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Why is it personal education? Surely if I
am learning about the human body in biology I am learning about me? If
I am giving my views in a sex education class isn't that about me?
What is it that is personal? Why don’t we call the subject personal
studies?
Why is it social education? Are we
striving to help people understand how society works and how to
contribute to their society by being a good parent, being
productive in a job and being a helpful person to neighbours? If we
are teaching people to be social, what does that mean? Why don’t we
call it social studies?
Why is personal and social education often
referred to as personal and social development and personal, social
and health education? One assumes personal and social education is
to help people develop personally and socially – whatever that means.
Why is health education thrown into the melting pot?
The content of personal and social education.
A brief survey of some internet reports and
articles shows that the subject is a dumping ground for just about
anything the politicians ask educators to do. I use “dumping ground”
because as you’ll see from the list to follow, it seems as if not much
thought has been given to how topics and issues have been thrown
together.
One source says that personal and social
education should enable pupils to:
-
function effectively as individuals and
learners. (But what does it mean to function effectively as an
individual? I assume the other purpose here is to help people learn)
-
form considerate and supportive relationships
(this is so broad as to be meaningless – in what context, son,
friend, lover, and so on?)
-
interact effectively with the natural and
social environment (Wouldn’t this be covered in environmental
education?) what does it mean to interact effectively with the
natural environment?)
-
make the transition to adult and working life
(Do people need to be taught this – would it not be covered in
various subjects and also while at college or in an apprenticeship?)
-
operate effectively within the community.
(Again, what could this possibly mean?)
Another source gives a list of topics to be
covered including: study skills, anger management, parenting, sex,
drugs and alcohol, relationships, improving behaviour, responsible
citizenship, healthy eating, money matters, finance education,
self-knowledge, self-esteem and bullying. I could have added another
ten topics.
Again, this hodgepodge indicates a lack of
thought about structure and what is trying to be achieved. I found
those promoting personal and social education reluctant to admit that
their main objective was to promote responsible behaviour. I found
this surprising because there were references to improving behaviour
and anger management.
There was one glimmer of hope for personal and
social education. There were statements about permitting pupils to
explore feelings and emotions, reflect on past experiences, and
discuss topical issues relevant to their situation and stage of
development. This seems to be a values education approach of getting
over the factual content quickly and then focusing on bringing people
to the point of uncovering their own realisation that responsible
behaviour is good for themselves and others. If this is the end of
personal and social education, then I suggest we replace it with
values education and send all the factual content back to other
relevant studies.
Fellow-educationists
are invited to respond to the views expressed in this article. It
would be useful to
read
the book: Values education for more effective: moral education,
religious education, citizenship education, health education, sex
education, environmental education, alcohol education, multicultural
education, and personal and social education. It gives a more
detailed consideration of the duplication in the many educations.
There are many
possibilities for research in the field of personal and social
education, particularly from a values education perspective and Dr
Bill would be happy to assist postgraduate students (with the approval
of their university or college). Contact him on
bill@valueseducation.co.uk
Copyright © 2008 Values Education Ltd
Note to editors. Feel free to use this article as long as the
following details are retained. “A values education article from CAVE
www.valueseducation.co.uk
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