Teach Secondary Issue 14.7

are laudable, my concern is that moves to diversify the curriculum serve to undermine the very notion of culture, and will therefore fail to help students fully appreciate human differences. Humanist thought The suggestion that students should be ‘represented’ in the curriculumusually refers to their (presumed) identity characteristics – yet surely the curriculum should teach students that people in the past viewed their identities very differently (assuming they even thought about them at all), and that today’s progressive attitudes towards minorities are the result of prolonged, hard- fought human struggles? Moreover, shouldn’t we want to teach young people to empathise with characters in the curriculumwho look very different to them, or come from alternative backgrounds? Teachers must take care not to reduce ‘culture’ down to ‘identity’, or other superficial characteristics. The ability to fully appreciate other cultures is contingent upon receiving an education in a culture, and the cultivation of judgement – an ideal evolved from European intellectual traditions. In her book, Humanly Possible , Sarah Bakewell traces the evolution of humanist thought from the Renaissance. In Europe and beyond, people sought to cultivate humanitas (our common humanity), enquiry and hope through ‘culture, thinking, morality, ritual and art’. One of these humanists, Desiderius Erasmus (1466- 1530), was a Christian who advocated for reforming the church. Erasmus was a traveller who felt that education should train people to be at home in the world, be courteous and share the light of knowledge with others. Erasmus is often cited as progenitor of the notion of the ‘worldly citizen’ – yet for him, the cultivation of this disposition could only happen through education. Aprecarious position Young people can’t be coerced into respecting differences. That disposition can only come about through an education in their own culture, and by also teaching them about other cultures. Learning a foreign language is key part of the humanist tradition. More than just a form of communication, it’s an act that also involves learning about the culture and history of a nation. Humanities and arts subjects, for their part, offer insights into different aspects of the human condition – beliefs, religion, music, art, literature, history – and the forms these can take in different cultures. We cultivate in students the capacity for appreciation and judgement about truth, beauty and morality by introducing them to works selected for their epistemic qualities. The fragmented nature of our modern culture puts teachers and schools in a precarious position, where one misstep can have large ramifications. Schools could do more to help young people understand who they are and where they live – the cultural foundations of our way of life, and the people who helped to shape it. This is the basis for the education curriculums of almost every other country. Knowing their own culture helps young people to develop a sense of identity and responsibility towards their community – both essential for a healthy democracy. It’s a solid basis fromwhich to understand people from other cultures. And through her speech, Courtney expresses these sentiments well. COURTNEY WRIGHT’S CULTURE DAY SPEECH “Hello everyone. Today I want to talk about my culture – British culture – and why it’s important tome. In Britain we have lots of traditions, including drinking tea, our love for talking about the weather, andwe have the Royal Family. We have amazing history, like Kings and Queens, castles andwriters like Shakespeare. It’s alsomodern, diverse and always changing,withmusic, fashion and food fromall around the world blending into daily life.And let’s not forget fish and chips! It’s also the waywe speak, our humour, our values of fairness and politeness, and themix of old traditions and new ideas. But sometimes at school,we only hear about other cultures – which is great, because learning about different countries is interesting and important. But it can feel like being British doesn’t count as a culture, just because it’s themajority. I think culture should be for everyone – not just for people fromother countries or backgrounds. Being British is still a culture, and it matters too. It’s part of who I am. So let’s celebrate all cultures - whether they come from far away or right here at home. Thank you!” Join the CONVERSATION TheAcademyof Ideas Education Forumgathersmonthly to discuss trends in educational policy, theoryandpractice. Find outmore at academyofideas.org.uk/education-forum ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr Alex Standish is Associate Professor of Geography Education, UCL Institute of Education, Knowledge and Curriculum book series editor at UCL Press and co-editor of What Should Schools Teach? Disciplines, Subjects and the Pursuit of Truth 13 teachwire.net/secondary H O T TO P I C