in the year, students will reflect on the importance of having good reasons and discuss the ethics of laziness.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Being selfish

In the first Stage 2 topic of the year, students delve into the ethics of being selfish. Is it okay to act selfishly, or is it always wrong? If you’ve put lots of time or effort into something or you’re worried it could get broken, is it okay not to share it? What does it mean if you help someone but for selfish reasons – is that misleading or deceitful?

Later in the year, students will think about how to disagree respectfully and whether it’s okay to keep animals in captivity.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: A fair society

In the first Stage 3 topic of the year, students ponder what it means to have a fair society. Do we have a responsibility to make sure everyone can go to school and receive medical treatment? What are some of the challenges involved in providing such opportunities? And do governments have a responsibility to address inequalities that are the result of good or bad luck?

Later in the year, students will consider whether it’s ever okay to challenge a rule or piece of advice given by an authority.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Role models

The first topic of the year invites students to consider the place of role models in our lives. What makes someone a good role model? Must someone to be a good person to be a good role model? Is it fair to have higher expectations of someone just because others consider them a role model? Can having a role model, even if it’s someone you’ve never met, help you navigate life’s moral challenges?

Later in the year, students will discuss whether the voting age should be lowered and some ethical dilemmas to do with friendships.

Barb La Ganza: Kinghorn Award 2023

“Barb is a workhorse and superstar volunteer.”
Barb La Ganza is the Kinghorn Volunteer of the Year 2023. Barb, who’s been an ethics volunteer for nine years, is currently an ethics teacher and coordinator at one Sydney northern beaches school, as well as teaching ethics at two others. At one of her schools she teaches three back-to-back classes every week.
Barb was presented with her award at a lovely gathering in December 2023. Read excerpts from her acceptance speech below.

Barb Jill Swee2 — Barb La Ganza with ethics supporter Jill Kinghorn and the inaugural 2022 winner, Swee Goh.

Barb is always ready to go the extra mile … Barb has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the curriculum at all stages. She has mentored me and many other ethics teachers. She is always willing to share her knowledge. She has a calm encouraging manner. She is inspirational.

Barb’s story: “My ethics journey started when my son was in year 1. He brought home a note on bright red paper to say that ethics was going to be offered at Elanora Heights Public School and I was so excited I filled in the form, wrote ‘yay’ with a smiley face on it and sent it off with him. A few weeks later I found the form scrunched up at the bottom of his bag – it hadn’t made it to the channels that were allocating SRE classes. I then somehow found out that if you teach for Primary Ethics, your kids will be included on the class roll. And so here I am nine years later!

“One of my most memorable experiences in the classroom was when a kid came every week to class and sat quietly and read a book. He was neurodiverse and I didn’t think he was engaged at all as he never looked up from the book or joined in at all. Until term three, when he answered a question. It was so heartwarming to know he had been present in his own way all along.

“My favourite topic of all time is Stage 3 Homelessness, but it’s also the one I find the hardest to teach, as I teach in three schools in very privileged areas. Another favourite is the Stage 2 topic when a young boy had to go and make carpets to get money for his family instead of going to school. Getting the kids to tie their shoelaces starts out as fun and easy for the kids, but after tying their shoelaces over and over and over again for even just five minutes, you can see that they can imagine how someone might feel if they had to do that all day long.

“One of my Stage 3 kids asked me, quite incredulously, why I teach ethics if I don’t get paid. Well, there are not many opportunities to volunteer in the kids space – loads for elderly or homelessness. The curriculum is incredible and I love connecting with the students and hearing their points of view. Community is very important to me and I now belong to three communities of ethics teachers as well as the three schools I teach at. I learn so much from both the kids and my fellow teachers and it really makes me feel like a valued member in my local community. Nothing nicer than your students seeing you in the shops with their parents and greeting you.

