Castaheany Educate Together National School

An Overview of our School Plan for Ethical

Education

Why we did the plan?

• Originally we did monthly themes throughout the year.

• We decided we needed something more detailed and related to the objectives of the curriculum so that all objectives were covered by the time the children leave 6th class.

How we got started

• We needed committees for a number of subject areas and Ethical Education was prioritised as one of these.

• We met each term and planned for that term and at the end of the year we had completed and implemented a full draft plan.

• Got feedback from the staff throughout the year.

Term 1September:Moral and Spiritual: Golden Rules (Infants-6th class)Equality and Justice: Golden Rules (Infants-6th class)Ethics and the Environment: Recycling (Infants-6th class)Belief Systems: Rosh Hashannah, Ramadan, Eid (Infants-6th class)

October:Moral and Spiritual: Golden Rules (Infants-6th class)Equality and Justice: Promoting Equality, gender discrimination(Infants-6th class)Ethics and the Environment: Exploring a habitat (Infants-6th class)Belief Systems: Harvest, Halloween, Divali, Sukkot (Infants-6th class)

November:Moral and Spiritual: Values (Infants-6th class)Equality and Justice: Children’s RightsEthics and the Environment: Pollution/An Environmental Issue (Infants-6th)Belief Systems: Key Figures (Infants), Common links between religions (1st and 2nd), Values associated with religions (3rd and 4th), Codes of conduct and values associated with religions (5th and 6th)

December:Moral and Spiritual: Self-reflection (Infants-2nd), My Family (Infants), Spirituality (3rd-6th)Equality and Justice: Human Rights (Infants-6th class)Ethics and the Environment: Winter(Infants-2nd class), Debate on an environmental issue (3rd-6th)Belief Systems: Hannukah, Advent, Christmas (Infants-6th)

Term 2January:Moral and Spiritual: Golden/Yard RulesEquality and Justice: Golden/Yard Rules (Infants-2nd), Fair Trade (3rd-6th)Ethics and the Environment: Reduce, re-use, recycle (Infants-6th class)Belief Systems: New Years, Chinese New Year, Celebrations (Infants)

February:Moral and Spiritual: Kindness, caring, friendship, anti-bullying (Infants-6th

class)Equality and Justice: Kindness, caring, friendship, anti-bullying (Infants-

2nd class), Democracy (3rd-6th)Ethics and the Environment: Tidy, clean schoolBelief Systems: Religious Buildings (Junior Infants), Religious Dress (Senior

Infants), Art(1st) and music (2nd) associated with festivals, Religious Rites-marriage

(3rd), funeral(4th), Art (5th) and music (6th) associated with religion Religious Leaders

(5th), Rites ofpassage (6th)

March:Moral and Spiritual: Feelings (Infants-2nd), Decision making (3rd-6th)Equality and Justice: Racism (Infants-6th)Ethics and the Environment: Trees and plants (Infants-6th)Belief Systems: Food (Junior Infants), Sacred texts (Senior Infants), Namingceremonies (1st), Sacred texts (2nd), links with older traditions (3rd),

Sacred texts(4th), Religious Leaders (5th), Rites of passage (6th)

Term 3April:Moral and Spiritual: Co-operation, negotiation and decision makingEquality and Justice: Co-operation and negotiationEthics and the Environment: Natural and manmade materials (Infants), Exploring ahabitat (1st-6th)Belief Systems: Easter, Passover

May:Moral and Spiritual: Peaceful, meditationEquality and Justice: Peace (Infants-2nd), Democracy (3rd and 4th), Local/Children’sIssues (5th and 6th)Ethics and the Environment: Peace in nature(Infants-2nd), Environmentally FriendlyLifestyle/conservation(3rd-6th)Belief Systems: Wesak, Bealtaine, (Infants-6th), Places of Worship (1st), Religiousleaders (2nd), Pilgrimage (6th)

June:Moral and Spiritual: Poems/stories about nature(Infants), Taking care of others

(Infants6th)Equality and Justice: Committees in the school (Infants-2nd), Discrimination (3rd and4th), Equal Status Act (5th and 6th)Ethics and the Environment: Summer/Nature (Infants-2nd), Conservation (3rd and 4th)Natural disasters (5th and 6th)Belief Systems: Summer Solstice (Infants-6th), Pilgrimage (4th), Places of Worship (5th

and 6th)

Our Objectives

• Spiral Curriculum.• Same themes but more detail in each class level.

