Cumbria Humanist Group
Promoting a Positive Caring Outlook for the Non-Religious
Schools
(This page, launched in August 2009, is still under construction.)
A number of our members are or have been school teachers, and Iain Paterson, our Chair, is a retired HM Inspector of Schools. He is also the humanist representative on the Cumbria SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education). Jane is a teacher in a Cumbrian village primary school, where she has a philosophy class for four- to eight-year-olds instead of the traditional RE. She invited Iain to speak to her group earlier this year and he was most impressed with The Infant Philosophers; their questions and comments were truly inspirational!
To include this page on our website was Jane’s idea, partly inspired by Kazzum, a London-based theatre group whose production ”Beginning With Blobs” offers a brilliant music and dance interpretation of evolution for young children. As a result of Jane’s enquiries we know that although their present tour will not reach this far north, they are hoping to get up here next year if they can find suitable venues. We suggest the Rheged Centre at Penrith and the Brewery Arts Centre at Kendal for starters. We thought that a page for schools would be a useful means of sharing such information about learning materials relevant to humanism and non-religious values, both in formal teaching and in a wider ’cultural’ perspective.
In time we hope to build up a network of interested contributors to keep us informed and make suggestions for content.
Here are some links for starters. All suggestions gratefully received – as they say!
BHA Education page on the main BHA website. A separate website Humanism for Schools contains much information on humanism for all those involved in education.
The BHA is currently recruiting Speakers for Schools, compiling a list of members with appropriate knowledge and experience to visit schools and talk about humanism. For further information or to join the list, please email the BHA. (Iain is very happy to talk to schools in Cumbria about humanism. Please contact him if you would like him to visit your school.)
The BBC website has had some interesting material recently on science for younger children and how to answer some of the awkward questions. How heavy is the sky? Kids' baffling questions. And some answers suggested by readers and experts. These are the questions that often lead the baffled respondent to resort to the the superstitious and supernatural as it's easier than the rational!
In similar vein, Get Some Answers, a new government website. ( I like the Bogeys and Burps! Sorree! )
And finally (for now), Dave Allen on his first day at school . . .
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SAPERE (Society for Advancing Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education), an educational charity that promotes philosophical enquiry with children throughout the UK. Philosophy can be used to improve teaching and learning, for the lasting benefit of individuals and communities.
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27 December 2009. (See Stop Press page.) Sixth-formers at Nelson Thomlinson School, Wigton, were denied the right to opt out of the school carol service.
email : info@cumbria-humanists.org.uk