Educating for Character: How Our Schools Can Teach Respect and Responsibility

by Thomas Lickona

Calls for renewed moral education in America's schools, offering dozens of programs schools can adopt to teach students respect, responsibility, hard work, and other values that should not be left to parents to teach.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching

496 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1991

Reviews

[Sherli]

I need more references for my thesis related to the educational values.

[Shannon Lacovara · Rating 4 out of 5]

For teachers and parents who believe in character education, this is a great read. Even for those who don't advocate character education, this book may begin to change your point of view. I read this book for the first course of my M.Ed. and have continually referred back to it during subsequent courses.

[Random Scholar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've oftentimes heard people say we need morals in schools, but very few people explain explicitly how to do it. This book offers tons of strategies that teachers and administrators have taken to improve the moral climate in schools all over the United States. Although this book is from 1992, and yes, some language is dated, the subject matter is highly relevant even to this day. Many schools also still use some ideas that were mentioned in this book, like cooperative group learning. I also like how Lickona took a more open approach to homosexuality arguing that respect for others should be seen even if one doesn't agree with someone's dating preferences. This is refreshing considering that many others have argued that homosexuality is immoral. Yet Lickona frames respect for others as the top priority in controversial differences like this. This book is divided into three parts. Part 1 focuses on why we need moral education, research behind it's benefits, and history behind why we don't see it in every school today. Part 2 and 3 focus on specific ways schools can teach values through curriculum. I recommend this to anyone in education.

[Judy]

"....the American Jewish Committee which in 1988 reversed its long standing caution against values education and issued a report urging schools to teach "civic virtues" such as "honesty, civility, responsibility, tolerance, and loyalty....." p. 21
Lickona subscribes to the idea of a "natural moral law" that "prohibits injustice to others and that an be arrived at through the use of human reason." p. 59
"We should spend less time ranking children and more time helping them to identify their natural competences and gifts, and cultivate them." p. 2222

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although outdated, information still feels appropriate and relevant for today...

[Bung Giantomi Muhammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mantap lah pokoknya

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is insightful and educational on bringing back the teaching of values into the curriculum for all students. As a teacher, I feel that so many of my former students were raised by wolves and lacked character, morals and values. This is not to say that one must teach religion, but rather how to become a responsible, respectful and caring human being. I would rate this book higher, however, the statistics are too dated and need to be revised for the modern, 21st century classroom. I highly recommend this book to all teachers.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have found thid book to be an invaluable resource over the years. It is necessary for anyone who wishes to instill those lessons that will help one to operate a high level of integrity and awareness for what is valauble - character. The author illustrates his points though examples and applications.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for teachers concerned with a moral obligation to model and teach character education. Lots of background information, real teacher/classroom examples, application activities, and inspiration.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was used in one of my courses to discuss teaching character and values in the classroom. It has a great deal of practical application and method suggestions that can be adapted for a variety of ages.

[Sancheza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm using this book to help me write my research paper for English 313.

[Ratih Soe]

My trainer Winda said it was a good book so I might as well read it (maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but I will)

[Evalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! It explores the need for character education in the schools very well.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource that has many awesome ideas for integrating character education into our curriculum.

[Kristine Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for ways to create classrooms that teach values and academics as they go hand in hand.

[Premita Octa · Rating 5 out of 5]

good resd

[Christina Grieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this text... a great tool for creating a values environment!! This is a keeper!!

[Pujiatmo]

good