Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Trusting Peer Teaching and Learning with most serious responsibilities.
Peer learning is chosen as the most effective method to deliver Holocaust education in the UK.
The UK government has been advocating the use of peer teaching and learning in both Primary and Secondary education as part of the commitment to personalised learning in national strategy and initiatives. We can now see evidence of this commitment in the structure of government funded projects.
Jim Knight, Schools Minister, has committed £4.65 million to fund two pupils from every sixth form and college in the country to visit Auschwitz with the Holocaust Education Trust. Each group of students attend seminars and discussions before and after the visit, accompanied by trained staff from the Trust.
The students then have the responsibility to communicate what they have learned to their peers on returning to their schools and colleges. This responsibility is handed over to the students explicitly and formalised through a structured programme of activities. The Holocaust Education Trust requires the young people to "become ambassadors for raising awareness", after their visit to Auschwitz. The Holocaust remains a compulsory part of the curriculum for all 11-14 year olds in England and Wales.
Having the confidence to use peer teaching as an approach to one of the most challenging tasks in education is a testament to the effectiveness of the trusting learners with responsibility in their learning. It also reminds all teachers, school leaders and educationalists that peer teaching and learning work best when used as a central part of teaching and learning styles and polices. The temptation to have a separate, extra or bolt on project for peer teaching can reveal a concern from teachers that it is not a 'safe' method to use with core curriculum targets and responsibilities.
The success of the "Lessons from Aushchwiz" programme tells us we can trust this pedagogy with our most serious responsibilities, therefore we can and should trust it with any and all aspects of our national curriculums. The message is take the risk and be bold. For more information click here.