QUESTIONS OF CHARACTER 20 th February 2015: SQA Research Seminar
Series Gary Walsh [email protected] Slide 2 What
kind of people does the world need? What kind of world do people
need? Slide 3 Why go to school? In 1998, UNESCO offered a set of
aims for schooling, world-wide: Learning to know Learning to do
Learning to live together Learning to be Slide 4 If we are to
respond to challenges of possible financial collapse and the fear
and anger that so often follow in its wake, if we are to make a
better world in the sure knowledge that it too will always be in
flux then, rather than trying to convey ever- increasing amounts of
information to new generations of students, we must base our
approach on values and understandings which rest upon common
humanity and that common humanity is realised quintessentially and
daily in the school as a living community of persons whose
fundamental task is to learn what it means to lead good lives
together. John MacMurray, 1891-1976 Scottish philosopher Extract
from his lecture Learning to be Human, Moray House School of
Education, Edinburgh, 1958 Learning to be Human Slide 5 Professor
Brian Boyds report A Common Weal Education (2014) asks us to
examine the role of schooling in creating a civilised society. It
looks at the aims of education and emphasises the importance of the
New Basics like the ability to think critically and creatively -
empathy, working with others, problem-solving and resilience in a
modern economy and society. Learning to be Human Slide 6 "I regard
it as the foremost task of education to ensure the survival of
these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit,
tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self denial, and above
all, compassion." Kurt Hahn, 1886-1974 Educator, philosopher,
founder of the United World Colleges Learning to be Human Slide 7
We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus
character - that is the goal of true education. The complete
education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy
objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will,
therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of
the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.
Martin Luther King Jr, 1947 Learning to be Human Slide 8 We need to
listen, once again, to the ideas of Dewey and Tagore, favoring an
education that cultivates the critical capacities, fosters a
complex understanding of the world and its peoples, and educates
and refines the capacity for sympathyin short, an education that
cultivates human beings and their humanity, rather than producing
generations of useful machines. Martha C. Nussbaum 1947-present
American Philosopher Extract from Cultivating Humanity and World
Citizenship, 2007 Learning to be Human Slide 9 Construct of pupil
character: a recent history 18th Century: the sinful pupil 19th
Century: the polite pupil Early 20th century: the morally adjusted
pupil Late 20th century: the cognitively developing pupil Turn of
the 21st millennium: the emotionally vulnerable pupil Early
twenty-first century: the flourishing pupil (Walker et al, 2013)
Slide 10 21 st century demands on character Globalisation &
neoliberalism Climate change Social Media ethics Food Irradiation
Smart Drugs (cosmetic pharmacology) Life extension sciences Genetic
research & modification Cloning of replacement body parts
(using 3D printers?!) Combat drones Personal privacy vs national
security Slide 11 Employability: what is in demand? LAND LABOUR
INFORMATION & KNOWLEDGE: KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY? SOFT SKILLS:
INNOVATION ECONOMY? Slide 12 Slide 13 Slide 14 Slide 15 Survey
results Slide 16 Slide 17 Slide 18 What were the concerns? Who
defines behaviours, values, good character? Just a way of achieving
conformity to norms of groups, society, culture? No problem dealing
with issues of lawfulness, but morals? Pushing a particular ethical
code: we should assume moral relativism Victorian, value-laden
Preconceptions of Character Education Time spent away from
curriculum study Is this the job of educators? What about parents?
There is already a specific focus on Character Education built into
Curriculum for Excellence, isnt there? Character Education should
be informed by clear underlying philosophy or values approach
Shared understanding: where do values come from? Are values
different across cultures, religions etc? Slide 19 Survey results
Slide 20 Slide 21 Slide 22 Slide 23 Which values? Community of
character? Slide 24 Slide 25 Slide 26 Virtue Ethics: a
philosophical perspective Practical Wisdom
MoralCivicPerformanceIntellectual Doing the right thing Examples:
Courage, Self-discipline, Compassion, Gratitude, Justice, Humility,
Honesty Being engaged and responsible Examples: Service,
Citizenship, Volunteering Thinking it Through Examples: Autonomy,
Reasoning, Curiosity Being your best Examples: Resilience,
Determination, Creativity The ability to balance or decide between
conflicting virtues (Aristotle) Slide 27 Character Strengths: a
psychological perspective Slide 28 A values perspective Schwartz
(1992) Slide 29 Values take different forms Values Personal Family
Moral MaterialSpiritual Socio- cultural Jimenez, J.C., 2009. The
Significance of Values in an Organization Slide 30 Values and Moral
Development Principles and fundamental convictions which act as
general guides to behaviour, enduring beliefs about what is
worthwhile, ideals for which one strives, standards by which
particular beliefs and actions are judged to be good or desirable.
