Term 3 Disagreeing Respectfully

This lesson was contributed by:

Lucianne Zammit

This lesson is for:

Lesson Duration:

20 mins.

What should you expect from this lesson?

This lesson invites students to think for themselves about disagreement and, particularly, about the distinction between what we will call ‘respectful’ and ‘disrespectful’ disagreement. 

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How to carry out this lesson at home:

This lesson is from the Primary Ethics website: https://primaryethics.com.au/education/

These lessons are designed for children to tackle individually or with one or more siblings or peers. An adult may like to participate by helping to read the stories and questions, by modelling genuine curiosity and by supporting the student to think for themselves. They are available in both multimedia and printed (PDF) formats. The same content is covered in each, so simply choose the option that best suits your student’s learning environment.

Aim to be neutral when listening to the ideas expressed by your student and ask them to give the reasons behind their opinion rather than try to do the thinking and reasoning for them. Encourage the student to talk through their ideas by using expressions like ‘Ok’, ‘Hmmm, I wonder…’ and ‘that’s an interesting thought!’. There is often not a single right answer when it comes to ethical dilemmas. In that way, ethics is different to other lessons like maths. Instead, what ethical inquiry helps us do is to look at a situation or idea from different points of view, and to think about the reasons behind those points of view. When we do this, we think more deeply about our own views, discover new ideas, and build a deeper understanding of the considerations in each dilemma. We develop our skills in critical thinking and ethical reasoning and our ability to make well- thought-out decisions in a range of circumstances.

Objectives/ethical concepts explored
• Intention, effects (consequences), judgement
• Encouraging students to think for themselves about the difference between meaning or intending to cause harm and causing harm ‘accidentally’ or without wanting to
• Whether side effects, such as harmful side effects, sometimes result from our own carelessness or thoughtlessness

Essential questions
• Is it OK to keep silent if you disagree? Or could there be times when it’s important to tell your friends you disagree with them, even if you know it will annoy them or hurt their feelings?
• If no one tells you you’ve made a mistake, will you go on believing the incorrect information?
• If someone disagreed with you, would you want to know their reasons for disagreeing? Why?

Read the scenarios and answer the questions.

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