There are several layers of disagreement represented by constructivist, communitarian, feminist, and traditional views of moral education. This special issue brings together representatives of several perspectives and explores how best to engage in just and caring education. Three authors share a developmental perspective; two others are concerned…

Despite widespread consensus that children's social, ethical, and intellectual development are equally important, many school-improvement efforts still fail to grapple with all three facets. This article describes how an award-driven science fair was redesigned to challenge and motivate students, encourage cooperation and problem solving, and…

Evaluates efforts to incorporate ethical instruction into schooling through emphasis on citizenship and moral competence. Labels such efforts "moral vocationalism." Suggests that the movement has a weak knowledge base, relies upon behaviorist principles, and is exclusively instrumentalist. Recommends fortifying the approach with…

Claims of character educators must be reexamined. Enthralled at the prospect of reducing violence, crime, and other irresponsible behavior, untutored readers may assume a direct relationship between values and behavior. If the public enthusiastically endorses programs based on this fallacious assumption, the resulting disappointment may doom all…

Growing up in a highly eroticized environment, children are preoccupied with sex in developmentally distorted ways and increasingly likely to act out their sexual impulses. Abstinence is the only totally effective way to avoid pregnancy, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Chastity education promises great success through promotion of…

In our modernized, changing, and dissatisfied society, values and ideologies have split into two extremes (nihilistic postmodernism and totalitarianism/fundamentalism) antagonistic to developing democratic life ways requiring rational discourse and agreement based on mutual respect. Aristotle tried to elaborate how to act well to achieve a good…

Character education is a specific approach to morals or values education, which is consistently linked with citizenship education. But how is it possible for a heterogeneous society that disagrees about basic values to reach a consensus on what constitutes character education? This article explores how character education has returned to the…

Multicultural education can be seen as generally premised on two assumptions. The first is often made explicit: that children should learn not to discriminate unfairly on grounds of ethnicity or culture. To this degree, multiculturalism is clearly morally educative, encouraging children to see others in terms of their common humanity rather than…

The question of whether there is such a thing as teachable justified anger encompasses three distinct questions: (1) the psychological question of whether the emotions in general, and anger in particular, are regulatable; (2) the moral question of whether anger can ever be morally justified; and (3) the educational question of whether we have any…

"An Ethics Curriculum for Children," a read-aloud literature-based curriculum, aims to teach elementary school students seven universal attributes of good character. Lessons and home assignments are organized around multicultural stories. The program activities are designed to connect the experiences of characters in the stories to…

The Task Force is an organization that examines and provides perspectives on values in education and the teaching of values in Arizona schools. This document provides the discussions, recommendations, and review of Task Force meetings held in 1990 and 1992 and consists of two reports. The first report, "Teaching Values in Arizona…

The cases of three individuals charged with corrupting the young are considered in a discussion of the teacher's role in the moral education of youth. Focus is on Socrates, a Los Angeles teacher fired because of membership in a sexually-oriented club, and a Nazi war criminal. (MSE)

Consider the following important questions: Should values be transmitted or developed? As children grow up, what, if anything, should change in values acquisition? How important are locus of control issues in moral development? and Why might process versus product elements be crucial in the development of values? One key element missing in the…

The preservation of culture and mankind calls for individuals who show respect for the environment and make ethical decisions responsibly. Today's children are facing a world of complex and confusing values and need assistance in learning to make moral decisions based on respect and responsibility. Values are best expressed through a caring…

Asserts that a kinder, gentler version of the Socratic method can help students recognize contradictions between the values they espouse and the choices they make. Suggests that well-aimed questions actively engage learners by forcing critical thinking about ethics and values. Hypothetical dilemmas, like those in the video series "The Power…