Moral, Social and Cultural Values
The Development of Student Values
In our Centre we are committed to providing appropriate opportunities for the development of students’ moral, social and cultural values through both the ethos and the curriculum. This will be undertaken and will take account of the individual needs of students and the views of parents.
Our Centre welcomes and encourages diversity and individuality, while emphasising our common commitment to moral values such as honesty, respect for others, compassion and tolerance. It is a fundamental principle of The Rashid Centre that all who are involved in the life of our Centre have the right to be respected as individuals and carry the responsibility to act in a considerate and respectful manner towards others.
Moral Education
During assemblies, we encourage awareness of matters of a cultural, social and moral nature.
We aim to develop in our students an ethos of tolerance, understanding and respect for the beliefs and customs of others. The Centre is committed to supporting the development of its students as whole people and as a result, wish to encourage their development in moral, social and cultural terms.
The key human aspects of learning are supported by:
● Creating an atmosphere that is both caring and challenging and which provides opportunities for the development of personal responsibility.
● Promoting social and moral learning through the way in which disciplinary issues are handled.
● Ensuring staff and adults within the Centre provide positive models for students.
● Arranging regular gatherings of the Centre community and using such occasions to encourage and reinforce the UAE values on which the Centre is based.
● Enriching the curriculum in all appropriate areas with an emphasis on moral, social and cultural development.
● Providing opportunities within the curriculum to advance personal and social development.
● Taking every opportunity to acknowledge value and appreciate the culture and heritage of the UAE and to encourage students to appreciate and value the cultures and heritage of others
Various topics are covered to promote Social and Moral Education:-
Early Years and lower Intermediate
Friendships and relationships
Carers and people who look after us
Respect and appropriate behaviour
Keeping safe
Similarities and differences
Upper Intermediate and Seniors
Wide ranging friends and relationships
Health and wellbeing of others
Changing relationships
Respect and appropriate behaviour
Emotional issues
Puberty and personal hygiene [where appropriate]
Keeping safe
These areas are not taught in isolation, but are included across many areas of the curriculum. In addition to the learning areas, the following topics may be discussed at age appropriate stage:
Using Appropriate Language
Some families use a range of different names for intimate parts of the body. This can lead to confusion for some children. We would appreciate, therefore, your support in using the correct names for body parts from Early Years through to Senior Tier.
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Taking Responsibility
We encourage students and Trainees to take responsibility within the Centre. This allows them to have a say in aspects of what happens in Centre and allows them to see that they can make a positive difference. We plan to achieve this by:
● The formation of The Future Leaders Council –members will make decisions about activities, trips and improvements that the centre could consider.
● Student Involvement Groups – currently Gardening, Sailing, running a tuck shop, new technology, and the Rashid Stars
We aim:
To develop our students’ skills to enable them to be as independent as possible in their daily lives.
● To develop the skills that will prepare our learners for training or employment in the community and/or within our workshop provision.
The curriculum is activity based. At its core, is the belief that students learn best by doing, and remember most by engaging in activities that relate to the content to be learned. The students will be engaged in hands-on practical tasks through which they will develop specific skills to enable them to develop their independence and gain employment.
The curriculum offers a broad range of learning experiences that we have identified as meaningful and useful to our learners.
It covers one school year but can be extended to two or more years by teaching a unit in more detail and depth.