SM

What Is
Character
Education?
WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #1 2000 Josephson Institute
SM
Character education is a
complex process involving:

Knowledge teaching
principles of right and wrong
Feeling instilling ethical
values and attitudes
Actions demanding and
modeling ethical conduct

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #2 2000 Josephson Institute

SM

Dimensions of Character

Knowing the good

Loving the good
Doing the good
Dr. Thomas Lickona

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #3 2000 Josephson Institute

 Dimensions of
Character Education
SM

SOCIAL DIMENSION Foster attitudes,

habits and conduct that make individuals
constructive members of society.

PERSONAL DIMENSION Foster

attitudes, habits and conduct that help
individuals live personally meaningful and
satisfying lives.

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #4 2000 Josephson Institute

 FIRST THINGS FIRST
Starting
BE from the
ground
HAPPY up...

DO GOOD

DO NO HARM
WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? #5 2000 Josephson Institute
SM
Look Out for
Self-Esteemia...

The toxic effect of worrying

more about feeling good
than being good.

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #6 2000 Josephson Institute

 Personal Dimension Not More
SM

Important Than Social Dimension

Overemphasis on values
clarification, building self-
esteem, and teaching life skills
can convey the message that
the personal dimension is
more important than the
social dimension.
WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #7 2000 Josephson Institute
What Happens If You Do Last Things First?

DO NO HARM
DO GOOD
BE
HAPPY

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? #8 2000 Josephson Institute

SM
Character Education Is
About Duties Not Desires

Character education is about

teaching young people to know,
accept and live up to their moral
duties and obligations.
It is not about identifying or
pursuing personal preferences
and desires.
WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) #9 2000 Josephson Institute
 More Than Obedience
SM

Character education is not

simply about obedience; it is
about teaching young people
to make sound moral
judgments.

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) # 10 2000 Josephson Institute

SM Effective Character
Education
Effective character education is fostered
in schools that have confidence in their
own rules and values. Schools that set
limits, enforce boundaries, teach high
ideals, create habits o good conduct.
Children take the values of the adult
world seriously when adults take those
values seriously.
George W. Bush

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) # 11 2000 Josephson Institute

SM Moving Beyond Values
Clarification

Values clarification is not

moral neutrality. It is moral
surrender. Our schools should
not cultivate confusion, They
must cultivate conscience.
George W. Bush

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) # 12 2000 Josephson Institute

SM Moving Beyond Values
Clarification
Something is changing in this country.
Perhaps we have been sobered by tragedy.
Perhaps the Baby Boom generation has won
some wisdom from its failures and pain.
But we are no longer laughing at honor.
Values clarification seems like a passing
superstition. After decades of drift, we are
beginning a journey of renewal.
George W. Bush

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION? (ChEdWhat0200.ppt) # 13 2000 Josephson Institute