Third Party Funds Group - Sub project
Acronym: ETHOS
Start date : 01.10.2012
End date : 30.09.2014
Ethos advocates for moral education in primary and pre-primary schools in order to give children a "brain and heart start", based on critical thinking, respect of the others, tolerance, interculturality, mediation, compassion and dialogue. Current school practices reveal several challenges that need to be addresses. First of all, the all encompassing nature of ethical reflection and awareness calls for an integrative approach, where these topics can be addressed in most if not all school subjects (e.g. the notion of fair play and prevention of violence or substance abuse in physical education, etc.) and in school life in general. Secondly, teachers and educators often lack more specific knowledge and competence to tackle moral education in the classroom in a coherent and integrative way. Ethos provides answers by analysing the current state of the art of ethical education in the participating countries. The goal is to clearly define the needs of the teachers/educators (as well as pupils and their parents) and provide them with suitable educational methods and tools designed for children with different age as well as for teachers who want to deal with: Moral dilemma Conflict resolution Ethical underpinning of subjects Critical thinking Development of a code of ethics, etc. Ethos offers primary school and kindergarten teachers innovative learning opportunities and values their insight and experience. The vision of Ethos is to shape a reference network on ethical education providing professional input and teaching resources coming from meaningful pedagogical practices.