I was recently asked to be a participant in a panel discussion on the topic of masculinity and extremist ideas amongst young people. Each panel participant was called on to share their views on unhealthy gender roles, misogyny and harmful social media content and how these issues are occurring in schools. Preparing for the discussion,…
Read MoreHow to Discuss Challenging Issues in the Classroom
Having recently written a new curriculum for pastoral care, I’ve considered how we can raise difficult conversations in the classroom. These conversations could be related to race, social justice, ethnicity or class, and many more. As an educator, I think curricula should challenge students to think beyond their immediate circumstances and positions. This is particularly…
Read MoreOn the Development of a Pastoral Curriculum
Typically, when teachers consider school curricula, the prevailing idea is that of academic disciplines: Maths, English and Science receiving the most credence within the entire spectrum of subjects. But few educators would argue with any real seriousness that this is the only thing that determines the nurturing of young minds. The development of character, values,…
Read MoreIs it Worth It?
Imagine you had a choice of seeing Star Wars or Forest Gump. Or, imagine having to make the choice between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Which would you choose? As creators of school curricula, we are always confronted with choice. What is worthy knowledge? What is deemed as the best? What should we spend our…
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