• Knowledge in each theme develop with the child each year.

Junior and Senior Infants-October

Strand: Moral and SpiritualTheme: Golden RulesStrand Unit: Exploring Moral DevelopmentStrand Unit: Cultivating Spiritual GrowthExplore the many day-to-day incidents which occur in

the classroom and school yard to heighten his/her moral awareness and

empathy. Begin the process of self-reflection on his/her own

feelings and experiences.

Strand: Equality and JusticeTheme: Promoting Equality, gender discrimination (Equal

Measures)Promoting Equality. Begin to understand that in order

to ensure everyone is treated equally, sometimes we have to treat

people differently. Explore stories about people who have made

a difference and brought about a fairer world.

Strand: Ethics and the EnvironmentTheme: Exploring a habitat (School garden/mini beasts)Knowledge and Awareness of environmental issues .Develop a sense of awe and wonder in nature through

stories, poetry, nature walks, nature table and exploring the natural

cycles of life. Grow an awareness of the cycle of life through

seasons using examples from the school garden.

First and Second Class-October

Strand: Moral and SpiritualTheme: Golden RulesExploring Moral Development. Explore values and codes

of behaviour in a school community.

Strand: Equality and JusticeTheme: Promoting Equality, Gender discrimination (Equal Measures)Promoting Equality. Become aware and appreciate

diversity withinthe school. Begin to explore how people are

interconnected and depend upon each other e.g. the postal worker, the

nurse, the doctor, the garda.

Strand: Ethics and the EnvironmentTheme: Explore a habitat (log pile/bird table)Knowledge and Awareness of environmental issues

Activation ofResponsibility and Stewardship. Identify, become aware

of and explore different habitats such as wild gardens.

Participate in nature walks to develop an understanding of

interdependence in the natural world.

3rd and 4th Class –October

Strand: Moral and SpiritualTheme: Golden RulesExploring Moral Development. Deepen his/her understanding in relation to making personal choices through discussion of right and wrong and recognition of what is appropriate behaviour. Begin an exploration of the concept of conscience through scenarios, role play, drama and school based events.

Strand: Equality and JusticeTheme: Promoting Equality, gender discrimination (Equal Measures)Begin to explore the concept of discrimination and prejudice. Explore the concept of discrimination in relation to a specific area e.g. gender. Critically reflect on stories/poems about people who have encountered discrimination and confronted it positively.

Strand: Ethics and the EnvironmentTheme: Explore a habitat (hedgerows/trees)Activation of Responsibility and Stewardship. Create a wildlife garden or wild flower patch.

5th and 6th Class- October

Strand: Moral and SpiritualTheme: Golden RulesExploring Moral Development. Cultivating Spiritual

Growth. Exploreinterpretations and shades of right and wrong through anexploration of controversial issues. Identify and

examine his/her personal views and insights. Apply these insights in a

personal capacity to his/her own life.

Strand: Equality and JusticeTheme: Promoting Equality, gender discrimination (Equal

Measures)Promoting Equality. Critically evaluate media coverage

of equality andjustice issues. Examine an equality issue in relation to

Ireland.

Strand: Ethics and the EnvironmentTheme: Explore a habitat (Woodland-Phoenix Park)Activation of Responsibility and Stewardship. Create a

wildlife garden or wild flower patch.

Whole School Events & Activities

• Assemblies • Rotating Ethical Ed. Board• Parent talks & classroom visits• Parents/adult food night• Children’s food day• Staffroom: central resource box & shelf• Staff meeting discussions and theme reminders.• Our Golden Rules• Yellow Flag-promotion of diversity and

interculturalism

Celebrating The Festival of Light

Food Night 2009

Children’s Food Day

Dance Classes!

School Ethical Education BoardCelebrating Wesak

Interactive and Fun