To Integrate or Celebrate Diversity?
Posted by: lukehenryfrancis, in Cross-Curricular, Knox Academy
An idea being floated at the moment in our ‘faculty’ is integration. Its becoming a bit of a dirty word in some respects as all members of staff are worried about the negative effects it would have on learning and teaching.
At first, I have to admit, I was quite excited about the prospect of working more closely with other departments, sharing ideas and developing new materials etc. However, the more I reflect on integration I find myself becoming somewhat unsettled. I think, deep down, I’m a traditionalist when it comes to education. I see education as being a journey which allows the learner to specialise in a particular field as they develop interests and show particular flare in different areas.
In the primary years, non-specialist teachers help pupils learn via a project based approach whereby pupils’ touch on issues such as science, history, geography and religion in a topic, for example ‘Ancient Rome’. As pupils progress in High School they begin to develop skills learnt in the primary sector but are propelled further by subject specialist teachers who have a passion for their subject area. This is not to say no links are made between subjects; for example both History and RMPS at Knox address the Civil Rights Movement. However, the emphasis is very different. History looks at the key figures, analyses and weighs up the evidence. RMPS, conversely, looks at the spiritual nature of protest and the immorality of segregation.
I guess I’m worried about potentially diluting the learners’ experience and presenting a shallow, stretched and restricted overview on some really interesting and, of course, complex subjects areas. I love what I do, I love my subject and, at the end of the day, is it wrong that I’m not really turned on by ox bow lakes?
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October 8th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Luke
Just to clarify things. There is no drive from the centre for “integration”.
This might help?
http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/06/24/disciplinary-learning-straightjacket-or-cornerstone
October 8th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
I know, its just something which everybody appears to be getting anxious about and I was just airing my own opinion. It is definitely a mind field.
Many thanks for the link.
October 9th, 2007 at 6:24 am
Hi Luke,
I fully understand your position on this subject, a subject that I also felt the need to write a post about. I think from our own persepectives we are enthusiastic about our own subject areas and feel confident in teaching them. This is not putting down any other subect in any way, just acknowledging that we are specialists in our chosen fields. Having taought Modern Studies, RMPS and Geography over the past 3 years, I know that while I try very hard to learn the content and skills involved in what I am teaching, I do not deliver the lessons with the same ease and confidence. The question has to be how does this reflect upon Learning and Teaching?
As I have mentioned in my own post there are arguments for and against integration and I believe that the discussions will go on for the forseeable future. Nonetheless, the most important thing is that the final descision is made with consideration on the impact it will ultimately have on the pupils.
Regards
Sharon
October 20th, 2007 at 9:22 am
” guess I’m worried about potentially diluting the learners’ experience and presenting a shallow, stretched and restricted overview on some really interesting and, of course, complex subjects areas”
I think you are right to be worried. All the evidence shows that a thematic approach to RMPS is not appropriate for S1/2. Just as learning about the biology of a frog does not help one to learn French, I am not convinced that integration of social subjects with RME (which is a discrete curriculum area under CfE) is in any way educationally beneficial.
Within the context of a faculty, it is easy to see where management’s priorities lie. To save money, the local authority has authorised the appointment of a PT to oversee subjects in which he/she may or may not have any knowledge, aptitude or interest. [I have no idea who your PT is and it is the principle I object to.] That IMHO is despicable and shows a contempt for learners as well as teachers.
In order to pretend that this approach works, there is now the pressure for ‘integration’: within the social subjects, this can work up to a point, just as it can within the sciences. RMPS is not, however, a social subject. In S1/2, children need IMHO to be largely following a systematic approach to build their knowledge of the world religions you wish to cover (under CfE they do not need to study all six). Where there are opportunities for cooperative working, by all means let’s take them, but it must not dilute the distinctiveness of RMPS nor undermine the specialist knowledge which you have.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:30 am
I know, I am against RMPS being included as a Social Subject since, as you say under A Curriculum for Excellence guidelines it is a discrete subject area and requires time tabling allocation which is significantly different from other subjects (i.e. core provision from S1-S4).
Thank you for the comment - interesting blog!
January 2nd, 2008 at 10:40 pm
hey! interesting blog! keep up the good work!:D x