1. Introductory session
The powerpoint presentatioin for the first session can be downloaded from here.
The activity on experiences of different types of organisation can be downloaded from here.
The comments you made at the end of the session can be found here.
The Ethos Project came about in response to the TDA invitation to organisations to tender for teacher CPD around their national priorities, three of which are:
• Behaviour management
• Curriculum change
• Special educational needs
The three course leaders have a wide and diverse experience in the education sector in the UK (with some experience in Europe and the US).
• Schools in special measures
• Excellent schools
• FE
• State and private
• Alternative models of education
The philosophy that brought us together, first as The Ethos Consortium and then within The Ethos Project is a simple one.
It is that the TDA’s priorities are the right ones as they concern schools on a daily basis, but that they need to be considered from a more profound starting point (academic ideas, purpose of education, etc) otherwise we end up with easily digestible worksheets/soundbites that are today’s fashion but gone tomorrow.
By focusing on character education or ethos we can address the more fundamental issues relating to what schools are for and make recommendations on how they might do things better. In turn this will lead towards the right curriculum for all and a new paradigm for discussing behaviour.
The Ethos Project has places for 45 participants in three centres - The Oxford centre began in February 2008, with the Gloucester centre coming on stream in March and London in early May. We therefore have three “cohorts”, we will usually work in this group in phase 1, however we will also work across the cohorts with the efora and plenary sessions. You will also make contacts with people who you wish to work on aspects of the project with.
The idea of character education or “ethos” is not a new one – in fact it has a long and interesting history, however it is a difficult idea to pin down.
We will not be able to give you answers, but we will be able to ask the divergent questions, discuss approaches, translate ideas back into school practice.
“Policymakers do not seem to realise that the Head as booster of achievement scores is a dangerously limited conception of what the Head needs to do for schools to be a force for societal change” – Michael Fullan, The Moral Imperative of School Leadership, 2003.