Teaching through the tension – an approach to resolving schism in the classroom

Conference paper

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2011. Teaching through the tension – an approach to resolving schism in the classroom.

Publication process dates
Authors	Melville-Wiseman, J.
Type	Conference paper
Description	This paper is based on the development of a unique approach to teaching post graduate pre-registration MA in Social Work students in a UK Christian Foundation University. The need to develop this approach arose from a cohort of students who raised concerns about considerable tension within the group and a subsequent schism. The cause of this appeared to be that one faction was openly expressing their faith based views that homosexuality was sinful. The other faction was expressing views that anyone who asserts such views should not be allowed to practice social work. The aim was to bring the group together again to ensure they could continue on their learning journey together. The paper describes the process of negotiating different procedural imperatives relating to the law and the regulation of social work education and anti-discriminatory practice in these areas. It then focuses on how this classroom schism mirrored similar divisions within the wider community. The multi-dimensional approach that was developed to resolve the tension through teaching as opposed to other interventions is then presented. This included the promotion of reflection in conjunction with debate; re-focusing on what is, and what is not a social work task; a shared recognition of how claims to anti-discriminatory practice can only ever be partial; and a recognition that it was possible for both groups to develop social work compatible values from either starting point.
Year	2011
Conference	Beyond Belief: Exploring the Impact of Religion and Belief on Professional Practice’
Deposited	16 Apr 2015
Accepted	2011
Output status	Published
Publication dates
Print	09 Sep 2011

Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/87480/teaching-through-the-tension-an-approach-to-resolving-schism-in-the-classroom

191
total views
0
total downloads
11
views this month
0
downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

The deeper context of coercive control: New insights into behavioural patterns in coercive controllers to support greater precision in social worker assessments of critical risk

Mitchell, K., Melville-Wiseman, J. and McFarlane, Felicity 2025. The deeper context of coercive control: New insights into behavioural patterns in coercive controllers to support greater precision in social worker assessments of critical risk. Probation Journal. 72 (4), pp. 485-510. https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505251371590

Care-experienced social workers as relational activists in the United Kingdom

Rodgers-Gray, Trevor, Starr, Michael and Melville-Wiseman, Janet 2024. Care-experienced social workers as relational activists in the United Kingdom. in: Bailey, R., Przeperski, J. and Sajid, S. M. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Power, Politics, and Social Work Oxford Oxford University Press. pp. 739-755

Care experienced social workers as relational activists in the UK

Melville-Wiseman, J., Rodgers-Gray, T. and Starr, M. 2023. Care experienced social workers as relational activists in the UK. in: The Oxford Handbook of Power, Politics and Social Work Oxford Oxford University Press.

Examining relational practice through the unique experiences of care experienced social workers and students

Janet Melville-Wiseman, Dr Trevor-Rodgers-Gray, Carol Namata and Mike Starr 2023. Examining relational practice through the unique experiences of care experienced social workers and students.

The Association of Care Experienced Social Care Workers

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2022. The Association of Care Experienced Social Care Workers. in: The anthology of care experienced social workers UK Kirwin Maclean.

The state of social work education and research report 2020-2021

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2021. The state of social work education and research report 2020-2021. Canterbury Joint University Council for the Applied Social Sciences.

Elusive tensions in everyday relationship-based social work practice: exploring the challenges for social work education at the interface between religion and sexuality

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2021. Elusive tensions in everyday relationship-based social work practice: exploring the challenges for social work education at the interface between religion and sexuality . in: Scherer, B. (ed.) Queering Paradigms IX Peter Lang.

Listening to the voices of care experienced individuals and communities – the disconcerting values of the Government Children’s Social Care Review

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2021. Listening to the voices of care experienced individuals and communities – the disconcerting values of the Government Children’s Social Care Review. Social Work 2020-21 under Covid-19.

Illusions of consent – Police and Crown Prosecution Service responses to victims of professional sexual abuse in mental health services

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2021. Illusions of consent – Police and Crown Prosecution Service responses to victims of professional sexual abuse in mental health services.

Legal protection of title - how far should this extend?

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2021. Legal protection of title - how far should this extend?

Elusive tensions in everyday relationship-based social work practice

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2019. Elusive tensions in everyday relationship-based social work practice.

When is it right to buy? an instrumental case study of 'out of borough' rehousing for families in temporary accommodation and implications for social work

Odell, T. and Melville-Wiseman, J. 2018. When is it right to buy? an instrumental case study of 'out of borough' rehousing for families in temporary accommodation and implications for social work.

When is it right to buy: an instrumental case study of 'out of area' rehousing for families in temporary accommodation and implications for social work

Odell, T. and Melville-Wiseman, J. 2018. When is it right to buy: an instrumental case study of 'out of area' rehousing for families in temporary accommodation and implications for social work.

The sexual abuse of vulnerable people by registered social workers in England: an analysis of the health and care professions council fitness to practise cases

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2016. The sexual abuse of vulnerable people by registered social workers in England: an analysis of the health and care professions council fitness to practise cases. The British Journal of Social Work. 46 (8). https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcw150

Spirituality and sexuality: exploring tensions in everyday relationship-based practice

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2017. Spirituality and sexuality: exploring tensions in everyday relationship-based practice. in: Crisp, B. (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Religion, Spirituality and Social Work Routledge.

A case study of an incident of professional sexual abuse in UK mental health services

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2016. A case study of an incident of professional sexual abuse in UK mental health services. in: International Womens Issues Conference 2016 - Selected Papers University of Central Florida.

Pathologies or apologies? The usefulness of Luke 17:3 as a model for responding to professional sexual abuse of vulnerable adults in the mental health system

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2011. Pathologies or apologies? The usefulness of Luke 17:3 as a model for responding to professional sexual abuse of vulnerable adults in the mental health system.

Profiles and institutional context of doctors who sexually abuse their patients or colleagues

Melville-Wiseman, J. 2013. Profiles and institutional context of doctors who sexually abuse their patients or colleagues.

Mental health law in the UK and the professional sexual abuse of women.

Melville-Wiseman, J. and Eastern Mediterranean University 2013. Mental health law in the UK and the professional sexual abuse of women. in: Selected Papers from the 4th International Conference - Gender Equality and the Law: Famagusta, Cyprus Eastern Mediterranean University Press.