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The Bible In Education
At the onset of America, school textbooks contained 100% moral and religious content (Mulkey, 1997). The purpose of being able to read was to be able to read the Bible.The Bible was the number one resource used by teachers to teach religious principles and values. Mulkey, Y. (1997). The history of character education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 68, 35-37. -
Development of Free Public Schools
With the development and expansion of free public schools in the 1830’s, came the concern that values of the home were to be reinforced in the classroom and that the children of others, particularly immigrants, learn and practice them (Mulky, 1997). Mulkey, Y. (1997). The history of character education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 68, 35-37. -
Jean Piaget 1896-1980
Piaget reasoned that children from 5 to 10 viewed their environment from an other-directed morality. From this outlook children view rules as being doled out by authority figures like parents and teachers. These rules are seen as firm. From around the ages of 10 to 11 and through adolescence children's views on morality change and they see morality as self-directed. At this point children are able to see other people's perspectives. -
John Dewey
https://youtu.be/P1mTImTMgq8 Dewey has been most recognized for his role in Progressive Education and his strong belief in Child-Centered Learning. The video above gives a brief history of his life and major impact on education. Which was not left at the beginning of this century but has endured the test of time and is in our schools at present time in Problem-Based Learning and Differentiated Instruction, which put him much ahead of his time. -
Prayers Banned In School
In 1962, the case of Engle v. Vitale prompted the Supreme Court to rule that official prayer was banned from public education (Sass, 2016). This was very controversial at the time and still is today. The ongoing fight between religion and education is still present in the new standards of Common Core. Educational Resources and Lesson Plans. (2016).
American Educational History: A Hypertext Timeline. Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://www.eds-resources.com/educationalhistorytimeline.html -
Lawrence Kohlberg
Lawrence Kohlberg established his theory on moral development of children. His theory consisted of six stages of development in which he believed children advance to each stage in a chronological sequence although he took into consideration that some children’s advancement may be slower than others. Kohlberg’s six stages included the Pre-Conventional Level, the Conventional Level, and the Post Conventional Level. Oswalt, A. (2010). Kohlberg's Theory Of Moral Development. Mentalhelp,net -
Character Education Partnership
In March 1993, the Character Education Partnership (CEP) was established as a national coalition whose goal was to place character education at the top of the national educational agenda (Lickona, 1993). Violent behavior, lack of respect, lack of remorse, dishonesty, and no clear understanding of the differences between right and wrong was becoming commonplace in public schools. Lickona, T. (1993). The return of character education. Educational Leadership, 51, 6-11. -
President Clinton's State of the Union Address
Clinton rolled out “Call to Action for American Education” based on 10 principles. The 6th dealt specifically with character. In describing it, he said, “Character education must be taught in our schools. We must teach our children to be good citizens, and we must continue to promote order and discipline, supporting communities that introduce school uniforms, impose curfews, enforce truancy laws, remove disruptive students from the classroom, and have zero tolerance for guns and drugs in school. -
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
“The Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) was initially funded in 1998” (PBIS, 2016).PBIS is a framework for approach for assisting school personnel in adopting and organizing evidence-based behavioral interventions that enhance academic and social behavior outcomes for all students. Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports. (2016). About PBIS. Retrieved January 27, 2016, from https://www.pbis.org/about-us -
No Child Left Behind
NCLB funds the Partnerships in Character Education Program. The fund was designed to support, by award of grants, the design and implementation of Character Education programs, supporting "core ethical values such as respect, justice, civic virtue and citizenship, and responsibility for self and others.” Critics of NCLB say its focus on high-stakes testing leaves little time and resources for character education. Obama defunds the initiative in 2009, citing redundancy with other programs.
