Values education in the early years

This event is part of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB).

Values education, as understood here, refers to the educational process by which children learn values conducive to positive and prosocial attitudes, such as kindness, respect, compassion, tolerance and inclusivity.

Recent research on moral development has highlighted that children’s moral learning starts already in the early years. Although research on the psychological processes constituting early childhood moral learning is still in its early phases, this research area raises the following questions for values education: should values education be extended to the early years? If so, what does, or should, values education look like in the early years? And what values should be taught in the early years, if any? Moreover, should teachers in the early years aim to teach values to children? And how do children in the early years learn values?
 
This event will explore these questions from both a philosophical and educationalist perspective, both theoretical and from the point of view of practitioners.

Programme

• 9.30-9.45am: Registration and welcome
• 9.45-11.15am: Christina Easton (University of Warwick) - Early years reading programmes and LGBT-affirmative education
• 11.15-11.30am: Tea and coffee break
• 11.30am-1pm: Liz Pemberton (Manager, The Black Nursery) - Why Anti-Racist Practice is Important in the Early Years
• 1-2pm: Lunch break
• 2-3.30pm: Dominic Wyse (IOE) - Values in education: from national curricula to children’s agency
• 3.30-3.45pm: Tea and coffee break
• 3.45-5.15pm: Michael Hand (School of Education, University of Birmingham) - Moral formation and moral inquiry in the early years

This event will be particularly useful for researchers, policymakers, teachers and students.

Please note this is a hybrid event and can be joined either in-person or online. To book your place, please email Daniel Vanello <d.vanello@ucl.ac.uk>.

PESGB seminar series

This event is part of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) seminar series. PESGB is a learned society that promotes the study, teaching and application of philosophy of education. Its London Branch hosts seminars every Wednesday in conjunction with the Centre for Philosophy of Education. These seminars are led by national and international scholars in the field, covering a wide range of issues of educational and philosophical concern.

All are welcome to attend.

Related links

• Department of Education, Practice and Society
• Centre for Philosophy of Education

Image

the faces via Adobe Stock.