Resources

Humanities and Social Science Diploma (working title)

The Humanities Association welcomes the development of the Humanities and Social Science Diploma (working title).

We encourage members of the humanities community to get involved in the dialogue on the direction of the diploma and its potential to enhance and broaden the educational experience of 14-19 year olds from 2011...

Download full article - ( PDF).

Humanism Vs Humanities

The Humanities Association has recently received information on a new publication 'Humanism Vs Humanities' by Lauri Vahtre - about the author ( PDF).

This lengthy and fascinating essay focuses on the question ‘What does it mean to be a human being?’; it argues for the view that a human can act as a human only by communication with other humans, which in turn inevitably implies morality, culture, division of labour between the sexes ...

Further information from the historical editor at the Grenader Publishin House, Tallinn, Estonia(lauri@grenader.ee)

Who do we think we are? (WDWTWA)

Who do we think we are? (WDWTWA) is a new, DCSF-funded education project designed to engage primary and secondary school teachers in the exploration of identity, diversity and citizenship with their pupils - in their schools, local communities and nationally.

The project is a direct response to the recent Curriculum Review on Diversity and Citizenship, undertaken by Sir Keith Ajegbo, which recommended that all schools participate in a high profile, national event - titled Who do we think we are? Week - where the main activities would be "…investigations and celebrations by schools of pupils’ histories and their community’s roots and of the national and global links that they can make.”

A new consortium of partners has been set up to help support the delivery of Who do we think we are? week - led by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), the Historical Association and citizenship consultant Paula Kitching. Key areas of work include:

The design and launch of a new website – www.whodowethinkweare.org.uk - structured around four WDWTWA themes: · School and community · Relationships, belonging and faith · History and settlement · ‘Britishness’, national identity/values and the 2012 Games
The creation of an online database and ‘Ideas Hub’ – signposting existing resources and support for the learning and teaching of identity, diversity and community
Curriculum Development Programmes to support targeted work with schools and young people in four local authorities: Barking & Dagenham, Bradford, Bristol and Cheshire
The development and promotion of the national, week-long WDWTWA activities programme (23rd-28th June 2008) - during which schools will be encouraged to collapse timetables and explore identity and diversity as cross-curricular concepts - through subject 'join up', extensive on-site enrichment activities and off-site visits to museums, archives and community-based projects, etc.

GIVING ARTS EDUCATION A GLOBAL FLAVOUR

The Development Education Association (DEA) has recently published 'The Arts: The Global Dimension (Key Stages 3 & 4)' (external link). This booklet illustrates how a global dimension can enrich secondary teaching and learning in the four arts subjects - Art and design, Dance, Drama and Music. Incorporating a global dimension within these subjects allows learners to: - explore the ways individuals, communities and cultures shape and are shaped by others locally and globally - broaden understanding of themselves, their setting and place in an intricate web of relationships - make their own positive contributions by appreciating how artists convey these connected histories and highlight alternative futures. 'The Arts: The Global Dimension (Key Stages 3 & 4)' has been written for teachers, advisers and teacher trainers in arts education, principally for arts coordinators and specialists in the four arts subjects in secondary schools. It will also be useful for facilitators of curriculum development and teachers of other subjects who are looking for innovative ways to incorporate the global dimension in their teaching. As well as showing how global perspectives in the arts can contribute to a broad and balanced curriculum, the booklet offers a range of activities and case studies and provides details of further resources and support for classroom practice.

Making Connections

"... Good news... New ways of defining humanities are being practised in a course taught at Brighton University (external link) which is breathing life into humanities subjects... Humanities subjects have a very strong place in the completed projects particularly geography, history and citizenship. This is strengthened by innovative teaching and learning opportunities devised by students to link with Art, DT and RE..."
Download: Making connections ( Word doc)

Related images - use the 'thumbnails' to open a larger image in a new window.

