Newington College

New Thinker in Residence to fire up Critical (Gray) Matter

New Thinker in Residence to fire up Critical (Gray) Matter

Peter Ellerton presenting at TEDxBrisbane Talks

Forget the interstate rivalries often synonymous with Queensland and NSW sporting fixtures; next week’s visit to Newington College by noted Queensland University (UQ) philosopher Dr Peter Ellerton is unquestionably a home goal.

Dr Ellerton is Curriculum Director of UQ’s Critical Thinking Project and Senior Lecturer in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry and the School of Education. He is also Newington’s newest Thinker in Residence and from Monday 21 October, will be on site across all four of our Sydney campuses to present a packed critical thinking and ethics program.

A teacher educator and syllabus designer for the International Baccalaureate Organisation, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Dr Ellerton’s sessions will include demonstration lessons to our youngest thinkers at both our Wyvern and Lindfield Prep schools as well as engagement with our ELC pre-schoolers in a story with discussion. He will also work with senior students.

At the Stanmore Campus on Wednesday from 6.30pm, Dr Ellerton will also deliver a free public lecture, which is open to all in the community.

Over the course of his residency, Dr Ellerton will work closely with our own Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics (CCTE) leadership team under Dr Britta Jensen to deliver extensive professional development to Newington teaching staff. Dr Jensen, Director (CCTE) and herself a noted philosopher and President of the Philosophy in Schools Association of NSW, says Dr Ellerton’s specialty will assist in enabling a ‘Teaching for Thinking’ focus across all year levels and subject areas.

‘I met Dr Ellerton when we co-presented a panel discussion as part of a conference held by the Australian Association of Philosophy at Sydney University last year,’ says Dr Jensen.

‘Later, when we compared notes on Newington’s and UQ’s Critical Thinking Project’s perspectives and critical thinking initiatives, we found Dr Ellerton’s approach to resonate with the work we are undertaking in terms of developing our critical thinking plan across our Newington ELC-12 classes and teachers. We were delighted therefore when he accepted our invitation as Thinker in Residence. There is much common ground for sharing resources and cross collaboration.’

Dr Ellerton has worked with thousands of educators throughout Australia and internationally. He is part of the team of academics which recently rewrote the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities in Critical and Creative Thinking and is an expert contributor to the European Commission Joint Research Centre’s Enlightenment 2.0 project. This focuses on improving public reasoning in political processes and developing meaningful and ethical communication, vital many might argue in the face of increasing geopolitical instability and distrust in traditional government, media and institutions.

Critical thinking is included in the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) curriculum from K to 12, but the curriculum does not offer advice on how to teach it, says Dr Jensen. The Newington College approach to critical thinking has its origins in the tradition of Philosophy in Schools / Philosophy for Children (P4C). A pedagogy, or method of teaching, based on a community of inquiry rather than a subject, Dr Jensen has equated teaching critical thinking to teaching a new language.

‘Newington students from K to 12 are given the new vocabulary needed to listen to one another with respect, to build on, and challenge one another’s ideas to support reason, and to develop independent critical and ethical thinking by questioning claims to knowledge which engage in life’s big questions,’ she says.

‘Newington’s CCTE, and our Thinker in Residence program, which welcomes eminent teachers like Dr Ellerton, aims to equip our teachers and students with the tools for best practice in this space.

Our whole way of thinking is motivated by an ethical obligation we feel as educators to equip our future citizens to be fair-minded, informed and discerning critical thinkers, which is vital for functioning democracies.’ 

In his public lecture on Wednesday evening, Dr Ellerton will explain what critical thinking is and how its teaching and development is a strong ethical concern. He will also discuss how an ethical approach to critical thinking can improve the way we teach it across different settings and highlight common mistakes in teaching critical thinking and offer suggestions on how to avoid them.

Tickets are free and open to all but must be reserved.

Please click here to book.