Product Description
Throughout my time at university, I have received a strong grounding in philosophical and ethical theories and discussions in both Christianity and Judaism. However, the study of Philosophy and Ethics has never been more important for a well-functioning society. We live in an ever-changing, multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic world, where religious, philosophical, and ethical beliefs are often fundamental aspects of individual views. Put simply, studying religious philosophy and ethics, is an indispensable part of education, as for a vast majority of people, the influence of religions and beliefs has a long-lasting impact upon an individual’s life, culture and behaviour; with offering answers to life’s deepest questions.
I will ensure that my lessons will allow the student to debate a wide range of social and ethical issues, which I believe truly benefit a student’s world-view, and how they interact and engage with various cultures around the world. Studying Philosophy and Ethics truly provides you with, not only different opinions to consider, in conjunction with your own, but also with guidance to help in the future.
My lessons will primarily fill any knowledge gaps. I will make sure that I familiarise myself with the specific syllabus, and I will ensure that I find out which areas the student lacks knowledge in, so that they feel confident enough to take on the exam. I will do this by using different forms of media, such as videos of the Simpsons among others, quizzes and mini tests, designed to allow me to determine where further support is needed. I will ensure that my lessons are never boring, and I cannot wait to share my love of the subject with others!
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3 level, my lessons will focus upon the syllabus to which their lessons in school adhere. I will ensure that grammatical terms are learnt and understood, so that my students understand the foundations of the subject, in order to build upon them. However, my primary concern is to encourage confidence in the student’s ability within the subject, which is vital at this stage. Learning and comprehending vocabulary can seem quite a daunting task, however I have created resources in order to enhance retention of these terms, and these will be provided to the student during and after lessons.
Key Stage 4
The focus for Key Stage 4 level is ultimately the GCSE exam at the end of the school years, and so throughout my lessons at this level, there will always be some form of link to the GCSE questions. For example, there might be an exemplar question answer provided, so that the student familiarises themselves with the requirements of the examiner. On top of this, I will ensure that we work through a mock exam paper together, studying the topics most frequently seen, and working through each topic. As well as focusing on the final exam, I will ensure that students see their progress; to make sure their confidence grows ahead of the year 11 exam.
Key Stage 5
From personal experience, I am aware that the jump from GCSE to A Level Philosophy and Ethics can be quite daunting for some students, as the emphasis falls much more on discussions, which is where I have seen students start to struggle- often fear takes over. I aim to ensure that my students feel able to discuss these issues and I focus on developing their conversational skills, so that this can be translated into a written paper. I focus on their clear strengths from GCSE years, so that they realise how much they do know, before I move onto the more difficult subject matter. At this level, I ensure that there are no gaps in knowledge of vocabulary, as this is vital when progressing towards the more complicated material. Doing this ensures that a student’s progress, and ultimately their final grade is properly justified.
Adult Learning
For many of us, we have had to tackle, either first-hand, or through an outside source with the big questions in life, such as life and death, abortion, ethical businesses and various others. However, not many of us stop to think about it, and really think about it. The vast majority of the time, we do not tend to think about how someone from the Anabaptist religion (my own specialism) may approach Philosophy and Ethics, in comparison with the rest of Christianity, or perhaps with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Whenever I work with an adult learner, there is always a degree of flexibility. I always ask what your goals are, and what you would like to learn about mostly, so that I can tailor the lessons accordingly, so that you get the most enjoyment out of it!