On the Subject of Values … and the Value of Subjects: New thinking to guide schools through the curriculum
Education is a values-based experience. Consciously or not, we are highly attuned to one another’s values. We see, time and again, that the ‘best’ schools are compelled and propelled by strong values which inspire and guide the creation of a meaningful context for learning and an aspirational ethos.
However, values can often be submerged, overlooked, or ignored. By infusing our teaching with values, both explicit and implicit, learning can serve a greater purpose, nourishing us as humans and deepening our experience.
Drawing on the views and inspired teaching practice of a range of contributors, this book offers both the theoretical underpinning and practical examples to bring values to life in the classroom. It shows how each subject has a unique and valuable role, and how a values-based culture generates a powerful climate for successful learning in every subject discipline.
It is a ‘bedside book’ that will bring joy and practical support to the many professionals who work from the heart and wish to touch the future. It offers validation to those teachers who deeply care about the subject disciplines they teach, ultimately making a difference to children, their lives, and their world.
In our current educational context, this work is unashamedly people-orientated, futures-thinking, and forward-facing.
However, values can often be submerged, overlooked, or ignored. By infusing our teaching with values, both explicit and implicit, learning can serve a greater purpose, nourishing us as humans and deepening our experience.
Drawing on the views and inspired teaching practice of a range of contributors, this book offers both the theoretical underpinning and practical examples to bring values to life in the classroom. It shows how each subject has a unique and valuable role, and how a values-based culture generates a powerful climate for successful learning in every subject discipline.
It is a ‘bedside book’ that will bring joy and practical support to the many professionals who work from the heart and wish to touch the future. It offers validation to those teachers who deeply care about the subject disciplines they teach, ultimately making a difference to children, their lives, and their world.
In our current educational context, this work is unashamedly people-orientated, futures-thinking, and forward-facing.
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Reviews
This book is thought-provoking and practical. It makes a strong case for a values- based approach to subject teaching and the whole curriculum, in order to help children develop into caring and responsible young people and the global citizens of tomorrow.
This book is a timely and welcome read in a world where strong, ethically sound, transparent values are in short supply. Every page contains a gem of information that will help teachers and school leaders transform their school and the young people in their care.
Values, depth and soul make education last a lifetime. Without them it is mere transitory instruction.
As this book shows so powerfully - education is about values and most people chose to work in education because they are led by this. However, in the business of the job and all its competing priorities and accountabilities it is easy to lapse into a lip service way of doing this. The authors show that it is possible to live and breathe values authentically and meaningfully. At a time when education feels more than ever like a political football this matters.
I highly recommend this book which offers practitioners in schools and settings the opportunity to explore ways in which they can provide learners with a curriculum for life which is built on the sharing of strong values that inspire and guide each child to be the best they can be. It highlights the importance of tuning in to children's needs and the needs of the whole school/ setting community within our ever changing society. Practitioners can look forward to observing how a values-based system can have a remarkable impact on ensuring harmonious relationships, happy, purposeful learning environments in which children make connections across the curriculum and develop mastery of their personal, social and emotional development.
Honestly, this is such a great book! The right mix of reflective thinking and clear examples that can be easily implemented. I'm looking forward to sharing it with subject leads.
A clear and detailed overview of how to deeply embed values into the school curriculum, enabling children to become reflective, critical thinkers.
The values of a school should be the foundation upon which the education pupils experience at that school is based. Truly great schools are values driven; the results are a by-product of the school's culture and that is established, fundamentally, by the values which are lived rather than laminated. The Value of Subjects and the Subject of values articulates what a values-driven school, which focuses upon the veracity of the individual academic subjects, looks like. It is an essential read for everyone interested in providing an authentic education for our young people rather than training them to jump through assessment hoops.