Moral and Spiritual awareness in Moral and Spiritual awareness in teachingteaching

This CPD session is designed to help you This CPD session is designed to help you support pupils and create support pupils and create

opportunities for moral and spiritual opportunities for moral and spiritual development in your lessons.development in your lessons.

What does What does spiritualspiritual and and moralmoral development mean? development mean?

• Divide the two words up and write a Divide the two words up and write a brief definition or explanation for brief definition or explanation for what you think these words mean. what you think these words mean.

What is spiritual and moral What is spiritual and moral development?development?

• SpiritualitySpirituality includes beliefs, whether includes beliefs, whether religious or not, the search for meaning or religious or not, the search for meaning or purpose, relationships, wonder and awe, purpose, relationships, wonder and awe, self knowledge and feelings and emotions.self knowledge and feelings and emotions.

• MoralityMorality includes values and principles, includes values and principles, attitudes and behaviour, code of conduct attitudes and behaviour, code of conduct and the ability to make decisions about and the ability to make decisions about right and wrong. right and wrong.

Legal RequirementLegal Requirement

• Spiritual and moral development is Spiritual and moral development is recognised as important to the recognised as important to the curriculum as a whole. It was curriculum as a whole. It was included in the Education Act in 1988 included in the Education Act in 1988 and reaffirmed in 2002. and reaffirmed in 2002.

• It should not just be a legal It should not just be a legal requirement but also enriches requirement but also enriches teaching and learning.teaching and learning.

Quote – Jane (Teaching Quote – Jane (Teaching Assistant) Assistant)

‘ ‘Before I worked in this school, I Before I worked in this school, I thought spiritual and moral thought spiritual and moral

development just took place in RE development just took place in RE lessons. Here it happens in all lessons. Here it happens in all

lessons. You can see the results in lessons. You can see the results in the very positive attitudes the the very positive attitudes the

students have towards each other’students have towards each other’

Spiritual and moral Spiritual and moral development across the development across the

curriculum curriculum

You can develop spiritual and moral You can develop spiritual and moral aspects in the whole curriculum. This aspects in the whole curriculum. This could relate to technological, social, could relate to technological, social, scientific and economic aspects of scientific and economic aspects of

learning as well as the creative arts, learning as well as the creative arts, languages, humanities and RE. languages, humanities and RE.

Think About!Think About!

Write down examples of how you may Write down examples of how you may explore spiritual and moral explore spiritual and moral dimensions in your lessons.dimensions in your lessons.

ExamplesExamples

• Geography Geography – pupils explore issues with a moral – pupils explore issues with a moral dimension, such as economic development or dimension, such as economic development or conflict diamonds.conflict diamonds.

• EnglishEnglish – Characters in novels or plays can be – Characters in novels or plays can be starting points for discussions about whether starting points for discussions about whether certain actions are right or wrong.certain actions are right or wrong.

• Science Science – Discussions about ethics or the nature – Discussions about ethics or the nature of proof. of proof.

• HistoryHistory – Studying war can lead to questions – Studying war can lead to questions about why people do not always live peacefully. about why people do not always live peacefully.

You can use projects using media, You can use projects using media, assemblies which can be used to assemblies which can be used to raise controversial and though-raise controversial and though-provoking issues. This could be provoking issues. This could be through pupil voice, visitors, through pupil voice, visitors, celebrations and access to media or celebrations and access to media or ICT resources.ICT resources.

How can we start thinking How can we start thinking about spiritual and moral about spiritual and moral development across the development across the

curriculum?curriculum? In relation to In relation to spiritual developmentspiritual development you you

should think about these questions:should think about these questions:

1.1. How well do you and the school foster How well do you and the school foster and celebrate attributes such as wonder, and celebrate attributes such as wonder, wisdom, openness and selflessness? wisdom, openness and selflessness?

2.2. How well do you and the school offer How well do you and the school offer opportunities to explore the inner world opportunities to explore the inner world of creativity and imagination as part of of creativity and imagination as part of the essence of being human?the essence of being human?

How can we start thinking How can we start thinking about spiritual and moral about spiritual and moral development across the development across the

curriculum?curriculum? In relation to In relation to moral developmentmoral development you should you should think about these questions:think about these questions:

1.1. How well do you and the school promote and How well do you and the school promote and celebrate positive values such as commitment, celebrate positive values such as commitment, generosity, forgiveness and courage?generosity, forgiveness and courage?

2.2. How well do you and the school develop skills in How well do you and the school develop skills in moral reasoning and critical, independent moral reasoning and critical, independent thinking?thinking?

3.3. How well do you and the school create How well do you and the school create structured experiences of hearing, speaking and structured experiences of hearing, speaking and thinking about universal human rights and thinking about universal human rights and standards of right and wrong?standards of right and wrong?

Principles of good practicePrinciples of good practice

Activity IdeasActivity Ideas

1.1. Discussion – You could use a image, quote, Discussion – You could use a image, quote, music, article or news report to help.music, article or news report to help.

2.2. Role PlayRole Play3.3. Circle TimeCircle Time4.4. Presentations (Human Rights)Presentations (Human Rights)5.5. Bring in relevant examples to help with Bring in relevant examples to help with

understanding. Haiti Earthquake/ God (Emotions)understanding. Haiti Earthquake/ God (Emotions)6.6. Plenary/starter ask them to bring in their own Plenary/starter ask them to bring in their own

opinions/ key words. GCSE Planet Earth – opinions/ key words. GCSE Planet Earth – Precious Possession.Precious Possession.

7.7. Individual/Group projects using IT.Individual/Group projects using IT.8.8. Pupil Voice/surveys/questionnaires. Pupil Voice/surveys/questionnaires.