Transcript Responsibility

Character Education
Ethical Choices
National Organization
Character Counts!
www.charactercounts.org
Complied by: Joy Rousseau, 2003
True Education
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“The function of education is to teach
one to think intensively and to think
critically... Intelligence plus character –
that is the goal of true education.” —
Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Prizewinning 20th-century American civil
rights leader
Real Character
 “The
measure of a man's real
character is what he would do if he
knew he would never be found
out.” — Baron Thomas Babington
Macauley, early 19th-century
English historian
Education
 "To
educate a person in mind
and not in morals is to educate
a menace to society." — Theodore
Roosevelt, 19th/20th century American adventurer
and politician, Nobel Prize-winning U.S. president
Training
 "Train
up a child in the way he
should go and when he is old, he
will not depart from it." — Proverbs,
22:6
What is it you want your students to be
when they graduate from your high
school?
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In groups of 3 discuss characteristics you
think students should have when they
graduate from your high school (3 minutes)
Select a spokesperson to share these
characteristics with the rest of the class (5
minutes)
Compare the characteristics you have listed
with those listed by fortune 500 companies.
What is it that Employers Want?
List skills from most wanted to least.
(handout)
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Interpersonal Skills
Leadership
Writing
Teamwork
Oral Communication
Reading
Computation
Problem-Solving
Listening
Creative Thinking
Answers
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Teamwork (SCANS)
Problem-solving (TAKS & SCANS)
Interpersonal Skills (SCANS)
Oral Communication (SCANS)
Listening (SCANS)
Creative Thinking (SCANS)
Leadership (SCANS)
Writing (TAKS)
Reading (TAKS)
SCANS (Handout)
Secretaries Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills
 Foundational Skills (TAKS)
 Competency Skills (Life-Long Skills)
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Allocation of Resources – Team Work
Allocation of Information -Life-long Learning, Research, and
Communication
Interpersonal Skills – Six Pillars
System Thinking – See the big picture (integration of realworld skills)
Technology Skills
6 Pillars of Character
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Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Caring
Civic Duty
(Citizenship)
Trustworthiness
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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Cognitive
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A Cognitive domain – intellectual abilities –
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Rote memorization
Knowledge & Comprehension
Application
Synthesis
Evaluation & Judgment
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
A.
Domain for Creative & Critical Thinking
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F7 Creative Thinking - Uses imagination
freely, combines ideas or information in new
ways, makes connections between
seemingly unrelated ideas, and reshapes
goals in ways that reveal new possibilities.
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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F8 Decision Making - Specifies goals and
constraints, generates alternatives, considers
risks, and evaluates and chooses best
alternative.
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Determine the decision to be made
Gather information that will help make the decision
Determine several options or choices
Weigh (evaluate) the options or choices
Select and carry out one option
Reflect on the results of your decision to help you in
future decisions
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
 F9 Problem Solving - Recognizes that a
problem exists (i.e., there is a discrepancy
between what is and what should or could
be); identifies possible reasons for the
discrepancy; devises and implements a plan
of action to resolve it; evaluates and monitors
progress; and revises plan as indicated by
findings.
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
 F10 Seeing Things in the Mind's Eye Organizes and processes symbols, pictures,
graphs, objects or other information; for
example, sees a building from a blueprint, a
system's operation from schematics, the flow
of work activities from narrative descriptions,
or the taste of food from reading a recipe.
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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Fll Knowing How To Learn - Recognizes and can
use learning techniques to apply and adapt new
knowledge and skills in both familiar and
changing situations and is aware of teaming
tools such as personal teaming styles (visual,
aural, etc.), formal learning strategies (note
taking or clustering items that share some
characteristics), and informal teaming strategies
(awareness of unidentified false assumptions
that may lead to faulty conclusions).
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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Knowing how to Ask Questions, asking
the right questions, Research Skills.
Knowing how to determine when a topic has
been adequately researched
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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F12 Reasoning - Discovers a rule or principle
underlying the relationship between two or more
objects and applies it in solving a problem; uses
logic to draw conclusions from available
information; extracts rules or principles from a
set of objects or written text; applies rules and
principles to a new situation or determines which
conclusions are correct when given a set of facts
and a set of conclusions. [This skill definition is
not yet completely developed
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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Psycho-motor Domain: physical skills
and the new brain research which tie
these together to improve reading and
comprehension skills. Kinesthetic
movement assists the brain in long-term
memory. How many of you have ever
been to Grand Canyon? Name a book
you read in the fall of your third year in
school.
Domains involved in the
Development of Character
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. Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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which reflect Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage 1 Pre-conventional Phase (Egocentric
Stage age 4) –
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punishment & obedience phase where you are only
concerned about yourself and “not getting caught by
authority”.
Fear of punishment dominates motives. One sees
outside forces as being dominating.
Actions are judged in terms of their physical
consequences….spankings, time in a corner, loss of
money….not in terms of right or wrong.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage 1 Pre-conventional Phase (Egocentric
Stage age 4) –
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punishment & obedience phase where you are only
concerned about yourself and “not getting caught by
authority”.
Fear of punishment dominates motives. One sees
outside forces as being dominating.
Actions are judged in terms of their physical
