Value work
Who
Västerås stads Gymnasie- och vuxenutbildning
Why
Trying to achieve an equivalent education when it comes to democratic values, issues as fellowship, equality, physical and mental health, standards, knowledge about sexuality and drugs, the development of this routine started at Widénska gymnasium, Västerås.
The intention of this routine, on how to work with value issues, is that it should reach every young person at the school, be participatory. It should be doable and replicable for all professional and that it should insure the equality of the education accessible for all the young persons. This routine should be of help in creating democratic young persons. It shall insure that all pupils, regardless of teacher and secondary alignment, gets the same education and opportunities to learn about , get involved in and discuss, matters of values and democracy, human rights and ethics.
What
The school health team started with creating a bank of usable lesson materials in the various areas. The bank consists of film tip, you tube clips, website links and full lesson materials with pupil- and teachers instructions. This bank of material is to be used during tutor time. Each class has two professional tutors and together with their students they have 45 minutes of tutor time each week. This lesson is to be used to work with democratic values and issues of fellowship. It is also a time for information and current issues.
The bank of material is to be used of all professional tutors at a school and the target group is all young persons at school, in our case approximately 550 pupils in the age between 16 to 19.
How
The bank of material is accessible through a file in our school computer system. The material in the bank is divided into three different annual wheels, one to use each schoolyear. The wheels are divided into different themes according to what is thought to be the most valuable and important theme during this period. Which themes, and when to work with them, has been valuated and decided by the school health team. This should differ from school to school due to what young persons base the school consists of. It could also differ over time.
When
This bank of material could be used at any convenient time, during any lesson where it could fit, but is mainly to be used during tutor time. If something of importance and relevance happens at school or in the society that might be an alert on what to work with right now then the professionals also can search the bank for material and plan a new lesson, not having to follow the theme supposed to during this period.
Effect
After evaluating we found that the consistence at tutor time now is more of the same for each class. The professionals feel more secure and inspired on what to do during tutor time.
Assessment
Effectiveness:
High degree / regularly
Gender sensitivity:
High degree / regularly
Culture sensitivity:
High degree / regularly
Doable (practical):
High degree / regularly
Participatory:
High degree / regularly
Replicable and adaptable:
High degree / regularly
Assessment/evaluated:
Minimal / low
Type of good practice
Practical tool, Organisational structure or tool
Themes
Democratic dialogue, Promoting democratic values, Social inclusion, Youth civic participation
Duration
Continuously
Type of activity
Mixed (individual and/or group sessions)
Resourses
Websites, youtube clips etc.