Educating Ethical Values

Christian education is learning to leave the right

Footprint

Overview

• Ethics should be shared, simple and positive• Trespass.....• The ethics of FOOTPRINTS• Four different footprints• Teaching children ethics in the playground• Living within our BOUNDARIES

ETHICS!

• That’s what WE know about (we don’t expect you to do the right things....)

• It’s about NOT doing things (it’s fairly negative thing to teach)

• Ethical debates seem VERY complicated (genetic engineering, allowing someone to die, labour laws...)

Christian Education can teach ethics that...

• We can all (not just Christians) SHARE

• Which are POSITIVE (not just negative) choices

• Which MAKE SENSE (not just to lawyers)

One social ethic...

“Forgive us our trespasses.....”

Trespass invites us to notice the Footprint we leave on the

situation or on another person.....

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Try it out! Leave a FOOTPRINT on the person next to you....

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Make them feel Welcome!

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Make them feel ignored!

Teaching ethics through FOOTPRINTS

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BLUE FOOTPRINTS

TAKE CHARGE

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I AM USING BLUE FOOTPRINTS IF :

•I am being clear, firm, strong and assertive•I decide what I think without being swayed by other people•I am choosing to be in charge and take control

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JESUS USED BLUE FOOTPRINTS

• Clearing the temple• Driving out demons• Confronting the teachers of the law• Protecting the woman caught in

adultery,• Defending the poor...• Telling us GO in HIS name and MAKE

disciples

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What can I use BLUE FOOTPRINTS for?

• Protecting the weak• Standing up for what is

right• Not giving up• Making people feel secure

TAKE CHARGE

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GREEN FOOTPRINTS

STRIVE TO BE OUR BEST

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I AM USING GREEN FOOTPRINTS IF :

•I feel confident about being a team leader•I enjoy being at the front and people watching me•I am excited about doing something new•I feel motivated to get better and better at something

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JESUS USED GREEN FOOTPRINTS

STRIVE TO BE OUR BEST

• Performing signs and wonders, healings

• Amazing people with his teaching

• Calling people to follow him with ALL their heart

• Telling us to do even greater things!

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What can I use GREEN FOOTPRINTS for?

STRIVE TO BE OUR BEST

• Inspiring others• Setting myself goals and

achieving them• Leading the way

courageously

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YELLOW FOOTPRINTS

STAND WITH AND SUPPORT OTHERS

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I AM USING YELLOW FOOTPRINTS IF:

•I accept people just as they are rather than trying to make them change•I enjoy doing things as a team rather than on my own•I listen to other people’s opinions before deciding what I think, do or say

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JESUS USED YELLOW FOOTPRINTS

• Building his small group of apostles

• Listening to people rather than speaking at them

• Responded to people’s situations• Waited patiently... Followed God’s

timing• Only did what he saw his Father

doing

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What can I use YELLOW FOOTPRINTS for?

STAND WITH AND SUPPORT OTHERS

• Looking out for people who are left out

• Making sure everyone has a chance to speak

• Helping us work as a team• Building trust and good

listening

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ORANGE FOOTPRINTS

EXPLORE WITH OTHERS

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I AM USING ORANGE FOOTPRINTS if:

When do you use ORANGE

FOOTPRINTS at school?

•I want others to feel excited about new possibilities

•I encourage others to have a go and do their best

•I enjoy working in a team, but not having to take the lead

•I don’t mind sharing my ideas with other people who are a bit

stuck thinking on their own

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JESUS USED ORANGE FOOTPRINTS

• To encourage his disciples to take risks

• Invited people to follow him

• Drawing people into a shared quest

• Seeing the potential in people

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What can I use ORANGE FOOTPRINTS for?

EXPLORE WITH OTHERS

• Encouraging an attitude of growth

• Seeing the gifts in other people and encouraging them

• Supporting those who are struggling

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RECAPThere are FOUR kinds of FOOTPRINT we can leave .

Each FOOTPRINT has a different INFLUENCE or IMPACT

What IS ethics then?

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The FOOTPRINT ONE PERSON IS LEAVING ON ANOTHER PERSON

• Ethics we can all (not just Christians) SHARE• Ethics which are POSITIVE choices• Ethics which MAKE SENSE

Ethics is learning to use the RIGHT FOOTPRINT at the RIGHT TIME

So that we do not trespass

“Forgive us our....TRESPASSES”

Trespass is when....

• We trample over someone else’s ideas, property, feelings, belongings

• Take more of the land, space, attention, than is ours to take

• Intrude into parts of another carelessly, thoughtlessly, for selfish gain

Christian ethics teaching doesn’t happen in Chapel but in the Playground

You are walking through the playground and you

see a group of older children making fun of a

younger child.

What colour footprint

should you use?

Your friend is worrying because they don’t think

their painting is very good.

What colour footprint

should you use?

There is a new pupil at school. At break he is walking around on

his own.What colour

footprint should you

use?

You are asked to work in a group of 3 on a project. Everyone is arguing about who is the leader. What colour

footprint should you

use?

Children understand ETHICS if they experience what it means

“I learned how to use different Footprints, like not always blue. I learned about the consequences of my Footprints.”

“You must use different footprints at different times or you could hurt other people.”

“I normally use orange Footprints. I like orange but sometimes it can make me act like a servant to others who are stronger.”

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BLUE FOOTPRINTS protect the vulnerable. Using them will inform good PROPERTY

and WELFARE laws

Playground ethics should become Political Ethics

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GREEN FOOTPRINTS value and cost of EXCELLENCE

and GROWTH and will inform education, GDP and

other TARGETS

Playground ethics should become Political Ethics

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YELLOW FOOTPRINTS preserve the value of

relationships and belonging. Valuing them should inform

our FAMILY laws

Playground ethics should become Political Ethics

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ORANGE FOOTPRINTS FOSTER ASPIRATION and

ENTERPRISE. Valuing them should inform our approach

to CAPITALISM and TAXATION.

Playground ethics should become Political Ethics

What have we learned?

• Ethics should be shared, simple and positive• The ethics of FOOTPRINTS• Four different footprints• Teaching children ethics in the playground• Ethics of Trespass...• This implies living within our BOUNDARIES

Christian education teaches us

Our Footprint.....

Tomorrow: how Christian Education

teaches us the SPACE on which we leave Footprints

St Irenaeus