Value: Peace

Introducing Values Education

The establishment of Values-based Education is recognised as successfully creating the positive culture for teaching and learning, so vital for Education in the 21st Century.

A values-based school seeks to promote an educational  philosophy based on valuing self, others and the environment through consideration of an ethical values vocabulary (principles that guide behaviour) as the basis of good educational practice.

Benefits of Values-based Education

Values-based education creates a school climate for teaching and learning that fosters the development of academic standards.

It helps to develop a positive school ethos that is more harmonious because of the direct correlation between values education and behaviour.

n It develops the qualities that are pre-dispositions for learning.

n It fosters a school ethos that emphasises quality holistic education and high personal moral and academic standards.

n It fosters the development of thinking skills, language and discursive skills.

n It creates a calm and purposeful environment in which everyone feels valued.

n It enables staff to feel valued in a culture of care and support

n It helps pupils to understand themselves, through an awareness of their inner selves, so that they grow to be self-disciplined, having the ability to observe and determine their own positive behaviour.

n It creates personal and school harmony by introducing a moral vocabulary through the explicit and regular consideration of value words such as peace, co-operation, care and respect, which is learned by hearing, reading, reflecting on, writing about, discussing and practising.

n It supports the development of good quality relationships between all who work in the school.

n It encourages pupils to develop their positive dispositions and to choose their attitudes.

n it promotes self-knowledge and thinking skills (of adults and pupils) through reflective silent sitting in assemblies and lesson time.

n It encourages the skill of active listening

n It develops emotional intelligence by talking about their feeling, pupils learn to express themselves more clearly, to control their behaviour and empathise with others.

n It gains the positive support of parents and the community.

The experience of values-based schools demonstrates that when the moral and spiritual aspects of the curriculum (that is, those that positively contribute to the inner world of thoughts, feelings and emotions of the teacher and the pupil) are developed, the school becomes more calm, reflective and harmonious.

The impact on pupils is that they have a greater sense of purpose; they are more responsible for their learning and behaviour, thereby improving standards and developing as responsible citizens.

Value: Thoughtfulness

Values Education Publishing was established to promote the development of values-based education by a joint venture with the Values Education Trust.