Halstead and Taylor (2000) Acquiring a set of beliefs and values
relating to what is right and wrong which guides intentions,
attitudes and behaviour towards oneself, other people, ones own
society and others, and the environment; and developing the
disposition to act in accordance with such beliefs and values.
(Halstead and Taylor, 2000, p3) Slide 31 Values and character
formation EmotionsWhat we feel AttitudesWhat we think and feel
BeliefsWhat we think and feel to be true ValuesThe beliefs which
guide how we live our lives MotivationsThe beliefs and desires
which make us want to behave in certain ways BehaviourOur actions:
what we do Our habits: what we regularly do CharacterWho we are:
what we value, how we think and feel, what we do Mowat (2014) Slide
32 Values and character formation Mowat (2014) Values &
Character EmotionsBeliefsAttitudesMotivationsBehaviour Slide 33
Character is about who we are as people. It is defined as the set
of psychological characteristics that motivate and enable the
individual to function as a competent moral agent, that is, to do
good in the world. Character education is defined as those
educational practices that foster the development of student
character. Berkowitz 2011 Character Education: what is it? Slide 34
What kind of people does the world need? What kind of world do
people need? [email protected] Slide 35 Slide 36
Questions & Issues raised from pre-event survey Terminology
What is a positive moral ethos? What is a community of character?
Community approach Links with other influences in young peoples
lives Teachers being asked to do work previously done by families,
communities, churches etc Schools should support this work and
expect wider communities to do the same Responsibility lies with
many people Diversity of belief Schools adding value to communities
young people having pride in school because of this data linking
this with improved behaviours Shared understanding of how we live
and work together SQA Respondents valued a community approach
higher than teaching staff Professionalism CE and values provide a
key lever for school improvement Tension between engaging in areas
of right and wrong and teachers putting across own moral position
Slide 37 Questions & Issues Character Education principles What
is the ultimate good? Good character who decides? Focus on the
moral is simplistic Character Education is about the capacity to
make choices of right and wrong How do we account for cultural
bias? What is Character Education? Is it a subject or an approach
to curriculum? What to do in terms of assessment and measurement?
How prescriptive should it be? How much emphasis? Partnership
working e.g. CLD schools shaping communities we are missing this
opportunity Values-based or principle centred? Recognition of Wider
Achievement Keep integrity of RME intact Danger of assuming moral
superiority Values approach shouldnt be separated from morality
Character Education as development, not a new initiative Approaches
to character & ethics without didactic/proselytising approach
In what ways can CE be an academic enabler AS WELL AS building
character? Is that a false distinction? Character of organisation
vs character of individuals Nature vs nurture CE as another blot on
or passing fad with short shelf life What are schools currently
doing? Existing models from other countries? CE given a Scottish
slant? There are so many approaches to achieve the same ends- is it
useful to have another one and if so what is it's particular
contribution? Inspiration AND aspiration Get values off the wall
Slide 38 Challenges in schools where character & values could
play a role Pupils & teachers Greed, selfishness, lack of
interest, lack of belief, negativity, laziness, Lack of confidence:
perseverance, confidence, courage Senior School students do not
feel their views are taken into account, they dont feel valued
Pupils under huge pressure of exams, tend to be critical about
everything Learned helplessness, working with others, lack of
ambition & intrinsic motivation, pupils trained out of
creativity Number and scale of competing challenges facing teachers
Acting with integrity, doing the right thing rather than doing
things right Self-regulation in education and work settings
Respect, integrity, giving people a chance, putting personal
opinions to one side, gratitude, equality Low aspirations, limiting
beliefs Enthusiasm, moral background, integrity Development
mindset, seeing mistakes as learning opportunity, conflict
resolution Encouraging commitment & consistency with young
volunteers Exploring own values vs agreeing school values? Shared
values/conduct between staff and pupils? Pupil ownership? YP
desperate to do good? Unconditional positive regard? Slide 39
Challenges Health & Wellbeing Developing wellbeing curriculum
resilience model can this be linked with CE? Behaviour: foul
language, litter, bullying, lack of empathy for diversity Stress
Culture We live in a compliance culture, more concern about what we
are seen to do than what we actually do Legislation around personal
freedoms Achievement: Extrinsic motivation winning over intrinsic
Growth mindset vs fixed cultural mindset Clash of cultures Concern
for the environment, equality, materialism Communication, fear,
time, resources, motivation and will Financial constraints
Opportunities for challenge Ethics to negotiate the moral/social
questions of modern world Moving from vision to measurable steps
towards it Engagement of those who feel let down by the system Home
environment not encouraging good character vs doing good as part of
school curriculum Getting parents on board Competing priorities, CE
seen as another pressure, convincing headteachers Role of
parents/families?