“There is such a range of experiences from Kindergarten kids who can’t even read your name badge but who aren’t as filtered in their responses as the older children, to the stage 3 participants who have some incredibly insightful contributions. And my daughter who has just finished school will start teaching ethics this year which is so lovely to see her be inspired to volunteer in her community too.

“I am proud to be an ethics teacher and hope I can continue to be a volunteer and mentor to others in the Primary Ethics space. I look forward to continuing to be a part of my three school teams even when I am old and grey (although I am actually both those already!)

“Thank you to Primary Ethics and the Kinghorn Family. I am so grateful to be recognised for this award. I know I was amongst some impressive competition and a debt of gratitude goes to my teams plus my co-ordinators Joy and Dina for nominating me and saying such kind words to support their applications. Thank you in particular to my area manager Sandra, who has supported me since I took on the role of co-ordinator in 2022. Whilst I am not one to be motivated by accolades and awards, it really touched me to be recognised as a volunteer of note and my certificate sits proudly in my home on display for all to see.”

Barb is one of those volunteers who just ‘gets it done’. She will go out of her way to ensure that all classes are covered every week, not just at the school where she is coordinator, but also for the two other schools she teaches in. She is efficient and a great communicator. Her team adore her as do other volunteers in the region, as she is so amiable and genuinely helpful.

Vocal Variety Transformed How I Deliver Ethics Lessons

Ethics teacher Alicia Potts discovered a good method for enhancing her ethics lessons. Alicia writes: A while ago, I was listening to a business podcast when I heard voice coach Tracy Goodwin discussing how to use variety in your voice to tell a story and communicate your message. As I was listening, it struck me how useful this could be for me in the classroom as a volunteer ethics teacher.

Engaging students in meaningful discussions is essential to helping them develop strong values and ethical reasoning skills. However, it can sometimes be challenging to capture their attention and keep them focused on the lesson.

I wrote down the key takeaways from the podcast and have been successfully using these tactics during my ethics lessons. Below is my summary of Tracey Goodwin‘s five elements of vocal variety we can use to convey meaning and build connection with our students.

Tracy Goodwin’s Five Elements of Vocal Variety

Intentional pauses: This technique is the most powerful and involves taking a brief moment of silence before and/or after delivering an important message to create emphasis. This allows students to absorb your words and reflect on their meaning. It may also draw them back in if they have tuned out while you were speaking.

Elongation of words: Elongation is simply stretching out a word to draw attention to it. While telling a story, if you said, “Jack looked really upset”, it wouldn’t have as much impact as if you said, “Jack looked reeeeealllllllyy upset”. By drawing out the word, you emphasise the importance of the concept and help students understand its significance.

Shades of loud and soft: Varying the volume of your voice can also be a powerful tool to hold student attention. If you speak in the same tone the whole time, it can be boring and children can lose interest and get distracted. You can also use volume to communicate a message.

If you are reading a story with an exciting, action-packed section, you might use a loud voice. Speaking loudly can convey a sense of urgency or excitement and make your students sit up and take notice.

By speaking softly, you create a sense of intimacy and understanding, drawing your students in and encouraging them to listen closely. Talking as if you are telling a secret can make students feel important and valued in the lesson.

Pacing fast and slow: Varying the pace at which you speak can also make your ethics lessons more engaging.

Speaking fast is great when you are expressing excitement and urgency. However, speaking fast all the time could give the students the impression that you just want to get through the lesson, and they might be less inclined to engage with the content. Speaking loud and fast all the time has been proven to repel people.

By slowing down your speech, you can create a sense of gravity and importance. It also allows students to really take in the words you are saying. Sometimes, the concepts in ethics lessons are quite complex and foreign to the students, making it all the more important to slow down and allow thinking time. Don’t be afraid to speak extra slowly when the word or phrase is meaningful.

