Character Education in Children's Literature
From WikEd
[Tablet PC]
Descriptions, definitions, synonyms, organizer terms, types of Character Education
Character Education is defined as the deliberate instruction in basic values and morals, ideally woven into lessons throughout the curriculum and community. Some common values O'Sullivan and Edginton identified that should be incorporated into the curriculum are: compassion, fairness, kindness, honesty, perseverance, courage, justice, empathy, and acceptance (as cited in Gibbs & Earley, 1994; C.S. Lewis, 1947). Each school and community could certainly choose values that would seem to be appropriate for the population it serves. Character Education has become a subject of interest to many lawmakers, educators, and parents. President Clinton challenged our schools to teach character education, values, and citizenship in his 1996 State of the Union Address. The endorsement of federal and state laws shows the importance of building good character in our nations' children.
The Character Education Parnership (CEP) has identified 11 broad principles as defining a comprehensive approach to character education. (www.communityofcaring.org/ServicesAndResources/Battistich%20Paper.pdf) They are as follows:
- Promote core ethical values as the basis of good character.
- Define character comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior.
- Use a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach
- Create a caring school community.
- Provide students with opportunities to engage in moral action.
- Provide a meaningful and challenging curriculum that helps all students to succeed.
- Foster students' intrinsic motivation to learn and to be good people.
- Engage school staff as professionals in a learning and moral community.
- Foster shared moral leadership and long-term suport for character education.
- Engage families and community members as partners in character education.
- Evaluate the character of the school, its staff, and its students to inform the character education effort.
Application in classrooms
The promotion of character education in the classroom can occur in a variety of ways. Role-playing and the use of children's literature are two ways educators can promote character education. Picture books and children's literature have been used over countless years to entertain, inform, engage, and evoke thought in the classroom. Since teachers are already using literature with students, it is imperative that they make their instruction more meaningful by engaging their students and promoting important moral values.If children are exposed to character-rich literature in a manner that can serve those dual purposes, character education can be taught, encouraged, and promoted in our classrooms. Role-playing is another type of teaching tool that has shown to have positive effects when promoting values. Character education can be very affective, when used with role-playing and children's literature since both have such promising outcomes on affecting students' value development.
There are many strategies teachers can incorporate when utilizing literature that have important character building issues. One particular study indicates that teachers should preview the books used carefully (Lake, 2001). Having background knowledge of the issues involved in a piece of literature with a moral dilemma, helps teachers "guide" class discussions. Teachers should ask questions and provide details that will have students begin thinking about the circumstances or the story's dilemma. Teachers also need to "tell students what to listen for, set a purpose that underscores the story's message" (Jalongo, 2004). After setting the story's purpose, teachers should read the story, "paying attention to inunciation, proper inflections, correct tone, and thoughtful pacing" (Lake, 2001). A good picture book allows students to use visualizing to assist with the story's meaning. Teachers need to draw attention to the point of the story as they read (Jalongo, 2004). She also notes that "wondering out loud" during the time it takes to turn the page is more effective than stopping during the reading to quiz students.
After reading stories that have important values embedded in them, there are a wide variety of activities that teachers can utilize to help students comprehend and get personally involved in the story's dilemma. Role-playing, using open-ended questions, identifying with characters and their feelings, providing an emotional release or catharsis (Jalongo, 2004), group discussions, story expansion, and written responses are just some of the different strategies teachers can use after reading literature to promote good character in children.
The following is a list of books to use within the classroom that promote good character in students.
