Ethical Education Curriculum

Trainers needed for In-career Development

Thank you very much to all the Principals who responded to the Needs Analysis Survey conducted in October 2005 and to those who attended the subsequent In-career Development Days.  

Educate Together Principals attendind the In-career Development day for the Ethical Education Curriculum

We are now moving onto the next stage of In-career Development for all teachers in the sector.  We are looking for experienced teachers who would be interested in becoming trainers to deliver this programme. This will be an expanded programme running during school year.
 
More urgently however we are pursuing Department funding to run summer courses on Learn Together. As the funding application has to be submitted by the end of January, please can any principals or teachers who are interested in designing and delivering these summer courses get in touch with us as soon as possible. Contact Frieda McGovern friedamcgovern@eircom.net or the National Office on 01 4292500

Learn Together

‘Learn Together’ is the first multi-denominational curriculum produced for Primary Schools in Ireland. It was published in October 2004 by the Educate Together National Office and is the product of over 30 years of work by the staff and volunteers of the Educate Together schools.

The curriculum is designed in keeping with the layout of the Revised Curriculum. It is divided into four strands: Moral and Spiritual Development; Equality and Justice; Belief Systems; Ethics and the Environment. Each strand is developed in a spiral approach from Junior Infants up to Sixth Class. Ideas on how to integrate the curriculum with other subjects are highlighted and explored. A comprehensive list of suggested resources to support the curriculum is also included.  

There has been a tremendous reaction to the “Learn Together’ curriculum.  Orders are being received from teachers and parents all over Ireland and as far afield as New Zealand. All teachers working in Educate Together Schools will receive in-service in the curriculum over the next school year. Educate Together is currently in discussion with the Colleges of Education regarding the development of a module for student-teachers on this curriculum.

In her keynote speech, Professor Lynch, Chair of Equality Studies, described the curriculum as

"an innovative and imaginative set of resources that will enable children, teachers and parents from different social backgrounds and holding different beliefs, to learn to live with a deep understanding and respect for each other. It is a great achievement, not just because of the practical guidance and back-up resources for teachers that it provides, but also because it demonstrates that spiritual and ethical education does not have to involve separate education."

Copies of 'Learn Together' are available from the National Office, priced €10 for members of Educate Together and €25 for non-members. Please call 01 4292500 or email: Deirdre Mangaoang. We hope to feature excerpts from the curriculum on this website in the near future.