core values
On what basis do we make choices about our practice? Informal educators
should be guided by certain commitments. But what are they?
On
the one hand are found what we can call ‘core values’ – a set of beliefs that
are shared and debated among informal educators. On the other, are our personal
commitments and values. At times these will coincide, and at others they will
clash. We have to make choices around each of these sets of values and live with
and by them. Informal educators do not have a ready-made set of guidelines
telling them what is right and wrong. They can’t have this and hope to continue
to engage honestly with the everyday experiences of those they work with. They
have to make up their own minds as they encounter different situations. This
they do in dialogue – with others, the core values and themselves.
Let us begin by thinking about what some of the core or first order values
may be.
- Respect for persons
. This requires us to recognize the dignity and
uniqueness of every human being. It also entails behaving in ways that convey
that respect. This means, for example, that we avoid exploiting people for our,
or others’, ends.
- The promotion of well-being
. We must work for the welfare of all. We
must further human flourishing. That means, for example, we must always try to
avoid causing harm, and seek to enhance the well-being of others.
- Truth
. Perhaps the first duty of the educator is to truth. This means
that we must not teach or embrace something we know or believe to be false. We
must search for truth and be open in dialogue to what others say. However, we
should not be fearful of confronting falsehood where we find it.
- Democracy. Democracy involves the belief that all human beings ought
to enjoy the chance of self-government or autonomy. Implicit in this is the idea
that all are equal citizens. A fundamental purpose of informal education is to
foster democracy through experiencing it. We must seek within our practice to
offer opportunities for people to enjoy and exercise democratic rights.
- Fairness and equality. Informal educators have a responsibility to
work for relationships characterized by fairness. Any discrimination has to be
justified on the basis it will lead to greater equity. We must also look to
promote equality. Actions must be evaluated with regard to the way people are
treated, the opportunities open to them, and the rewards they receive.
These values are difficult to define and are often argued about - but they do
provide us with a starting point.
|
 Taken from Tony
Jeffs and Mark K. Smith (2005) Informal Education. Conversation, democracy and
learning, Nottingham: Educational Heretics Press. |
© Tony Jeffs and Mark K. Smith
First published November 1999. Last update:
May 29, 2012
