Moral and Character Development Gordon Vessels and William

Moral and Character Development Gordon Vessels and William Huitt Last revised: March 2005

Interest in Moral Character • 1600 s to 1935—seen as central issues by parents, school, community • 1935 to 1970—decline for a variety of complex reasons • 1980 s to present—renewed interest, often ranking ahead of academics

Moral Character Defined • Evaluative orientation that distinguishes good and bad and prescribes good • Sense of obligation toward standards of a social collective • Sense of responsibility for acting out of concern for others • Concern for the rights of others • Commitment to honesty in interpersonal relationships • State of mind that causes negative emotional reactions to immoral acts. * Damon, W. (1988). Moral child: Nurturing children’s natural moral growth. New York: Free Press.

Components of Moral Character • • Moral behavior (prosocial, sharing, donating to charity, telling the truth) Moral values (believe in moral goods) Moral emotion (guilt, empathy, compassion) Moral reasoning (about right and wrong) Moral identity (morality as an aspect self-image) Moral personality (enduring tendency to act with honesty, altruism, responsibility “Metamoral” characteristics meaning they make morality possible even though they are not inherently moral Berkowitz, M. (2002). The science of character education. In W. Damon (Ed. ), Bringing in a new era in character education (43 -63). Stanford, CA: Hoover Institute Press.

Model of Moral Character

Theories of Moral Character Development • External/Social (behaviorists and sociologists): view morality as a product of external imposition in the form of consequences and/or the intentional transmission of social rules and norms; • Internal (nativists and sociobiologists): focus on genetic and maturational influences; • Interactional – Instinctual--psychoanalytic, psychosocial, and socio-analytic theories that view human nature as instinctual, undeveloped, and in need of control or socialization; – Maturational--cognitive- and affective-developmental theories and social-learning theories that view human nature as good; • Personality/Identity: includes theories that find virtue rooted in personality and personal identity.

Impacting Moral Character • Attempt to impact both individual and context • Individual – Knowledge and reasoning – Empathy and values – Intentions, commitments and choices – Behavior

Impacting Moral Character • Attempt to impact both individual and context • Context – Classroom, school, family, community – Caring, compassionate, empathetic environment – Strong, intimate relationships with others

Impacting Moral Character • Any effort works best when implemented at the school level • General approaches – Character Quotes—thought of the day – Virtue, Value of the Week or Month – Lesson plans with embedded moral character issues – Modify lesson format to emphasize selected virtues, values, or attributes – Service learning

Selecting Values, Virtues & Attributes • Have parents and teachers (and possibly students) complete survey – http: //chiron. valdosta. edu/whuitt/brilstar/ valuessurvey 2. doc • Select 3 to 5 on which to focus

Thought For The Day Read a quotation and reflect on it in terms of • What does it mean (what is the main concept or principle)? • Why is this concept or principle important? • How would this concept or principle be implemented (how would it impact behavior)? • How will you know if you have been successful or unsuccessful in implementing the concept or principle?

Thought For The Day Sources of quotations • • http: //www. quoteland. com/ http: //www. cyber-nation. com/victory/quotations/ http: //www. bartleby. com/100/ http: //chiron. valdosta. edu/whuitt/brilstar/quotes. html

Thought For The Day • The respect for the rights of others is peace. – Benito Juárez (President of Mexico) • You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. – Abraham Lincoln (U. S. President) • A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination. – Nelson Mandela (South African Prime Minister)

Embedding Character In Academic Lessons • Georgia Learning Connections – http: //www. glc. k 12. ga. us/ • Becoming A Brilliant Star – http: //chiron. valdosta. edu/whuitt/brilstar/ Character/chared_index. html • Character Education (Jerrie Cheek, KSU) – http: //webtech. kennesaw. edu/jcheek 3/ chared. htm

Modify Lesson Plan Format • Bernstein’s Artful Learning – http: //www. characterthroughthearts. org/ • Active Learning Practices for Schools – http: //learnweb. harvard. edu/alps/ • 4 MAT – http: //www. aboutlearning. com/

Service Learning • Process whereby students learn and develop academic and social skills as well as moral character through active participation in organized service experiences that actually meet community needs* • Learn and Serve provides resource to implement service learning projects – http: //www. learnandserve. org/ * Champion, F. (1999). Service learning. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved May 2004, from http: //chiron. valdosta. edu/whuitt/files/Service_Learning. html

Service Learning Essential phases 1. Preparation • • 2. Action • • 3. Develop academic and character skills Implement service learning program Reflection • • 4. Assess community needs Identify academic and character objectives Done continuously throughout program both independently (thinking, writing) and in groups (discussing, presenting) Students must be involved in assessment and evaluation Demonstration/recognition • • Share learning with others Receive recognition from other students, teachers, parents and community * Burns, L. (1998). Make sure it's service learning, not just community service. Education Digest, 64(2), 38 -41.

Service Learning Definition of Community • • • In early childhood and early elementary, community may be classroom or family In later elementary, community could additionally be school or neighborhood In middle and high school, can expand notion of community to city, state, world Increased Responsibility • Moves from adult to student as child becomes a pre-youth and then a youth

Principles of Effective Character Education* 1. Promote core ethical values as the basis of good character. 2. Define character comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior. 3. Use a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach to character development. 4. Create a caring school community. 5. Provide students opportunities for moral action. * Lickona, T. , Schaps, E. , & Lewis, C. (2000). Eleven principles of effective character education. Washington, DC: Character Education Partnership (CEP). Retrieved May 2004, from http: //www. character. org/principles/index. cgi.

Principles of Effective Character Education* 6. Have meaningful and challenging academic curricula that respects learners, develops moral character, and helps them to succeed. 7. Develop students’ intrinsic motivation. 8. Have educational professionals who exemplify core values and maintain a moral community. 9. Foster shared moral leadership for educators and students. 10. Engage parents and community members as full partners. 11. Evaluate school character, student character, and adults as character educators.

Questions And Discussion