Mary Princess Lavanya

Journal of SCHOOL SOCIAL W O R K January 2011Journal of SCHOOL SOCIAL W O R K January 2011


Journal of School Social W ork,

8 (New 14), Sridevi Colony, Seventh Avenue,

Ashok Nagar, Chennai 600 083

Mobile: 98406 02325 E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]

Note: Views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily the official view of the Journal.

Hony. Special Editor: Dr Catherine Joseph,MA, MPhil, PhD,

Assistant Professor, Department of Social work,

Stella Maris College, Chennai.

Focus: Values Education

A National School Social Work monthly dedicated to networking of parents and teachers.

Volume Issue Contents January 201108VII

01

Price Rs 20.00

Journal ofSchool Social Work

ISSN: 0976-3759

Editorial

Value Education:

The Need of the Hour

Vidya and Values

Values: So Near, Yet So Far

Living Values Education

Essentials of Values

Value Education and

Personality Development

Value Education and Teachers

Page

02

03

11

16

21

25

28

31

Dr Saraswati Raju Iyer

Mary Princess Lavanya

Dr Ragini G P

Mahespriya L

Ranjit L

Rajeswari M

Amudha S

Viji T

Await announcement about most convenient e-payment facility in

designated post offices all over India to pay your subscription and

get receipt instantly at just Rs. 10 extra. ~Ed.


Values for Transformation

02

Editorial

Values are the standards of behaviour

in day-to-day activities and guiding

principles in critical life situations.

Values are ideal virtues and qualities

that are primary doctrines that shape

the world’s outlook. In the 21st

Century values education is the only

tool that could bring order, security

and assured development in the

chaotic world.

It is a programme of planned

educational action and a methodical

effort deliberately framed to bring

transformation in the society. It starts

at home and continued in schools. It

begins with childhood and should be

present throughout one’s life.

The family system in India has a long

tradition of teaching values

effortlessly. But westernization,

urbanization, globalization and the

fast changing roles of parents have

necessitated institutional intervention

through schools, colleges, religious

organizations and departments of

governments to meet the rising

needs of the modern society. These

activities focus on the development

of children and young adults by

concentrating on core values like

compassion, humility, unity, simplicity,

honesty, integrity, acceptance of

differences and peaceful

coexistence.

There has been a revolutionary need

for values education and it is

constantly increasing because of

greed and lack of unity in the society,

behavioural disorders and violent

acts of terrorism. In today’s world

human values are either discarded or

distorted. Only when the basic

ideologies are restored, world will be

a better place to live in. ‘In order to

preserve, maintain and advance the

position of our country in the world, it

is imperative that there should be a

comprehensive programme of value-

based education starting from the

pre-primary level, embracing the

entire spectrum of educational

process’ (Parliamentary Committee in

India,1999).

Values education is strongly

recommended at all levels of formal

and informal education. It is indeed

an intervention technique to prevent

the recurrence of scandals like CWG/

2G spectrum and witch-hunting the

whistle-blowers. Aren’t values in a

society the true indicators of the

development of any nation?

Vidya and ValuesMary Princess Lavanya A*

*Mary Princess Lavanya A, Lecturer, Department of Social Work, Patrician College

of Arts and Science, Adayar, Chennai-20. e-mail: [email protected].

Introduction

The phrase ‘value based education’,

in wide use in present times comes

closest in meaning to the Sanskrit

word ‘Vidya’ which translates to that

which illumines. Since the imparting

of knowledge dispels the darkness of

ignorance, over a period of time,

education also came to be known as

‘Vidya’. But, the highest goal of vidya

as visualized by the seers and

seekers is to understand the Ultimate

Truth or Reality. The Vedic prayer,

‘Asatoma Satgamaya

Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya

Mrutyorma Amrutamgamaya’

means: ‘Lead me from unreal to the

real, from darkness to light and from

death to immortality.’ This gives us

the greatest self-confidence in

performing our duties. It serves as a

constant reminder to each one about

one’s own goal.

Modern theory

Hogan (1973) believes that moral

behaviour is determined by five

factors:

(1) Socialization: becoming aware

as a child of society’s and parents’

rules of conduct for being good.

(2) Moral judgment: learning to think

reasonably about our ethics and

deciding on our moral standards.

(3) Moral feelings: the internalization

of our moral beliefs to the degree

that we feel shame and guilt when

we fail to do what we ‘should.’

(4) Empathy: the awareness of other

people’s situation, feelings, and

needs so that one is compelled to

help those in need.

(5) Confidence and knowledge:

knowing the steps involved in

helping others and believing that one

is responsible for and capable of

helping.

Meaning of value education

Meaning of value education is wider,

practicable and adaptable than

religious education or moral

education, as no specific faith or

religion reflects universal ethical,

moral, social, cultural or spiritual

values. Education is all about

connection. The liberally educated

person is able to make sense of the

11


world by making connections. Liberal

education is about nurturing the

human spirit, exploring human

freedom and realizing that education

is never really complete. In the act of

exercising our freedom, we do so in

such a way as to make a difference

in our world. Education without

goodness (that is without ethics) is

arrogant and dangerous. Unethical

behaviour thrives in darkness, and

can only exist when ‘ethical’ leaders

remain bystanders in the face of evil.

If we who have responded to the call

for educating the young have to

measure and assess our efforts we

need to look at how our institutions

nurture human freedom in the service

of humanity.

Value based education has expanded

from the medieval foundation of

education, to include a greater range

of human talent and a much more

inclusive number of human beings,

holding on to the dream that perhaps

someday everybody might be

liberated by an education that stands

in the service of human freedom.

While emphasizing on freedom, there

is a tendency to forget the ultimate

purpose of liberal education that is the

formation of qualities to help students

become decent human beings.

