Three theoretical perspectives guide this discussion of teacher development: symbolic interactionism, critical social theory, and theories of postmodernity. Drawing on these perspectives, key dimensions of teacher development can be addressed. Good teaching involves competence in technical skills, but it also involves moral purpose; emotional…

Noting that much is known about teaching and learning personal and social responsibility but little is incorporated into the K-12 curriculum, this book is intended for parents and educators as a guide to helping children develop personal and social responsibility, especially as it relates to behavior in school. Part 1 of the book consists of five…

This study was conducted to investigate the moral development of teachers, their reasoning about student discipline incidents, and whether a teacher's own moral development might affect desired student outcomes. An inservice course on student discipline entitled "Managing Student Behavior: A Whole School Approach to Discipline" (MSB) was…

An instructional model to develop academic integrity (honesty) in college students is proposed. Goals are to develop: adherence to the principle of doing one's own work, an understanding for the principle and nature of coauthorship, an understanding and adherence to citation practices, and an understanding of plagiarism. Students should be…

The role of the college or university in facilitating the ethical and moral development of college students is addressed. The views of Kohlberg, Perry, and others who have studied ethical and moral development are briefly reviewed. These psychologists suggest that there is a hierarchy or continuum for the development of moral reasoning. Colleges…

Until recently the Holocaust was largely ignored in history books and literature, leaving most students without even the basic knowledge of an event that can and should have meaning for them. Nothing can really "explain" it, but literature, because it is concerned with feelings and conveys emotions, can move young people to an empathetic…

The absence of peace is one of the greatest threats to the continued existence of life on this planet. This paper uses the definition of peace given by the General Conference of UNESCO at its 18th session, whereby peace is seen as a process, not an event. Education is vital to eliminating prejudice, which is the foundation of injustice, disunity,…

The background, evaluation process, theories, and practical aspects of the Just Community High School in Cambridge, Masachusetts, are presented. The document is organized into four sections. Section 1 briefly discusses the components of a Just School: participatory democracy with teachers and students having equal rights, emphasis on conflict…

A 20-year study to verify Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development through a new research design, the Standard Issue Scoring System, is reported. Kohlberg theorizes that an individual progresses through several stages in attaining moral judgment. As children grow older, they are able to integrate diverse points of view on a moral conflict.…

The purpose of this case study was to look closely at one single-parent Anglo-American family, members' daily patterns of living, and psychosocial patterns that may set them apart as an achieving family. The major assumption guiding the research effort was the thesis that home environments of interpersonally competent American youngsters show some…

This study attempted to determine if the Judeo-Christian tradition, when part of an individual's religious background and when incorporated into school philosophy, influenced the level of decision-making of high school seniors (N=130) in sociomoral and environmental issues. Subjects, attending four public and private schools in the Columbus (Ohio)…

Values about education held by private school educators tend to be those best suited to preparing their mostly middle- and upper-middle-class students for managerial and professional careers. Social scientists have hypothesized that schools readying students for social leadership will stress internalized student behavior norms instead of obedience…

Designed for the growing field of philosophy and children, this sourcebook is concerned with motivating children to think in ways that will increase the meaningfulness of their lives and, as a consequence, help them see the importance of their own education. The approach entails a reappraisal of the entirety of philosophical literature in search…

The study involving six Philadelphia schools was designed to validate the Circle Test of Honesty as a prescreening technique for identifying candidates for placement in emotionally disturbed (ED) classes. A search of the literature revealed a lack of research correlating moral judgment with identification of disturbed children or with rate of…

The goals and content of an interdisciplinary course on the history of ideas, which is required at Baker University as part of its general education program, are described in this position paper. The course aims to help students appreciate the complex character of historical reality and to help them clarify their values and make responsible moral…