consequences….spankings, time in a corner, loss of
money….not in terms of right or wrong.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage 2 (Unquestioning Obedience K-5) One-way
concern about another person (how I act so that I
will benefit)
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Looking out for #1.The basic motive is to satisfy my
own needs. I do not consider the needs of others,
unless I THINK IT will benefit me.
Sometimes called instrumental/relativist ---- “you
scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”
Motive is to just to STAY OUT OF trouble.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage 2 (Unquestioning Obedience K-5) One-way
concern about another person (how I act so that I
will benefit)
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Looking out for #1.The basic motive is to satisfy my
own needs. I do not consider the needs of others,
unless I THINK IT will benefit me.
Sometimes called instrumental/relativist ---- “you
scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”
Motive is to just to STAY OUT OF trouble.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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As people mature, then hopefully we
move to more CONVENTIONAL Moral
values by performing good or right roles,
in maintaining the conventional order,
and in meeting others’ expectations
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage III (is call the “black & white” stage
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Concern about groups of people, and conformity to
group norms.
There is a two-way relationship (we are good to each
other).
Motive is to be a “nice guy or gal”, to be accepted.
Affection plays a strong role. We will visit the Affective
Domain Next.
This stage becomes frustrating because we are always
trying to follow everyone else’s rules and to please
everyone…which of course, cannot be done.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage IV Concern for order in society. Honor &
duty come from keeping the rules of society.
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The focus is on preserving the society….not just
obeying it.
Being Dutiful plays a part here.
During stage IV, the individual looks to rules, laws, or
codes for guidance in dilemma situations
the laws have wisdom and are the positive glue of
society.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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The final stages deal with a Basis of
Judgment – Bloom’s uses this as his
highest level of cognitive thinking.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage V: Is characterized by Autonomy. It is called the
social contract, legalistic orientation.
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What is right is what the whole society decides. There are no
legal absolutes….everyone must agree …then it is OK.
Changes are made in the law for reasons that suit the
common or greatest good for the greatest number of people.
This is the problem-solving stage. How to make it work for
everyone.
Reasoning at this level requires the ability to think abstractly
(to view laws as a system of governance), to weigh competing
claims, to take a stand and yet remain open in the future.
This moral level may take place only when children can see
more than one POINT OF VIEW..
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Stage VI: Universal ethical Principals – “Golden
Rule”.
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What is right is a decision of one’s conscience, based
on ideas about rightness that apply to everyone (all
nations, all people)
A higher law. “Thou shall not kill”.
The most important ethical principles deal with justice,
equality, and the dignity of all people.
These principles are higher than any given law….and
one has the right to disobey unjust laws.
Saint Augustine said that, “an unjust law is no law at
all” Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Kohlberg describes the Golden rule has
having two parts.
1. Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you and (2) love your
neighbor as yourself
Kohlberg’s Stages
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*****Note: None of these moral stages (16) are “wrong”……..at an appropriate age
level …all people should move through
each of these stages…
Being “stuck” at a lower developmental
stage while maturing in age, would be
undesirable.
Kohlberg’s Stages
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We KNOW that lack of development in
the Cognitive Domain or even the
Physical domain is tragic.
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We must also see that lack of
development is a tragedy in the Moral
Development DOMAN.
Kohlberg’s Stages
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Inversely, one must be careful not to push
children who are not cognitively ready
into a stage of moral decision-making for
which they are not ready.
Kohlberg’s Stages
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It is ridiculous to have small children arguing
over moral dilemmas until they have developed a
since of right and wrong.
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“One precaution,” said Plato, “is not to let students taste
of arguments while they are young, the danger being that
they would develop a taste for arguments rather than a
taste for truth. Young minds, like young puppies, said
Plato, would only “pull and tear at arguments”
For Plato, it was much more important for young people
to learn to love a virtue than to argue about it.
Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral
Development:
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Piaget and Kohlberg believe that social
understanding leads to moral motivation
Domain of the 7 Intelligences:
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Verbal / Linguistic
Logical / Mathematical
Visual / Spatial
Body / Kinesthetic
Musical / Rhythmic
Intrapersonal (within one’s self –
reflection, depth of thinking)
Interpersonal (cooperation, negotiation,
collaboration – Six Pillars
What Character is
and What it is NOT
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Character is what you are when nobody is
looking.
Character is the result of values and beliefs
Character is a habit that becomes second nature
Character is not reputation or what others think
about you
Character is not how much better you are than
others
Character is NOT RELATIVE
Ethics – What it is and What it is
NOT
 Ethics
is not always what is
done, but what OUGHT to be
done.
Knowing to do good
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Children are not born ethical giants
They do not learn it by osmosis.
Children learn more from what they see, than
what they are told.
Conflicting ethical values tend to reduce to
the lowest common denominator
High expectations & Accountability are
corner stones for ethical maturity.
What Works
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WHAT WORKS? Social understanding
comes through
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modeling,
reinforcement,
and an action plan for using education to steer
ethical decisions.
Social Contract
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As people come to understand the
possibilities and conditions of
cooperation, they come to appreciate
their part in supporting social
arrangements that follow moral
principals.
Piaget & Kohlberg Believe
