Tackling Controversial Issues in Primary Education: Perceptions and Experiences of Student Teachers

Abstract

This paper considers the nature and definition of controversial issues in primary education, exploring how they may be deemed controversial in different ways according to context. Drawing on research undertaken with student teachers in their final year of study at universities in England, it explores the issues that they feel apprehensive about facing in their first teaching post and those that they feel it is important to explore with children. It identifies issues relating to relationships, religion and belief and bereavement as being of significant concern, suggesting priorities for teacher training courses and contrasting these with research undertaken a decade earlier.

Controversial Issues and the Rhetoric of Common Values

“…I shall use two examples, namely Norwegian core curricula since the 1970s and former Prime Minister David Cameron's public argument for making schools promote 'fundamental British values' (FBV). This contributes to the emerging literature on controversial issues in school (Anker and von der Lippe 2016;Hand 2008;von der Lippe 2019;Saetra 2019Saetra , 2020Toft 2020;Woolley 2020). In particular, it supports, broadens and deepens the insights provided by Lockley-Scott (2019a, 2019b into the political and educational use of fundamental British values in recent education policy.…”

“…Recently, religion education (RE) researchers have discussed the role of controversial issues in teaching (Anker and von der Lippe 2016;Franken and Levrau 2020;von der Lippe 2019;Lockley-Scott 2019a;O'Grady and Jackson 2019;Avest 2020;Toft 2020;Woolley 2020). RE discussion has been entwined with a parallel discussion concerning the concept of 'safe space' as a pedagogical ideal (Arao and Clemens 2013;Barrett 2010;Boostrom 1998;Callan 2016;Flensner and von der Lippe 2019;Holley and Steiner 2005;Iversen 2018;Osbeck et al 2017;Redmond 2010), initiated by the promotion of the RE classroom as a safe space in Signposts (Jackson 2014), the influential Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) primer on religion education as intercultural education.…”

“…In many of the debates, the full peoplehood of different groups of people is seen to be at stake. Woolley (2020) relates sensitive and controversial debates to what he calls 'isms and phobias', such as classism, racism, xenophobia, sexism, disablism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Even though populations have, overall, become more accepting of differences, these 'isms and phobias' have somehow become increasingly prominent.…”

Enfoques de aprendizaje en estudiantes de pedagogía de una universidad chilena

“…La integración de saberes y los enfoques interdisciplinarios para el desarrollo de conocimiento y habilidades propios de la labor pedagógica, son énfasis que el currículum de la formación inicial docente debería adquirir, considerando los desafíos actuales en el campo educativo escolar. Desde el área de la didáctica de las ciencias naturales y de las ciencias sociales se ha propuesto la estrategia de enseñanza de problemas controversiales o socialmente vivos, como una forma de desarrollar la integración de conocimientos desde una perspectiva crítica y activa en la formación del profesorado (Hand y Levinson, 2012;Woolley, 2020).…”

Fostering creativity in kindergarten: The impact of collaborative project-based learning

“…There is a transition from conventional methods to more comprehensive and practical 21stcentury approaches, wherein children actively select themes that pique their interest, enabling them to exercise their problem-solving and critical thinking skills (Woolley 2020). Following constructivist theory, a project-based learning model requires critical strategies to assist children in cultivating creative thinking abilities, ultimately fostering their independence as thinkers and learners through active learning tools and collaboration with peers (Lim et al 2023).…”