Changing melody (high and low): Finally, varying the pitch of your voice can add interest and emotion to your ethics lessons. Using variations of high and low notes in your voice helps build the listeners’ trust in you. Change your pitch and the direction (up or down) of your pitch regularly as you speak, and play around to find what feels natural to you. Often, the higher the pitch, the more excited you sound, and it could convey enthusiasm or worry. A lower pitch can be used to express confidence, seriousness and authority.

@Home bulletin Term 4 2023

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

Subscribe here to our @Home email bulletin for parents

The topics we show you below are based on classes which began at the beginning of the year. Please bear in mind that the further we advance into the year, the less likely these topics will be accurate for your child’s class. Classes started at different times (depending on when there were enough volunteers), some lessons go much slower than others, some schools skip ethics for the first and last weeks of the term 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 to find it.

Here’s a brief look at what your children could be exploring in their ethics lessons this term.

Kindergarten: Owning up
In Term 4, kindy students will explore the ethics of owning up and telling the truth. They’ll talk about whether it’s okay to not speak up and admit when we’ve made a mistake and whether we miss opportunities to learn when we don’t own up.
Later in the term, they’ll reflect on two different ways we can work out if something’s true – by using our senses and by thinking.

Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Being kind
Our Stage 1 students will explore some big questions about kindness. They’ll consider whether helping someone because you hope to be rewarded or because you’ve been told to counts as being kind.

Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Cheating
In Term 4, our Stage 2 students will delve into the ethics of cheating. They’ll discuss what counts as cheating and whether cheating is always wrong. As part of this, they’ll consider whether it’s possible to cheat in a one-player game and whether it’s okay to cheat if the other team is cheating.
Later in the term, they’ll explore questions about friendships.

Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Why should we trust science?
Our Stage 3 students will explore some big questions about trust in science. They’ll talk about whether our beliefs matter and whether we have a responsibility to stay well-informed of the science when making big decisions.
Later in the term, students will consider what it means to treat someone fairly.

Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Yuck! The ethics of disgust
In Term 4, our Stage 4 students will ponder how emotions can influence decision-making and whether disgust is a reliable indicator of something being morally bad. They’ll also talk about whether emotions get in the way of making good decisions – or whether they help us make good decisions.
Later in the term, they’ll discuss whether it’s ever okay to put a monetary value on human life.

Jo: ‘Joy, amusement and the intangible benefits of volunteering’

Jo Gardner began volunteering as an ethics teacher at local schools on the Central Coast six years ago. She was motivated by a sense of wanting to give back, having a connection with the young generation and providing an option for parents who don’t want their children to participate in religious education. Jo says she has found “joy, amusement and all the intangible benefits of volunteering” along the way.

“Initially I saw an article about ethics classes in the local newspaper”, Jo said. “I’ve always had an interest in ethics and heard Simon Longstaff of the Ethics Centre speak on a number of occasions. The free training workshop with Primary Ethics was a wonderful experience and I’ve now learnt so much for myself about ethics and philosophy. I believe that critical thinking is an important skill for us all and being able to, in some small way, help kids develop these skills is a privilege.”

Jo teaches two classes a week and says it takes her about an hour to prepare for each, reading carefully through the lesson script which is supplied to her by Primary Ethics.

The best part of being an ethics teacher is the children. I am exposed to their wonder in life.

Jo Gardner – Volunteer Ethics Teacher

“I like seeing the kids thinking and then coming up with ideas… Their talkative natures with great explaining of their thoughts, sometimes a bit convoluted but always considered and revealing their willingness to think about ethical issues. Watching them have ‘aha’ moments and learning how to build on other children’s point of view. Also their willingness to disagree.”

Jo’s grandson has been in her ethics classes for the past two years. “I have been rewarded seeing him mature into a thinking, empathetic young boy. We’ve been able to discuss things in the lessons that would not normally come up in conversations between a grandparent and child.”

Jo says she would encourage anyone with a spare hour or two in their week to volunteer as an ethics teacher. No previous teaching experience is needed. Like Jo, you will get a lot out of it yourself, as well as contributing to the richness of your students’ lives.