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that education overcomes prejudice,
exposure to great minds (literature)
fosters social responsibility,
and travel (experiential social contact)
assists in the broadening of the mind.
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Versus Vicarious Experiences of TV & Movies
CAUTION:
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These findings tell us that moral judgment
is not
a matter of MEMORIZING special
terminology,
or of mastering certain tricks of argument,
or of being able to drop the names of
moral philosophers;
Rather,
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Moral judgment reflects basic natural
growth of a guided good conscience …if
it is not halted by outside circumstances
or forces.
Research
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The most fundamental research
recognizes the way people naturally
formulate their moral judgments has a lot
to do with their underlying conceptions of
cooperation in social settings.
Real Character Development
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Students might pass a course by
memorizing facts and learning empty
academic games, but learning moral
decision-making involves relating real
behavior to decision making in a realworld setting.
Integrated over multiple settings….over
time
Practice Makes Perfect
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Making good ethical choices is the key to
becoming a moral person.
Being allowed to make choices is
essential then to becoming a person of
character.
Affective Domain
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What choices are made & how we FEEL
after making those choices is a key
feature of our last & final Domain.
Affective Domain
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The Final Domain we will discuss today is
the Affective Domain.
What is it we want our students to be
when they leave our institutions of
learning?
Children must be taught character with
consideration for the appropriate age and
mental capacity.
What is it that we want them to be
able to do?
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How do we become known as the
embodiment of a characteristic, virtue or
trait?
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Kind
Fair
Gracious
Caring
Trustworthy
The Affective Domain
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. RECEIVING (ATTENDING):
A. Awareness
B. Willingness
C. Controlled or Selected Attention
2. RESPONDING: (Show some NEW behavior)
A. Acquiescence
B. Willingness
C. Satisfaction
3. VALUING: (Show some definite INVOLVEMENT)
A. Acceptance
B. Preference
C. Commitment
4. ORGANIZATION: (Value Clarification - Prioritize)
A. Conceptualization
B. Organization
5 CHARACTERIZATION (Consistently acting in agreement with a value)
A. Generalized Set
B. Value Complex
The Affective Domain
Analyzing what we need to Become and setting Goals
for Ourselves.
What does not work?
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Character education arises out of a
concern for moral development and being
a good person.
It is about self-improvement and
achieving personal worthiness.
Some issues that defeat a realistic
sense of self-improvement are:
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A False sense of self-esteem, which is
concerned about how good one, feels
about him regardless of how one
performs or behaves. It over emphasizes
the “feeling good” and ignores the
importance of “being good”
Some issues that defeat a realistic
sense of self-improvement are:
What must be remembered is that
a genuine sense of self-esteem
comes from doing good, and
feeling of pride and confidence
that follows the actions.
– Character education is concerned
with adding virtues to one’s life.
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Issues that defeats character
education
. Some teachers think that by teaching ethics in an
indirect manner that children will absorb good
character. However, research and good
educational practices have proven that children
need to have concrete, real-world, direct
approaches to new concepts and ideas.
 The “hands-on” approach with actual decisionmaking activities repeatedly over time integrated
throughout the curriculum, home life and sports
life is needed to fill the character education
vacuum. DON’T BE SUBTLE!
Modeling Is Costly!
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Children need teachers and parents to
model and mentor them in good ethical
decision-making.
They LEARN by doing. They UNLEARN
by watching!
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Visual cues, posters, incentives, awards, and
stressing of the importance of character
building must be pervasive.
Talk the Talk & Walk the Talk
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Children need to have habits instilled in
them that reflect the virtues
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Verbiage is Crucial!
 “Be Nice”
 “Be a Gentleman”
 “Straighten Up”
 “Keep Still”
 “Shhhhhhhhh”
 “Don’t”
Talk the Talk & Walk the Talk
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Direct instruction with clear messages is
needed to develop thinking and problemsolving skills.
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Stolen Calculator Story
 Stealing Music from Internet
 Stealing Projects
Talk the Talk & Walk the Talk
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Encouragements and punishments -consequences must be felt for bad
choices
Mentoring through teacher, parents,
grandparents, employers, coaches,
church family, nurturing and directing
without fail…. will build convictions and
inspire children to have moral ambitions.
Talk the Talk & Walk the Talk
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Encouragements and punishments -consequences must be felt for bad
choices
Mentoring through teacher, parents,
grandparents, employers, coaches,
church family, nurturing and directing
without fail…. will build convictions and
inspire children to have moral ambitions.
Talk the Talk & Walk the Talk
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Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg “The first step in
raising a moral child is to treat a child
morally”
10 Steps that Work
1.
2.
3.
Morality is respect. Teach children to respect
themselves, others, and for all forms of life and
the environment that sustains life
Know that children develop morality slowly and
in stages … BE PATIENT…BE PERSISTANT
Teach by example-- BE HONEST. Tell them that
you are not perfect. That you make
mistakes….we are all learning and we can learn
together how to make a better society.
10 Steps that Work
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5.
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Teach by telling the TRUTH and clarifying the
TRUTH by using concrete examples
Help children learn to think and think
independently – Encourage reflection and
encourage empathy
Help children to take on real responsibilities
Help children to feel valuable – that they make a
difference in society – TEACH THEM TO SERVE
OTHERS
10 Steps that Work
8. Balance independence and control – guided practice
& debriefing – Help children to “grow” a good
conscience instead of anesthetizing their
conscience with rationalizations. Remember that
we have some very powerful instincts...to do what
we think is best for ourselves, pursuing selfinterest, happiness, health, love, sex, security,
wealth, status, power – these are natural
preoccupations of most people. They must be
tempered with self-discipline, tenacity, and courage
to do what is right.
10 Steps that Work
9.
10.
Love children and help them develop a positive
self-concept – this will affect their attitude …
and attitude is everything – it is one’s personal
commitment to do what is right, good and
proper. Ultimately, ethics is an action concept;
it is about conduct and behavior….coming from
an inward conviction of what is right & wrong.
Explain, explain, explain, teach, teach, teach,
every act of misbehavior is a learning event and
opportunity. What you permit you condone.
What you condone you encourage; what you
prohibit you condemn, what you condemn you
discourage.
Remember!
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Be OPEN. Tell kids what you think is
important,
BE HONEST, Tell them when you make
mistakes…
MENTOR BY EXAMPLE…no one is
perfect…we are all struggling to become
better all our lives….no one “has arrived”
at perfection…help them to understand
that a person of good character works their
entire life at building a quality character.
Remember!
 THINK
OUTLOUD….help children hear
what a person of character thinks about
while trying to make a good decision.
 MODEL Reflection – not only thinking
about the past and how to learn from
it….but also about future behavior –
Olympic Athletes visualize performing
each movement for a successful
execution and performance
Remember!
– MOTIVATE
& ENCOURAGE
– MANAGE behavior…don’t
ignore it.
– Help students to learn selfmanagement techniques …gain
independence …and self
respect.
The Josephson Institute
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Nonpartisan Aspen Coalition
300 teachers, counselors, ministers,
clergymen, psychiatrists, coaches, social
workers.
Non-negotiables
Reduced to lowest set of ideals
6
Pillars of Character
6 Pillars
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Citizenship
– Civic Duty
 Fairness
 Caring
 Trustworthiness
RESPECT
 The
essence of respect is to show
solemn regard for the worth of
people, including oneself.
 The ethical duty is to treat
everyone with respect – not to
respect everyone in the sense that
we admire them.
RESPECT
 Treating
people with respect
means letting them know that their
safety, and happiness matter, that
they are important and worthy
simply because they are fellow
human beings.
 Lubemire
RESPECT
Our duty to be respectful requires that we
treat others with courtesy and
consideration
 It means we behave according to accepted
notions of taste, propriety, and decency.
 It means we honor traditions, customs, and
beliefs important to others.
 People are not things
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RESPECT
All of us have a basic right to be treated
with dignity
 The well-being of all people is
important; no person should be used
simply as an instrument of another’s
needs.
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RESPECT
Live by the Golden Rule
 Respect other’s dignity, privacy,
freedom, and possessions
 Be Courteous and Polite
 Be Tolerant and Accepting of
Differences
 Respect the autonomy of others
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RESPECT DOES NOT
Use or manipulate others
 Abuse, demean or mistreat anyone
 Pre-judge or discriminate against
others
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RULE of RESPECT
All individuals are important
and the well-being of each
is a moral end in itself;
never treat others as
simply the means for your
own gain or gratification.
RULE of RESPECT
Respect is Given NOT demanded
 How do we demonstrate
Respect? (T Chart)
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To Friends?
To Parents?
To Teachers?
To Strangers?
Characteristics of RESPECT
Tolerance
 Acceptance
 Autonomy
 Privacy
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Nonviolence
 Courteous
 Polite
 Concerned
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Famous Quotes about RESPECT
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“The honor we receive from those that fear us, is
not honor” Montaigne Essays (1580-1588)
“Respect gained by fear is not real; it is only an
empty pretense that turns to contempt the
moment the threat disappears” Michael
Josephson
“Respect, like love, has value only when it is
given freely and out of genuine feelings.”
“Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you” Jesus Christ
Rule of Universality
Do only those acts which you are
willing to allow to become universal
standards of behavior applicable to all
people in similar situations.
 Ask yourself, “If everyone did it would it
be a good thing?”
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Application
“I will treat you like a gentleman,
not because you are one, but
because I am one”
Application
In Groups of 4
Build a T Chart --- “Teachers
Respect to Students”
Label 1 side “What it does not
look like”
Label 2 side “What it does look
like”
Responsibility
 Life
is full of choices…Being
responsible means being in
charge of our choices, and
thus, our lives.
Responsibility
 Responsibility
requires us to
recognize that what we do—and
what we don’t do– matters, and
that we are morally responsible
for the consequences of our
choices.
Responsibility
 Responsibility
means being
accountable for what we do and
who we are.
 Everyone is responsible for the
development of his or her
personal character.
Responsibility
We can’t choose whether we are
good looking, smart or athletic. We
can’t choose our parents or the
circumstances in which we grow up.
 But all of us choose how to deal with
the outrages and opportunities of
life.
 From these choices, our character is
formed
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Responsibility
Choosing NOT to choose is a choice.
 Some of our choices are conscious
and some are not.
 We choose whether to be conscious
and concerned about the
consequences of what we say and
do, including the choice to be
willfully blind.
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Responsibility
 Do
Your Duty
 Be Accountable
 Pursue Excellence
 Exercise Self-Control
 Acknowledge and meet your
legal and moral obligations
Responsibility
 Life
is full of choices…Being
responsible means being in
charge of our choices, and
thus, our lives.
Responsibility - TERMS
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Duty
Laws
Contracts
Promises
Job Descriptions
Relationship
Obligations
Universal Ethical
Principles
Religious Convictions
Accountability
Diligence
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Reaching Goals
Positive Outlook
Prudent
Rational
Time Management
Resource
Management
Teamwork
Financial
Independence
Self-motivated
Responsibility
 Everything
we do makes a
difference
 What we do and what we say
starts a chain reaction that
affects the lives of others
 Decisions Activity.
Responsibility
 Work
–
Ethic
There is an ethical dimension to good
work habits – the work ethic – when
others depend on us to show up on
time, prepared and ready to do our
work and dedicated to stick with the
job unit it is done.
Dimensions of Responsibility
 Accountability.
Our ability to
reason and freedom to choose
makes us morally autonomous
and, therefore, accountable for
our choices.
Responsibility
Duty. We are bound by principles of
morality to make choices that honor
rather than degrade universal ethical
obligations to be trustworthy,
respectful, responsible, fair, caring,
and good citizens
 Nuremburg Trials.
 9/11 and Student Email

Responsibility
 Don’t
blame others
 Don’t buy into being a victim
 Pursue excellence and take
pride in everything you do
 Do the best you can with what
you have. No excuses.
Look Out for Excuses
 “That’s
just the way I am” We
are what we choose to be,
nothing less and nothing more.
 “It’s not my fault” Could I have
done something that would have
mattered?
Responsibility
 “It’s
not my job” Our moral
duties often go beyond specific
job responsibilities.
 “It was legal” Legal does not
always mean morally correct.
Responsibility
 “Your
living is determined not
so much by what life brings to
you as by the attitude you bring
to life; not so much by what
happens to you as by the way
your mind looks at what
happens.” -- John Homer Miller
Responsibility
We are responsible for our
attitudes.
Responsibility

Our attitudes propel us forward
towards our victories or bog us
down in defeat. They are what others
see most of the personality within
us; they describe us and define us,
projecting the image we present to
the world.
Responsibility
Our attitudes make us rich or poor,
happy or unhappy, fulfilled or
incomplete. They are the single
most determining factor in every
action we will ever make. We and
our attitudes are inextricably
combined. We are our attitudes and
our attitudes are us.
--Shad Helmstetter

Responsibility
 Blaming
the wolf would not help
the sheep much. The sheep
must learn not to fall into the
clutches of the wolf. – Mahatma
Gandhi
 The buck stops here – Harry
Truman
Responsibility
 Duty
is the sublimest word in
our language. Do your duty in
all things. You cannot do more.
You should never wish to do
less. -- Robert E. Lee
Responsibility
 Let
us have faith that right
makes might, and in that faith let
us to the end dare to do our duty
as we understand it. -- Abraham
Lincoln
Responsibility
To ignore evil is to become an
accomplice to it. -- Martin Luther
King, Jr.
 Destiny is not a matter of chance, it
is a matter of choice; it is not a thing
to be waited for it is a thing to be
achieved.– William Jennings Bryan

Responsibility
If you are not part of the solution,
you are part of the problem. The
price of greatness is responsibility. –
Winston Churchill
 Knowledge is power. Knowledge
plus character is super power. –
Houston police officer

Civic Duty -- Citizenship



Civic virtues refer to conduct that is
desirable and praiseworthy but not morally
mandated.
Citizenship are the duties, rights, conduct
and responsibilities of the citizen of a state.
Respecting the rules, laws, and property of
the state and doing your share to preserve
them is your honest share in citizenship.
Civic Duty -- Citizenship




What is a veteran?
Words to Star Spangled Banner and God
Bless America
Discussing the words in the Pledge of
Allegiance
Service Projects
Civic Duty -- Citizenship



Civic duty implies obligations to
contribute to the overall public good. It
refers to ethical obligations, standards of
conduct that establish minimal
requirements of ethical citizenship
Playing by the rules, obeying the law, and
paying all taxes
Participating in the democratic process
by voting, serving on a jury, reporting
crimes, and testifying as a witness.
Civic Duty – Doing Your Share





Protect the environment by conserving resources
and minimizing waste and pollution.
Being a good citizen and a good neighbor.
Care about and pursue the common good.
Be a volunteer – help your school and community be
better, cleaner and safer
Participating, voting, sharing your opinion, serving
on committees, reporting wrongdoing, and paying
taxes.
Civic Duty – Obeying the Law



The Vital Social Contract that makes a
democracy work is the agreement that we
will be governed by laws.
Rules of Engagement – “running naked in
the woods”
Each of us gives up some personal
freedom in order to achieve collective
benefits of orderliness, economic stability,
personal safety, and justice.
Civic Duty – Obeying the Law

In a democracy we deal with unwise or
unpleasant rules by changing the rules,
not by disobedient conduct.

Compliance to immoral laws? – universal
standards – walk through the six pillars,
then act
Civic Duty -- Citizenship
Enforcement policies do NOT
determine the validity of the law – if no
one sees you, its OK.
 Just because you have ACCESS, does
NOT give you the right to STEAL.
 What about Downloading Music from
the Internet?.

Civic Duty -- Citizenship
 Running
for office, accepting
appointments to office, working
for candidates or issues.
 Giving time and / or money to
charitable and other social
causes.
Civic Duty -- Citizenship
 Ask
not what your country can
do for you but what you can do
for your country.
--John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Fairness
First of ALL: “It is much more difficult to know
what is fair than what is unfair. A just person
is never knowingly unfair”—Michael Josephson
Being Fair is a moral obligation
Treat ALL people fairly
Listen to others & try to understand what they
are feeling and saying.
Rushing judgment is UNFAIR.
Fairness
Unfortunately, one man’s justice is another
man’s injustice; one man’s beauty another’s
ugliness; one man’s wisdom another’s folly”
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Fairness



Consider all the facts, including opposing
views, before making decisions
Make impartial decisions, using the same
criteria, rules, or standards for everyone
Correct your mistakes in judgment
UNFairness



Don’t take advantage of other people’s
mistakes or ignorance
Don’t take more than your fair share
Don’t let personal preferences, prejudice or
other feelings improperly interfere with
decisions which should be based on merit.
Fairness

Maturity is the ability to analyze & evaluate
fairly after listening to all the facts & differing
points of view.
Fairness


3 Volunteers
Job Interview
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is your name?
What is your favorite color?
Do you have a pet?
What color are your eyes?
Can you type?
Fairness



Rewarding or Punishing indiscriminately is
unfair and causes prejudice in society.
What does Fairness & Unfairness Sound
Like / Look Like
Activity: Build a T Chart
PERSPECTIVES ON JUSTICE



Small fish --- “There is NO justice”
Medium fish – “There is SOME justice”
Big fish – “The world IS JUST.”
The innocent love justice, everyone else
prefers mercy. -- Michael Josephson
Fairness



All virtue is summed up in dealing justly –
Aristotle
To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice and equity; Bible,
Prov 1:3
Learn to do good; Seek justice; Bible, Isa
1:17
Fairness

“It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do;
but what humanity, reason and justice tell
me I ought to do.”
--Edmund Burke
Basic Rules of UNFairness



It is unfair to impose punishment that is
disproportionate to the offence.
Motives are important. Intentional violations
and unintentional mistakes should be
considered differently
It is unfair to handle similar matters
inconsistently. When possible extenuating
factors should be explicitly acknowledged as
part of the statement of policy.
Basic Rules of UNFairness



Legally Mandated Favoritism. Sometimes
these are mandated to correct historic
patterns, but whenever possible there should
be equality among ALL people.
It is unfair to make a judgment that favors or
discriminates against individuals based on
improper factors.
Nepotism. Criteria for employment or
promotion should be applied to everyone
alike.
Basic Rules of UNFairness

So many factors can go into the notion of
a fair judgment, that oftentimes, we do not
know what is truly fair. We do, however,
know what is unfair, and our first
obligation is to avoid being unfair.
Establishing Fairness in the
Classroom




Respect Self
Respect Others (privacy, possessions, humanity,
differences)
Respect Education
Respect the Environment
–

Don’t pollute my air, listen to music with headphones
Respect Resources (If you teach it, you can
grade it)
–
–
Breaking pencils, erasers, throwing paper clips, staples
Playing games on computer instead of being
productive
Six Theories of Substantive
Fairness






Merit
Need
Might
Equality
Seniority
Effort
Theories of Fairness



EFFORT – a person is entitled to more if
he/she tries harder irrespective of talent,
ability, or need
SENIORITY – a person is entitled to more if
he/she has been there longer irrespective of
merit, need, power, or effort
EQUALITY – a person is entitled to an equal
share irrespective of merit, need, power, or
effort
Theories of Fairness


MIGHT – a person is entitled to whatever
he/she can acquire irrespective of merit,
need, or effort. Power determines what a
person deserves; might makes right.
NEED – a person is entitled to whatever
he/she needs. In a just system, everyone will
have what they need. Excess above needs
can be distributed by any other theory of
justice.
Theories of Fairness
MERIT – a person is entitled to whatever
he/she can earn or acquire based on skill,
talent, and /or hard work.
Persons with little skill, talent or hard work are
not “entitled” to anything except what they
need.

3 Rules to Fair Decisions
First, since disagreement and criticism are
inevitable, we must content ourselves with
reaching fair decisions based on personal
conscience and ethical justifiable standards.
If you need to be liked or approved of by
everyone, avoid accepting responsibility that
requires tough choices. Charges of
unfairness come with the territory.

3 Rules to Fair Decisions


SECOND, we should be clear in our own
minds about the CRITERIA used for making
judgments. It is ONLY FAIR if EVERYONE
knows the criteria beforehand.
THIRD, the PROCEDURES used to weigh a
decision must be and appear to be fair.
These procedures should be a matter of
record. (Common knowledge)
Fairness

The wide variety of approaches to fairness
means that for every decision there will be
people who will claim it is unfair.
Procedural Fairness
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fair Notice
Impartiality
Gather of the Facts
Fair Hearing
Fair Notice

Have the rules been posted? Has the
person been given fair warning? Is the
person unaware of the rule?
Impartiality




Is the judgment based on the CRITERIA ?
Have conclusion be made based on facts
and clear evidence?
Has all the information been considered?
Are the conclusion clear?
Gather Facts



Has judgment been suspended until all the
opposing sides have been given time to give
their statements?
Have you gathered facts without undo
embarrassment or disclosing your suspicions
to others?
Are there ambiguities that can be clarified?
Fair Hearing



Has everyone been given time and due
process for a fair disclosure of their side of
the story?
Has “right of confrontation” been given to the
accused
Has everyone been allowed to explain, listen,
and understand?
Decision-Making


Decisions should be made and should
appear to be made, carefully, honestly and
objectively, with the knowledge that even a
process of the greatest integrity does not
always produce certainty.
PROCESS & RESULTS must be FAIR
Decision-Making


Even though the underlying concepts of
fairness and justice are simple, almost
intuitive, applying them in real life proves
very difficult
Discussions among students on the
Definitions, Process, and Results will help
them to better understand both the
importance and the effort needed in
practicing FAIRNESS
Decision-Making


You are an employer who for budget reasons
has to let go of one employee. What is
FAIR?
Who do you let go?
Decision-Making



Able, your newest employee who is young and
unmarried is your best producer. He gets more
work done effectively than any other employee
Nettie is a competent worker of four years, a
single mother with 3 small children at home,
she needs the job most
Oldham has worked for the company for the
longest, for 18 years and is two years away
from retirement
Decision-Making


Tryhard is a good producer with terrific
attitude and the hardest worker you have
Nepo, a competent employee is the son of
one of the owners of the company.
Caring


Caring is the “GLUE” of society
Without CARING we are less than moral
beings
Caring


Caring is the “GLUE” of society
Without CARING we are less than moral
beings




Compassion
Kindness
Consideration
Charity
Caring




Caring takes TIME & ACTION
Teach children to love their family,
friends, and community.
Separate the person from the behavior or
choices the person has made.
ACTIVITY: Draw a picture of caring.
Caring




A person of character is empathetic,
helpful, considerate, and compassionate.
A caring person is one who strives to
make life better for ALL people
A caring person helps people in need
Is NOT mean, critical, hurtful or
insensitive
Caring
 Make
a list of things a caring
person might do
Trustworthiness



Integrity = “wholeness”, predictable,
consistent in thoughts, words, and
actions, not “two faced”.
Honesty = sincerity, real, not hypocritical
Promise Keeping = accountable to
promises that have been made
Trustworthiness


Loyalty = benefit of the doubt to those
who you have a relationship with.
Sincerity = not trying to trap or make fun
of others honest feelings. Essential for
meaningful personal relationships that
are rewarding & enduring & successful
associations in school, social activities &
workplace.
Trustworthiness

From your own experience:

What kinds of words or actions build
or undermine trust?
Trustworthiness

People of character understand the importance
of trust and pursue a life that makes them
worthy of trust.

