What's important when teaching character education?

Morals relate to the principals of right and wrong behavior (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moral).  In the context of schools, I feel that students should learn to be respectful, tolerant, cooperative, and responsible for their words and actions.  When considering a teacher’s responsibility in teaching morals to students, teachers should serve as models of moral behavior and need to teach expected behaviors explicitly.  Students also need to discuss moral issues to develop their own understandings and viewpoints of critical issues.  Most importantly, a relationship needs to be established between the teacher and students in order for learning to be successful. 

            Modeling is important when teaching moral behaviors (Noddings, 2002).  If students see teachers acting morally, they are more likely to replicate those actions.  Students can also be models for each other.  The more often a student sees positive behaviors, the more likely he/she is to engage in similar behaviors.  Teacher modeling is important, but I believe that student modeling is even more important and is more effective in changing behavior.  Students want to be like their peers.  This is one of the reasons my school uses videos of student behavior to affect overall behavior.  As part of our Positive Behavior Support system, we use models as a way of instruction.  About every two weeks, a new teacher/student video is sent out to the faculty to share with their students.  The videos show students and faculty modeling appropriate classroom, bathroom, and playground behavior.  Because students are involved in making the videos, they have more buy-in in repeating the positive behaviors.  Students are able to see their friends and peers in the videos and are more willing to use positive behaviors as well.  Other schools have used this method as well.  This video shows students acting respectfully in the library and includes an explanation of the positive behavior.  When students see their peers in videos like these, they are more likely to emulate that same behavior.

             

            Explicit instruction is another key element when teaching morals.  Noddings (2002) contends that students need to practice in order to develop morals.  In order to practice, students need to be taught explicitly what their behaviors should look like.  If we expect our students to meet specific expectations and to work with others, we need to teach students what the behaviors look like.  We cannot rely solely on modeling because there are nuances to behaviors that students may not pick up. We need to explain to students what working collaboratively looks like and sounds like.   We can also use the curriculum to help support the teaching of morals.  Texts provide numerous examples of people acting morally or immorally.  When we use these texts to talk to and teach students about moral behaviors, they are able to see many examples of the behaviors in practice.  Concepts become more concrete and less abstract, making them easier to understand and implement.  TRIBES is a program that focuses on character education using explicit instruction.  Students learn morals through direct teacher instruction and active engagement in character-focused activities.  Students have the opportunity to practice and explain what they have learned using the lessons. 

Explicit behaviors should not only be taught and modeled, but students should also discuss morals.  Noddings (2002) considers discussion to be the most critical element in teaching morals.  These discussions promote “disciplined, open-minded, and critical” thinking which increases dialogue between students and faculty (Haydon, 2005).  When students have the opportunity to discuss morals, they learn how to clearly formulate and articulate their ideas.  Students also have the opportunity to challenge others’ ideas and learn about different viewpoints.  Discussion about morals can lead to greater understanding and accepting of those who are different.  Discussions can “promote the development of respect, willingness to listen and tolerance” (Haydon, 2005).  Discussing controversial issues also help students learn how to support their opinions with evidence and analyze others’ positions (Noddings, 2002).  This helps students think more critically and helps them organize their thoughts clearly and succinctly. 

            The last component of moral education is the most important.  In order to model and teach effectively, teachers need to have strong connections with their students.  Students need to know that their teachers care about and listen to them.  Building relationships between teachers and students is a main component of the care ethics ideal.  “Students must believe that the adults in their schools and communities care about them” (Noddings, 2002).  When students know that they are cared for, they are generally more willing to learn and are receptive to new ideas.  If we want to teach our students how to act morally, we need to connect with them and provide support so that they know they will be successful with anything they attempt.  They will see the value in respecting others because they have been shown respect from the adults that work with them.  This article from ASCD not only explains the history of character education, but also emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students while teaching morals.  It states, “Moral education that is merely intellectual misses the crucial emotional side of character, which serves as the bridge between judgment and action” (Likona, 1993).  Teaching values is not enough; we need to connect with our students in order to make a long-term difference.   

References:

Haydon, G. 2005. Moral Education. Randall Curren (ed.) A Companion to the Philosophy

of Education. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Noddings, N. 2002. Chapters 1-3. Educating Moral Persons. New York: Teachers

College Press.