Ethics Teachers
'The experience of teaching ethics in the Pilot Program at Rozelle was enjoyable and immensely worthwhile.
It was fantastic to see young minds engaging with the scenarios and concepts in the curriculum, adding to each others' ideas and developing their ability to think things through and see other perspectives.'
- David Staume, Ethics Teacher, Rozelle
'I enjoyed ethics. The lessons were really interesting and my favourite was the one on graffiti. In each lesson my group always argued and listened to others.'
- Ruby, Student, Leichhardt
Parents or community members interested in becoming an Ethics Teacher and teaching philosophical ethics, on a voluntary basis, are invited to complete an online Expression of Interest form after reading the following selection criteria:
Volunteer Ethics Teacher Position Description
Interested persons must:
1. Satisfy the following essential selection criteria:
- be comfortable working with and be able to engage with children
- have an interest in helping young people to think about ethics
- have an open-minded, inquiring outlook
- be a good listener
2. Have time to volunteer for this role. Ethics Teachers are expected to commit time during the interview process, attend two days of face-to-face training, as well as undertake a few hours of pre-training reading. They also have to complete an online child protection module that takes 2-3 hours before they can go into a classroom.
Ethics Teachers are also required to attend class each week during the allotted time period, usually 30 to 45 minutes. There are ten weeks each school term and four terms every school year. Preparation time for each class is likely to be about the same time period as the class itself, plus another hour every three weeks to review a new topic.
Although the above may sound quite onerous, many of our Ethics Teachers get great personal satisfaction from teaching the classes. They have thoroughly enjoyed their own personal development that has occurred as a direct result of attending training, studying our curriculum and facilitating classes for their students.
We invest a lot of time into recruitment and training of the right people. In return, we ask Ethics Teachers to commit to teaching Ethics classes for at least one year and hope this would then stretch into several years.
3. Have daily access to (and have a good working knowledge of) broadband internet and email.
4. Complete an online police check at his/her own expense ($12.50).
5. Complete a Working with Children Check - Student/Volunteer Declaration *. A volunteer must not have a criminal conviction for:
- a crime against a minor or
- violence or
- sexual assault or
- the provision of prohibited drugs.
6. Complete a Shining the Light on Child Protection * online module.
7. Successfully complete a preliminary two-day face-to-face training course conducted by Primary Ethics.
8. Diligently participate in any other training or support activities provided by Primary Ethics.
9. Diligently teach the approved course in philosophical ethics, using the materials and following the processes given by Primary Ethics.
10. Cooperate with the school Principal and staff.
11. Consistently and punctually attend classes for which he/she is responsible.
Interested persons might also satisfy one or more of the following desirable criteria:
- A degree in some relevant field (e.g. arts or humanities)
- A teaching qualification
- Group facilitation experience
- Classroom experience
- Previous work with young people
The Ethics Coordinator appointed by Primary Ethics to manage Ethics education in a particular school will select the best volunteer Ethics Teachers from among those who apply. He/she is not obliged to accept any people he/she considers unsuitable. (These decisions will be justifiable against our objective criteria).
The Ethics Coordinator role will always be independent to the Ethics Teacher’s role(s) in each and every school. There should be no association between the Ethics Coordinator and a potential volunteer Ethics Teacher (spouse, sibling or other relative, business partner, employee etc). An Ethics Coordinator may not volunteer to be an Ethics Teacher at a different school. Ethics Teachers may teach in more than one school, if they so desire, providing each Ethics Coordinator deems them suitable.
* Please do not attempt to complete any of these prerequisites before you have been interviewed and approved by the Ethics Coordinator at your school.
To submit an online Expression of Interest in becoming an Ethics Teacher, please click the link below:
All applications will be acknowledged. An Ethics Coordinator in your area/school will be in touch shortly to discuss your application.
