This curriculum, titled Learning to Live Together: An Intercultural and Interfaith Program for Ethics Education, is designed to maximize co-operation and tolerance in the classroom while simultaneously ensuring religions are represented and not simply given lip service.
As multicultural and multi-faith societies become more diverse, there is an increasing demand for tolerance and ethics among students. In response, Learning to Live Together was created by the Arigatou Foundation, in co-operation with UNESCO and UNICEF, for use in an educational setting. The Arigatou Foundation is a faith-based non-governmental organization that seeks to build a better world for children by combating poverty and exploitation and encouraging faith.
The curriculum, which can be downloaded for free, makes it clear that children are the key to changing our outlook on faith and culture. The theory behind it is that children are naturally curious and accepting of new ideas. This is why the material is so effective; the Catholic faith (and several others) often make reference to looking at the world and faith through the trusting and loving eyes of a child. It can be easier to teach a child, for they have not yet developed the stubbornness and cynicism that can grow with age.
Youth are also especially relevant to the subject of ethics, since children are often the centre of unethical activities and are vulnerable and can be exploited and abused.
The central tenet of this curriculum is respect. Reiterated throughout the curriculum is the concept that to have a truly ethical society, there must be equal representation and respect. To achieve this mutual respect, communication is strongly emphasized and there is a heavy focus on language through prayer, poetry and role play. There are sheets of prayers in the program from various faiths, and an emphasis on prayer to try to develop as a group to accomplish things with faith. As it is a multi-faith group, various prayers are shared among the students and they are given the opportunity to learn about each other’s religions. Respect is also key to the curriculum’s definition of ethics and ethical behaviour.
The most important concepts, and the ones definitely most appealing to Catholic audiences, are summed up in this quote: “We must also note that ethical values and spirituality are not two separate guides to behaviour, but are related, each enriching the other. A spiritual person is also one who is ethically upright; and an ethically upright person exhibits a spirituality that others seek to imitate… It is through learning, with space for free critical thinking, that each child and young person will be able to build and practise a positive relationship with herself or himself, the other, the environment and with that which people refer to as God, Ultimate Reality or Divine Presence.”
Learning to Live Together encourages the idea that leading an upright life with a balance of action and spirituality, as well as thought, is essential for peaceful co-existence.
This “ethical” curriculum does not dive into legal specifics, nor does it attempt to make clear moral divisions. It does, however, explain the often difficult relationship between “morals,” “values” and “ethics” and how they are often difficult to clarify.
To reflect the interfaith nature of the curriculum, however, there is a distinct emphasis on aiding the poor and being accepting of others regardless of appearance, beliefs or social and financial status. With Pope Francis’ increased emphasis on poverty and the need to end it, this is an especially relevant idea and provides the curriculum with timeliness. It also makes it easier to read and understand without collapsing into a philosophical debate.
There is also no attempt to “convert” or “preach” to people. It is clear that all are welcome in using this curriculum and that students need not be religious to be able to appreciate the spiritual and ethical benefits of the curriculum generated by Learning to Live Together.
Learning to Live Together also provides a variety of activities, such as prayer circles, folding paper cranes and making mandalas, as well as suggestions for music and film resources to use, many of which are easily available in stores, and encourages educators using the material to expand upon it.
It provides an excellent resource for anyone interested in ethical or spiritual education, and offers an excellent opportunity for Catholics to be able to express their faith in an educational and ethics-oriented context that is both easy to understand and welcoming.
Learning to Live Together can be found by visiting www.theinterfaithobserver.org and searching “Free Intercultural, Interfaith Ethics Curriculum Available.”
(Johnson, 20, is a Concurrent Education student at Glendon College at Toronto’s York University.)