Ethics and Character Education

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Students are often lectured about the importance of acting in an ethical matter yet most of the time those around them, such as, parents, teachers, and administrators do not follow their own advice. There is someone who will look up to their teacher; students learn from the adults that surround them. This leads to students believing that it is okay to act in an unethical manner. Everyone is guilty of not doing the right thing; everyone has flaws and it is somewhat naïve to believe that we can have a perfect society where everyone is righteous. Yet, it is still extremely important that students receive the necessary education to prepare them for the world out there, and teaching the students good ethics and character is a great way to start. There are two major problems in the classroom that affects how students perform academically. Cheating which is extremely unethical, and pessimism, a bad characteristic, are two major problems that are often present in the classroom.
Who is not guilty of cheating at least once in their life? It is extremely shocking to think about all the cheating that goes around schools. In today’s world cheating has become so common and almost acceptable. There are people who believe that it is okay to cheat as long as they don’t get caught and others who see it so much around them that it begins to seem normal. Whether is for a better grade or just because it has become a habit students are harming themselves and they are cheating themselves out of an education. Truth is that cheating is widespread throughout all levels of education; in one survey of high school students, 78 percent confessed that they had cheated (Lee). Unfortunately, in occasions students are forced into cheating. They are so worried abo...

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...y that an educator has to portray their message to their students. Students need that role model that will lead them into becoming good people. There are some students who have the necessary education at home to become citizens with good character and ethics, but unfortunately, there are those who do not, and that is when a teacher’s role comes into play. In occasions, it is necessary for teachers to become that parent students need, as a teacher one should be prepared for that and many other challenges. Ethics and character are the best legacy that a teacher can leave behind.

Works Cited

Lee, D. E. (2009). Cheating in the Classroom: Beyond Policing. Clearing House, 82(4), 171-176.
Sheppard, J. W. (2004). Reducing Pessimism's Sway in The Environmental Ethics Classroom. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, 8(2/3), 213-226. doi:10.1163/1568535042690826

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