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Bringing in a New Era in Character Education
The authors provide a unique perspective on what is needed to make character education an effective, lasting part of our educational agenda. Each chapter points out the directions that character education must take today and offers strategies essential for making progress in the field.
- GenresEducation
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
William Damon
43 books32 followersOne of the world’s leading scholars of human development, William Damon is Professor of Education at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence. Prior to joining Stanford in 1997, he was University Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Human Development at Brown University.
By focusing his work on the positive aspects of “growing up” rather than on the severe behavioral problems of adolescents, Damon has put himself on the forefront of the emerging positive psychology movement in the United States. Damon speaks regularly to public and academic audiences about contemporary trends in child development and has written widely about personal development and moral commitment at all ages of life.
His current research explores how people develop character and a sense of purpose in their work, family, and community relationships. He examines how young people can approach their careers with a focus on purpose, imagination, and high standards of excellence. Damon also has written widely about how to educate for ethical understanding. His work is used in professional training programs in the fields of journalism, law, and business.
Damon is the author of 17 books and numerous book chapters and articles on education and human development, especially character development. His work has been influential for research and theory in academic developmental psychology and in the broader society, especially around questions of childrearing and schooling. His 1995 book, Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Culture of Indulgence in Our Homes and Schools helped create a societal push to increase standards for achievement and service and was the recipient of the prestigious Parents’ Choice® award. Damon’s other books written for general audiences include The Moral Child, Some Do Care, The Youth Charter and Good Work. He is founding editor of the well-known series, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development and editor in chief of the definitive Handbook of Child Psychology, fifth and sixth editions.
Damon’s research and insights have been regularly covered in national publications, including the Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Washington Post. His many national talk show appearances include Oprah, Today, Primetime Live, Talk of the Nation, The Diane Rehm Show, and Morning Edition.
Among many national recognitions, Damon was recently elected to the National Academy of Education. He received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Northern California.
By focusing his work on the positive aspects of “growing up” rather than on the severe behavioral problems of adolescents, Damon has put himself on the forefront of the emerging positive psychology movement in the United States. Damon speaks regularly to public and academic audiences about contemporary trends in child development and has written widely about personal development and moral commitment at all ages of life.
His current research explores how people develop character and a sense of purpose in their work, family, and community relationships. He examines how young people can approach their careers with a focus on purpose, imagination, and high standards of excellence. Damon also has written widely about how to educate for ethical understanding. His work is used in professional training programs in the fields of journalism, law, and business.
Damon is the author of 17 books and numerous book chapters and articles on education and human development, especially character development. His work has been influential for research and theory in academic developmental psychology and in the broader society, especially around questions of childrearing and schooling. His 1995 book, Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Culture of Indulgence in Our Homes and Schools helped create a societal push to increase standards for achievement and service and was the recipient of the prestigious Parents’ Choice® award. Damon’s other books written for general audiences include The Moral Child, Some Do Care, The Youth Charter and Good Work. He is founding editor of the well-known series, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development and editor in chief of the definitive Handbook of Child Psychology, fifth and sixth editions.
Damon’s research and insights have been regularly covered in national publications, including the Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Washington Post. His many national talk show appearances include Oprah, Today, Primetime Live, Talk of the Nation, The Diane Rehm Show, and Morning Edition.
Among many national recognitions, Damon was recently elected to the National Academy of Education. He received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 11, 2023
Intro and description of the book:
Bringing in A New Era in Character Education is a compilation of nine different essays written by different authors, all driven by the common goal of setting an innovative agenda to provide moral education to America’s education system today. Amongst the many ideas portrayed by different writers, they all share a common theme: relying on research and proven facts to advance the character taught and cultured amongst kindergarten through college students at present. Each of these essays, structured as each a separate chapter, bring new strategies and ideas that are applicable to classrooms today based on attested research on child development.
Impact of the book and author on the world:
This book was created and published by the Stanford Center on Adolescence, which specializes in child and adolescent development. I have faith that this book has been and will keep being revolutionary in the years to come as the definition of learning evolves. As society becomes familiar with alternative education methods and systems, there are certain needs that must be met by both the traditional and contemporary educational structures. In a world after the industrial revolution, the education system compared students to the composition of a machine. Today, educators and innovators are, more often than not, developing the comparison of a student to a computer. Either system, each one with their advantages and flaws, has the obligation and urgency to provide a foundational character education. For the character instilled in the youth today will shape the society of tomorrow. Innovations and alterations to the education system will persist throughout time, this book provides the foundations that must be kept in order to cultivate moral human beings throughout the years to come, in a future society where we will progressively increase our closeness and reliance on technology.
Who I would recommend this book to and why:
I highly believe it is essential for educators around the world to read this book. This, of course, is not limited to those pursuing a career in education. As one of the featured writers in this book, Marvin W. Berkowitz states, “If you work with or around children, you cannot not be a character educator.” The research presented in this book is persistent in the fact that the first educators to play a role in a child’s development are their parents. After them follow their loved ones, peers, and community. Therefore, I would strongly encourage parents to read this book and take time to reflect on what kind of parenting will make an impact on their children’s behavior and moral development. I would also recommend this book to young aspiring educators like myself, as this book has provided me with a new perspective on my own moral development and how I can identify this crucial part of education in my surrounding learning environment.
Observations of the author’s style and voice:
The content in this reading is extensive in research, and follows a very informational line. It was definitely a challenging book to read from a high-school student perspective, but it was most clearly a challenge that allowed me to elevate my reading comprehension and gave me a look into the depth of the educational reformation occurring in the world today. I would consider this an advanced level reading, but one that is relatable and attainable for those who have not pursued a profession in this field. I do appreciate that this book maintained a consistency in its theme, despite being a compilation of different authors. At times, the comparisons and explanations presented for modern educators were lightly described, almost humorous. I think this fluency allowed me to take a break from the serious comprehension of the studies that I was reading, and overall helped me really absorb the valuable information I was obtaining.
