Values in Action Schools Project: Building inclusion — Reporting Values Cluster

V. Morcom

Veronica Morcom, an experienced primary teacher from WA, presented this workshop. The objectives of the project in which she is involved are to develop: • a common values language that can be supported with observable behaviours for reporting values, and • an appreciation of the importance of values education as fundamental to good schooling. The cluster schools involved in the project current ly use 17 descriptors for ‘attitude, behaviour and effort’ issued by the Department of Education and Training, WA, to report to parents on values. Five core shared values (Curriculum Council, 1998) are incorporated in these reports but teachers have concerns about collecting valid evidence to make consistent judgements (‘consistently, sometimes or seldom’). A cohort group of teachers is using an action research process to examine how to develop a shared values language and collect evidence to report to parents about values. Parents have provided feedback about their understanding of how values are being taught and assessed. The context of the school sites was explored in relation to values education as they do not currently have a ‘whole school approach’. Therefore the project challenges may be perceived to be different from schools that engaged in values education to solve school based problems such as ‘bullying’. The cluster school communities do not perceive a ‘deficit’ that needs to be addressed by values education. Morcom illustrated the work of the teachers, students and their parents to ‘report values to parents’ and engaging all stakeholders to talk about values, and invited feedback from participants to advance the project.

Values in Action Schools Project: Building inclusion — Reporting Values Cluster

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