Objectives of education

àEducation for values should be

education for man-making and

character building.

àAny endeavor at education for

values should be oriented through

discipline and hard work.

à Education should always be

looked upon and translated as

religion itself but devoid of all

narrowness and superstition.

à It should always generate the

spirit of a broadened mind and

widened outlook.

à It should be directed towards

freedom of thought and expression.

à Values like co-operation,

tolerance, neighbourliness and

austerity should be exercised in right

earnest.

àThe true spirit of humanism that

speaks for an essential component

in value education should form an

inseparable part in the theory and

practice of education.

Values for living

A person learns many values as bye-

products of education. William

Cronon, the author of ‘Uncommon

Ground’ suggests 10 such values:

(1)They listen and they hear:

12

Educated people pay attention to

others and hear the emotion in the

voice of the other; they can follow

an argument and track logical

reasoning. The value learnt by an

educated person is that he makes

an earnest effort to hear both words

and feelings.

(2)They read: Skilled readers

understand great works of art, music

and athletic achievement and read

for the sheer joy of reading. They

understand our world.

(3)They can talk with anyone: When

they talk they participate in

conversation, ask thoughtful

questions, and listen to the other’s

point of view.

(4)They can write: Educated people

know the craft of putting words

together. They can express what is

in their hearts and minds so as to

teach, persuade or move the person

who reads their words to think and

reflect about life and their part in it.

(5)Educated people are problem

solvers: The ability to solve

problems, to be comfortable with

new technologies, to look at a

complicated reality and break it into

pieces, figure out how it works and

then put it back together again, is

the mark of the educated. This

involves a cosmic consciousness

because part of the challenge of the

modern world is to respect the

integrity of the world by replacing

what we as human beings have

destroyed.

(6)Rigour and truth seeking: A truly

educated person understands that

knowledge serves values. True

rigour is noble but it is also

dangerous if it is not rendered

humane. We must never forget that

the gas chambers of Europe were

invented by the educated.

(7)Educated people are tolerant and

humble: The liberally educated

person opposes parochialism and

celebrates the wider world. They

embrace new cultures while

honouring their own, and respect

diversity.

(8)They strive to make the world a

better place: Learning to get things

done in the world in order to leave it

in a better shape is one of the

practical implications of education.

(9)Educated will examine at the end

of each day. Reflection and

reviewing one’s own action is a vital

value.

10)The educated person nurtures

13


and empowers. The liberally

educated person understands that

we belong to a community and that

the wellbeing is interwoven.

Present scenario

Modern education has been a

gradual erosion of values. Character

training and value education arte

ignored. Education stresses on

acquiring knowledge and testing

through examinations. According to

Justice Ranganathan Mishra, ‘all of

us are experiencing to our horror

degrading human behaviour in

society every day. The deterioration

is gradually becoming sharper and

unless this fall is immediately arrested

and a remedial measure is found out

and enforced, the situation would not

improve.’

This circumstance can be changed

only if we focus on the values that

are classified into different categories

at different levels.

Classification of values

Physical values

These values makes an individual,

they are: cleanliness, contentment,

courage, diligence, honesty, hope,

and simplicity.

Social values

Most important values to create a

peaceful world, values like Courtesy,

brother/sisterhood, freedom,

gratitude, justice, hospitality,

sympathy and tolerance are

essential.

Moral values

The most important to reach out to

others by possessing the following

values: Honesty, integrity, sense of

responsibility, compassion, non-

judgmental and charity.

Spiritual values

According to Maslow’s hierarchical

need theory one has to reach the

state of self-actualization, and these

values help in reaching that stage.

They are: Purity, contentment,

devotion to god, self-discipline,

control of the senses, meditation and

detachment.

Behavioural values

Friendliness, discipline, politeness,

truthfulness, empathy and punctuality

are values which are essential to

make our everyday life easier.

Physical Behavioural

14

Values

Moral Social

Spiritual

Inculcation of values

àPhysical education: Games, sports

and health education.

àEmotional education: Harmony,

friendliness, courage.

àMental development: Impartiality,

calm and silence, pursuit of truth,

scientific temper.

àAesthetic development: Beauty,

joy, creative activity, art.

àMoral and Spiritual Development:

Sincerity, faithfulness, gratitude and

honesty.

Conclusion

Value education has the capacity to

transform a diseased mind into a very

young, fresh, healthy, vibrant and

attentive mind. What the world needs

today is neither a new order, a new

education, a new system, a new

society nor a new religion. The

remedy lies in a mind, in a heart filled

with holiness. Holiness must take root

and grow in the minds and hearts of

youth everywhere. The good and

godly must endeavour to promote this

task. The sublime significance of

Vidya or higher learning can be

grasped only when the pure mind

throws its revealing light. By means

of such vidya human being is

transformed into a purified soul.

Education should be a process of

acquiring true knowledge, and

changing the biased attitude that

bridles us. When there is a pure mind

and will power nothing is impossible

to achieve. In planning for values and

good objectives, the teacher and

student or the guru and disciple will

have to coordinate and work together.

Such cooperation was enshrined

ages ago, which is possible now and

for the ages to come.

References:

Hogan R (1973): Moral Conduct and Moral Character: A Psychological Perspective.

Psychological Bulletin, 79, 217-232.

Kumar K(1994): Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Z. Morsy (ed.) Thinkers on

Education, Volume 2, Paris: UNESCO.

Rajput J S(2002): Value Education in Indian Schools’ Experiences and Strategies

of implementation, National Consultation on Value Education.

http//www.dilsedesi.org

Subscription for JSSW can soon be paid directly in designated postoffices

and receipts obtained immediately! For details contact: [email protected]

or [email protected]

15


Documents

Mary Princess Lavanya