- Dancing with Wings, Debbie Allen
- Girraffes Can't Dance, Giles Andreae
- The Way I Feel, Janan Cain
- The Story of Ruby Bridges, Rober Coles
- Wemberly Worried, Kevin Henkes
- Best Friends for Frances, Russell Hoban
- Amazing Grace, Mary Hoffman
- Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon, Patty Lovell
- Elmer, David McKee
- Rolling Along with Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cindy Meyers
- The Recess Queen, Alexis O'Neill
- A Bad Case of Stripes, David Shannon
- Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, John Steptoe
- The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein
- Horton Hatches the Egg, Dr. Seuss
- The Emperor's New Clothes, H.C. Andersen
Evidence of effectiveness
Research suggests that a comprehensive character education program can be beneficial at promoting the development of good character. However, some research on character education describes the relationship between school and home as extremely important in promoting good character in children. Positive character needs to be promoted in all aspects of life. To be most effective, character education should extend even beyond the school walls. Students should be given the opportunity to practice their positive character traits by performing community service activities. Character education must be communicated with parents, this could be done by sending a weekly character education newsletter home detailing certain activities for student participation outside the school.
Critics and their rationale
One must search hard to find those who oppose character education. Initially, character education in schools had a deeply religious foundation. The Bible was used in the public schools as a source for both moral and religious instruction. The McGuffey Reader became a popular book that retained many Biblical stories but added other elements not based on religion. While children practiced their reading , they also learned character lessons about honesty, love of neighbor, kindness to animals, hard work, thriftiness, patriotism, and courage. Due to the possible violation of church and state in the 1960's, character and moral education was placed on the "back burner", but resurfaced in the 70's after the decline of students' character.
Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations
Diversity is something all classrooms have and children's literature can be utilized to expose students to many types of culture and diversity. Teachers must be aware of their own classroom diversity. Knowledge regarding the different cultural, religious, and educational backgrounds of their students is essential. With that in mind, teachers can find literature that helps to deepen the understanding of the diverse classroom population. School librarians, administrators, teachers, and parents can work together to develop a list of books that encompass the population of their particular school to address their specific diverse needs.
Signed “life experiences”, testimonies and stories
I have found the use of children's literature to teach positive character traits to be rewarding as well as effective. Children love a good story, and they love to talk - about the stories and about themselves and their experiences. Three books that stand out to me in this area are The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss and The Emperor's New Clothes by H.C. Andersen. The Giving Tree is a moving story about a tree who literally sacrifices itself for a boy. It teaches caring and compassion as well as a lesson in giving. Horton Hatches the Egg is a classic, but I wonder how many people have thought to talk to children about Horton and Mayzie, and the responsibility of hatching an egg? Mayzie because she abandoned her egg to Horton and shirked her responsibility. Horton because he took up a responsibility that wasn't even his - and kept his promise even when it wasn't easy. Another classic, The Emperor's New Clothes, is often overlooked for its moral of honesty and truth telling - as well as the consequences of not! The list could go on and on. It's a win-win situation. Teachers will enjoy reading a favorite book to children, learn about their students as they open up in discussions, and reap the rewards of character building in their students. Children are exposed to good literature, learn to enjoy reading, are encouraged to relate what was read to their own experiences, and learn valuable life lessons. -Pam Olivito
I think it is beneficial to use literature that promotes good character with older students, such as middle and high school students. When discussing a larger or more difficult concept, such as honesty, betrayal, commitment, etc. with older students, it is helpful to introduce or review that concept through a much simpler story, and allow students to draw the connection between the two. Also, using children's literature to elicit discussions about character allows students to also make connections to their own lives, which is ultimately the goal of character education. -S. Becker
References and other links of interest
1. Edgington, W.D. (2002). To promote character education, use literature for children and adolescents. The Social Studies, 93, 113-116.
2. Jalongo, M.R. (2004). Stories that teach life lessons. Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 19, no2, 37-43.
3. Lake, V.E. (2001). Linking literacy and moral education in the primary classroom. The Reading Teacher, 55, no2, 125-129.
4. O'Sullivan, S. (2004). Books to live by: Using children's literature for character education. The Reading Teacher, 57, no7, 640-645.
5. www.communityofcaring.org/ServicesAndResources/Battistich%20Paper.pdf
6. www.ericdigests.org/2003-3/character.htm
7. www.hi-ho.ne.jp/taku77/refer/lickona.htm
