Character Education Is Lead Through Examples in Live, Not in Isolation

It is interesting to think that Character of Education can be taught in isolation. I believe that every person who works in a school setting teaches the values of Character of Education, starting from the teacher to administrator, down to the custodians, and cafeteria workers and even the bus drivers. Since we are all in contact with students, we all have an influence.

Dr. Lickona’s definition of what Character is ”character education is the deliberate effort to help people understand, care about, can act upon core ethical values.” His statement reflects on the fact that we all have a job, whether we accept it or not, to educate students. We can teach values throughout our lessons and curriculum without becoming religious. Educators must teach character intentionally then let it become part of the routine of a classroom in a positive and respectful manner, make sure the students make productive decisions, and show compassion for one another.

Personally, I feel that by teaching moral values such as be a good person, being honest and caring, does not require my imposing personal religious values on the students. If we, the teachers do not teach them, can we expect the parents to do it? Perhaps, but it is not always the case. Teaching values can be something that can be done via everyday lessons and teachable moments that present it self often in our classrooms. By creating classrooms where there is strong sense of community, installed from the beginning of the school year, we begin to teach and instill those values.

A value of partnership, collaboration, and honesty is something that needs to be integrated through out all subjects, and not in isolation. A well thought out and clear classroom management plan can help teachers to pr...

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...ressive to me. It made me think about what her school as well as many others has to do in order to implement values and discipline to students. How the partnership and the perseverance of parents and teachers can work and give fruitful results. While doing research for this response I came across the following quote from Maurice J. Elias in Edweek.org, “Character is built by how classrooms are run. They qualify of respect, responsibility, patience, tolerance, problem solving, cooperation, listening, fairness, justice, honesty and caring as revealed in all of the everyday interactions that take place.” (Farlazzo, 2014). These words made come to the realization that if all educators could hear and internalize these powerful words, our students would then be given the opportunity to become strong men and women with high moral values and fantastic character.

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