How this book changed me in a major way:
This book truly challenged me in my hero’s journey. The vocabulary was more advanced than what I am accustomed to, but it did wonders to my own level of understanding and writing abilities. Reading about a topic that is difficult to engage in was definitely an obstacle in finishing this book, but reading this diligently has helped me work through my willpower and motivated me to take on more challenges.
Major questions raised:
I thought it was remarkable that most of the questions raised by this book were also asked by the writers themselves, generally towards the end of chapters. It was highly interesting that each author was aware of the missing information that is yet to be discovered, and acknowledged the curiosity these potential answers awaken the reader. Some of these questions include what middle-ground can be found to be most efficient when balancing traditional and modern views. Most of the questions were specifically about character, and how to make an abstract concept measurable for the wellbeing of a community. Some of the other topics that I found conflicting when reading covered the long-term effects of character education, and how we can find learning that lasts, both in an interpersonal and intrapersonal manner.
Overall, this book challenged my critical thinking, and gave me a taste of what real world professionals are working towards for the good of our society’s future.
Bringing in A New Era in Character Education is a compilation of nine different essays written by different authors, all driven by the common goal of setting an innovative agenda to provide moral education to America’s education system today. Amongst the many ideas portrayed by different writers, they all share a common theme: relying on research and proven facts to advance the character taught and cultured amongst kindergarten through college students at present. Each of these essays, structured as each a separate chapter, bring new strategies and ideas that are applicable to classrooms today based on attested research on child development.
Impact of the book and author on the world:
This book was created and published by the Stanford Center on Adolescence, which specializes in child and adolescent development. I have faith that this book has been and will keep being revolutionary in the years to come as the definition of learning evolves. As society becomes familiar with alternative education methods and systems, there are certain needs that must be met by both the traditional and contemporary educational structures. In a world after the industrial revolution, the education system compared students to the composition of a machine. Today, educators and innovators are, more often than not, developing the comparison of a student to a computer. Either system, each one with their advantages and flaws, has the obligation and urgency to provide a foundational character education. For the character instilled in the youth today will shape the society of tomorrow. Innovations and alterations to the education system will persist throughout time, this book provides the foundations that must be kept in order to cultivate moral human beings throughout the years to come, in a future society where we will progressively increase our closeness and reliance on technology.
Who I would recommend this book to and why:
I highly believe it is essential for educators around the world to read this book. This, of course, is not limited to those pursuing a career in education. As one of the featured writers in this book, Marvin W. Berkowitz states, “If you work with or around children, you cannot not be a character educator.” The research presented in this book is persistent in the fact that the first educators to play a role in a child’s development are their parents. After them follow their loved ones, peers, and community. Therefore, I would strongly encourage parents to read this book and take time to reflect on what kind of parenting will make an impact on their children’s behavior and moral development. I would also recommend this book to young aspiring educators like myself, as this book has provided me with a new perspective on my own moral development and how I can identify this crucial part of education in my surrounding learning environment.
Observations of the author’s style and voice:
The content in this reading is extensive in research, and follows a very informational line. It was definitely a challenging book to read from a high-school student perspective, but it was most clearly a challenge that allowed me to elevate my reading comprehension and gave me a look into the depth of the educational reformation occurring in the world today. I would consider this an advanced level reading, but one that is relatable and attainable for those who have not pursued a profession in this field. I do appreciate that this book maintained a consistency in its theme, despite being a compilation of different authors. At times, the comparisons and explanations presented for modern educators were lightly described, almost humorous. I think this fluency allowed me to take a break from the serious comprehension of the studies that I was reading, and overall helped me really absorb the valuable information I was obtaining.
How this book changed me in a major way:
This book truly challenged me in my hero’s journey. The vocabulary was more advanced than what I am accustomed to, but it did wonders to my own level of understanding and writing abilities. Reading about a topic that is difficult to engage in was definitely an obstacle in finishing this book, but reading this diligently has helped me work through my willpower and motivated me to take on more challenges.
Major questions raised:
I thought it was remarkable that most of the questions raised by this book were also asked by the writers themselves, generally towards the end of chapters. It was highly interesting that each author was aware of the missing information that is yet to be discovered, and acknowledged the curiosity these potential answers awaken the reader. Some of these questions include what middle-ground can be found to be most efficient when balancing traditional and modern views. Most of the questions were specifically about character, and how to make an abstract concept measurable for the wellbeing of a community. Some of the other topics that I found conflicting when reading covered the long-term effects of character education, and how we can find learning that lasts, both in an interpersonal and intrapersonal manner.
Overall, this book challenged my critical thinking, and gave me a taste of what real world professionals are working towards for the good of our society’s future.
December 19, 2013
An interesting book on a tragically-neglected topic. I found the best chapters to be by Arthur Schwartz ("Transmitting Moral Wisdom in the Age of the Autonomous Self"), Christina Hoff Sommers ("How Moral Education is Finding Its Way Back into America's Schools"), and Irving Kristol ("Moral and Ethical Development in a Democratic society").
This book advances a mostly secular approach to character education (of which I am skeptical), but much is useful for Christian educators as well.
The book may be downloaded as a free pdf at http://www.hoover.org/publications/bo...
This book advances a mostly secular approach to character education (of which I am skeptical), but much is useful for Christian educators as well.
The book may be downloaded as a free pdf at http://www.hoover.org/publications/bo...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews