Illustrate that values can best be fostered during childhood. Discuss different methods for fostering moral and ethical values among school-going children
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A myriad range of obstacles are found in teaching morals/ethics and implementing character education in the sciences. Character education focuses on moral concepts, manners and civility, and shapes students’ personality, values, attitudes and habits in their development (Althof & Berkowitz, 2006). Since character education takes a broad approach, it often blurs the line between moral concepts and other non‐ moral related concepts. Disagreement is also found within character education on the place of morality (Althof & Berkowitz, 2006). The most serious obstacles confronting character education are: (a) clarifying what character and character education are, (b) identifying which forms of character education are effective and for what outcomes, and (c) developing focal expertise in teacher training institutions (Berkowitz, 1999).
Six major obstacles have been identified in the pre‐service teacher training in character education. The obstacles are: disagreement on what character is; and what constitutes character education; perceptions of limited space in pre‐service curricula for character education training; limited scientific data about which character education elements are effective and for what outcomes; where the expertise and resources are; and, mixed or contradictory feelings about the appropriateness of educating for character (Berkowitz, 1999).
The secular ideology is becoming predominant in modern societies, and questions are being raised from individuals, groups, and institutions about the legitimacy of the educational institutions to engage in character education (Berkowitz, 1999). In the past when society was influenced by religion, such opposition in teaching morals and character education was not encountered. Families, societies and religious institutions had the authority to teach character (Berkowitz, 1999) and morals, and religion was the only potential source of morality, values and ethics. However, the majority of contemporary surveys show that society prefers the schools to actively participate to build character of the youth contrary to the opposition found in teaching character education (Berkowitz, 1999). Because in democratic societies the school’s role is to develop moral citizens, and focus on moral and character development, teaching of civics and development of citizenship skills and dispositions (Althof & Berkowitz, 2006).
The application of role model has profound impact in teaching morality and implementing character education. Although teachers are considered to be the role models in character education, however, many teachers find it ambiguous in understanding as to how modelling can be an effective contributor to students’ moral and character development. Sanderse (2012) stated that role modelling is rarely used as an explicit teaching method and only a very small percentage of students recognize their teachers as role models. Thus if role modelling is to contribute to children’s moral education, teachers need to understand why the modelled traits are morally significant and how students can acquire these qualities (Sanderse, 2012).
Six major obstacles have been identified in the pre‐service teacher training in character education. The obstacles are: disagreement on what character is; and what constitutes character education; perceptions of limited space in pre‐service curricula for character education training; limited scientific data about which character education elements are effective and for what outcomes; where the expertise and resources are; and, mixed or contradictory feelings about the appropriateness of educating for character (Berkowitz, 1999).
The secular ideology is becoming predominant in modern societies, and questions are being raised from individuals, groups, and institutions about the legitimacy of the educational institutions to engage in character education (Berkowitz, 1999). In the past when society was influenced by religion, such opposition in teaching morals and character education was not encountered. Families, societies and religious institutions had the authority to teach character (Berkowitz, 1999) and morals, and religion was the only potential source of morality, values and ethics. However, the majority of contemporary surveys show that society prefers the schools to actively participate to build character of the youth contrary to the opposition found in teaching character education (Berkowitz, 1999). Because in democratic societies the school’s role is to develop moral citizens, and focus on moral and character development, teaching of civics and development of citizenship skills and dispositions (Althof & Berkowitz, 2006).
The application of role model has profound impact in teaching morality and implementing character education. Although teachers are considered to be the role models in character education, however, many teachers find it ambiguous in understanding as to how modelling can be an effective contributor to students’ moral and character development. Sanderse (2012) stated that role modelling is rarely used as an explicit teaching method and only a very small percentage of students recognize their teachers as role models. Thus if role modelling is to contribute to children’s moral education, teachers need to understand why the modelled traits are morally significant and how students can acquire these qualities (Sanderse, 2012).
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