Assessing the humanities subjects at KS 1 and KS 2

This guidance is written to support good assessment in the humanities subjects. All primary schools are required to teach the full, revised National Curriculum after a period of intense focus on literacy and numeracy. Long, medium and short-term plans should therefore reflect the content and general approach of the revised National Curriculum. The guidance is written for head teachers, subject co-ordinators and assessment co-ordinators... Download: Assessing the humanities - guidance document ( Word doc)

Fascism and the Humanities

The recent council elections (UK) saw a significant increase in votes cast for the extreme right wing with the election of a large number of BNP councilors and councils which now have a large BNP presence. This is depressing news not only because the BNP will inevitably target education and schools as contexts to spread their message of race hatred and intolerance... Download: Fascism and the Humanities ( Word doc)

Rethinking History - again

With the KS3 review, which will contribute to the revised history curriculum for 2008, taking place in a context of calls for greater curriculum flexibility and a slimmed down KS3 curriculum the stage is set for the regular tortured debate about deciding what should be taught in history... Download Rethinking History
( Word doc)

Citizenship Foundation launch major new citizenship teaching resources

Making Sense of Citizenship: A CPD Handbook

The Citizenship Foundation, and the Association for Citizenship Teaching in association with Citized, the DfES, QCA LSDA and Ofsted have come together to produce this EXCELLENT resource. It is aimed at those involved in teaching and/or managing citizenship education in all phases from primary to post 16...
more » ( Word doc)

Software Evaluation: Birchfield’s English Software

The materials provided contain some good examples of non-fiction text types. English teachers are often searching for good examples of non-fiction texts and this package provides useful examples which are quick to access and use in whole class situations. However, the use of these texts would be quite limited as they are simple in construction and are not presented in the way a ‘live’ non-fiction text would be more » ( Word doc)

Specialist Schools Trust Lead Practitioners – Humanities

In a drive to continually improve standards the SST a national network of Lead Practitioners are appointed each year. The role is to develop, encourage and disseminate good practice in teaching and learning at a regional and national level.

The lead Practitioners spend 10-40 days each year (funded by the SST) disseminating best practice, supporting and inspiring colleagues. This network of outstanding teachers have their work published as case studies on the SST website, www.schoolsnetwork.org.uk (external link). There are currently 10 Humanities Leading Practitioners, covering geography, history, English and RE.

Pete Flaxman, Lead Practitioner Geography.
Pete has been teaching geography at Barking Abbey Specialist Sports College since 1994, with the school gaining Humanities Second Specialism in September 2004. Having spent several years in the Pastoral side, he achieved Advanced Skills Teacher status in June 2003... more » ( Word doc)

Growing Schools

Growing Schools is a Department for Education and Skills programme to harness the potential of the outdoors as a teaching and learning resource across all subjects in the National Curriculum, for pupils of all ages and abilities... more »
( Word doc)

Get Teachers’ TV - Educational Discounts

Get Teachers’ TV is the discount scheme that has been set up exclusively for educational organisations in England, and for the people who work in or with them. It gives you cheaper access to digital TV services and equipment to ensure you can benefit from the recently-launched Teachers’ TV channel... more » ( Word doc) - Get Teachers’ TV website: www.get.teachers.tv (external link)

Report on Specialist Schools Trust

Humanities Expert Panel Meeting - 3rd March 2005 ( Word doc)

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

History Subject Associations’ Meeting - 7 March 2005 ( Word doc)

Two GCSE's for the Price of One

Two GCSE's for the Price of One - i ( PDF)
Two GCSE's for the Price of One - ii ( PDF)
Two GCSE's for the Price of One - iii ( PDF)
Two GCSE's for the Price of One - Results ( PDF)

Taken from TOO magazine 2001 - ISSN 1461-4537

GCSE: 1 Full and 2 Short Courses for the Time of One!

At Key Stage 4 GCSE Humanities (AQA) had traditionally been used as a vehicle for the delivery of the PSHE programme enabling the students to receive certification for their studies... more » ( Word doc)

Related PowerPoint presentation: Year 10 Social Education ( PPt)