Even small lies & deceptions can topple towers
of trust.
Trustworthiness

Towers of trust are built stone by stone,
yet no tower is so tall or so strong that it
can stand when lies & deception
undermine its base.

Integrity is moral wholeness
demonstrated by a consistency of
thoughts, words, deed, and duties.
Trustworthiness

Beliefs: People with integrity listen to their
conscience



Words: Have the courage to say what is
right or wrong
Actions: Don’t do anything they think is
wrong.
Trustworthiness


Moral Obligations – are not hypocrites. Their
sense of duty to what is good.
A person of integrity has a wholeness like a
whole number --- it is undivided, complete.
There are not dark pieces hiding out of sight.
Trustworthiness

Integrity requires a discerning conscience
that acts with good character regardless of
personal cost, proclaiming openly the reason
you act is on your understanding of right from
wrong. There are no hidden agendas, to
forked tongue, and not looking to judge.
Trustworthiness




Integrity requires both being true to oneself &
living up to one’s highest and best personal
values with courage and self discipline.
How does one always act with integrity?
A person with integrity is not reflex oriented.
They are self-reflection oriented so they have
thought clearly and act accordingly.
A person of integrity consistently behaves
according to firm convictions about right &
wrong.
Trustworthiness



Living up to good principles means that we
always do what is right even when doing so
will not get us something we want or will
keep us our of trouble.
It is right to do right even if no one else is
doing it.
Ethics is not for wimps! It takes moral
courage to hold onto important values even
in the face of criticism, embarrassment or
pressure to do otherwise.
Trustworthiness

Honesty requires that one looks at all the
facts. Communication & Conduct are the two
keystones of honesty. Communication
requires that one does not stay willingly
blind. Candor, openness, and truthfulness
lead to understanding. Understanding leads
to conduct that is becoming of an honest
person.
Trustworthiness

Cheating, stealing, sneaky behavior,
deceitfulness are acts that demean one
character. An honest person will not keep
silent when silence is intended to cause
another person to believe something that is
not true.
Trustworthiness


A lie has speed, but the truth has endurance.
Promise Keeping: Do not make promises that
you cannot or should not keep. The lack of
promise keeping will make you loose respect
for yourself. Good work habits demand
reliability. Do not over book yourself so that
you have to break good habits or destroy
someone’s trust in you.
Trustworthiness




To a liar the lie is a means to manipulate.
To one being lied to a lie is a manipulation.
Loyalty: to stand by the relationships that
you have made.
Give examples of Moral Dilemmas using
"Trustworthiness".
Trustworthiness






Self Quiz
How do you rate yourself?
1. Tell the truth even when it may cost me. Yes No
2. Being sincere -- not being deceptive, tricky or
sneaky. Yes No
3. Being candid and forthright, volunteering
information others need or want to know. Yes No
4. Honoring another's property (not stealing). Never
taking what is not mine. Yes No
TEACHING CHARACTER




“If you TEACH it, you can GRADE it”
“What gets Rewarded, gets Repeated”
“How do you reward RESPECT in your
school?”
If praising virtues and condemning vices
does not take place – you will betray one
and encourage the other.
TEACHING CHARACTER
“It is easier to be bad because being right
is self sacrificing -delays gratification and
depends on the long run for rewards.
 It takes COURAGE to do the right thing.
 Must show heroes who have succeeded in
self-sacrificing and still succeed in life.

TEACHING CHARACTER
“It is easier to be bad because being right
is self sacrificing -delays gratification and
depends on the long run for rewards.
 It takes COURAGE to do the right thing.
 Must show heroes who have succeeded in
self-sacrificing and still succeed in life.

TEACHING CHARACTER

Must distinguish between the human being
and the behavior.
–
–
–
Child can fail math and still be a valuable
person
When a person has a clear sense of dignity
and self value, they can respect and care for
others.
Teachers must avoid “shaming” techniques
when addressing behavior management.
TEACHING CHARACTER
 T.E.A.M
– TEACH
– ENFORCE
– ADVOCATE
– MODEL
5 Levels of Mastery
5 Levels of Mastery
5 Levels of Mastery
5 Levels of Mastery
5 Levels of Mastery
5 Levels of Mastery
Membership







http://www.charactercounts.org
ListServ
Newsletters
Conferences
Website
Updates & Issues through Email
District Membership is $45
Community Integration




Involve all areas of the community
Involve parents
Involve businesses
Have a systemic Plan
Arp Website
http://www.arp.sprnet.org/curric/CC!/Ethics.htm