Turning an Elementary Class Group into Active Participants of their own Ethical Skills Development

Introduction

Teaching Moral Education to a class group of Elementary school students requires the classroom teacher to
facilitate both the transference and development of moral knowledge and social reasoning among class student members. By recognizing that students can be active initiators and reactors (Huitt, 2004) within the context of their environment a teacher can encourage and support their students with independent opportunities to shape how they understand and apply the content of what they are learning. Several approaches to teaching Moral
Education and applied teaching and learning examples within the context of Elementary Education follow.


Approaches (Huitt, 2004)

Inculcation

A teacher can instill or internalize certain values in students. Inculcation can be utilized to change the values of students so they more closely reflect certain desired values. For example, a teacher can guide certain values into a set of rules that explain appropriate behavior to students.

Moral Development 

A teacher can develop more complex moral reasoning patterns based on a higher set of values that can stimulate students to discuss the reasons for their value choices and positions, not merely to share with others, but to foster change in the stages of reasoning of students. For example, a teacher can utilize moral dilemma episodes with small group discussion that are relatively structured and argumentative and which do not necessarily require a 'right' answer.

Analysis

A teacher can use the concepts of logical thinking and scientific investigation to support their students in studying value issues and forming questions and answers about values issues. A teacher can guide their students to use rational, analytical processes in interrelating and conceptualizing their values. Analysis can take place through structured rational discussion that demands the application of reasons as well as evidence, testing principles,
analyzing analogous cases, library research, field research and debate.

Values Clarification

A teacher can use this approach to support their students becoming aware of and identifying their own values and those of others which can foster open and honest communication. This approach utilizes both rational thinking and emotional awareness among students in order to help them examine their personal feelings, values, and behavior patterns. Techniques for implementing values clarification focused learning include: role-playing games, simulations, contrived or real value-laden situations, in-depth self-analysis exercises, sensitivity activities, out-of-class activities and small group discussions.

Action Learning

In addition to those purposes listed for analysis and values education, a teacher can utilize this approach to provide students with opportunities for active engagement and reflection of either or both personal and social action, for example, through service learning.

Getting Started with Applied Examples of Moral Education in your Classroom

Let's look at examples of teaching Moral Education, along with several tools that can be used to support student learning of ethical skills.

Example 1: Doing Your Best!

Through a 'values' audit, a teacher can conduct information gathering to formalize a list of values for 'Doing Your Best'. A survey or student discussion groups can be used to achieve this goal. Additionally, during the classroom.


Additional idea:
A teacher can have students in groups of four to six students make a Social Behaviors Board Game which will then be used by the students to learn about social behaviors. The game could be framed in a 'snakes & ladders' style
format or another format which the students create. Moves need to target positive and negative social behaviors and students need to make a list of what these behaviors might be, for example, responsible or irresponsible, cooperative or uncooperative.

Note:
While this example focuses on a single class group setting, in specific learning situations where the learning focus is on improving the capacity of student-student and/or student-teacher engagement such as the teaching of 'restorative practices' in a whole school and/or the wider community there needs to be a use of values that reflect the school community at large. Communications for sharing project information among students within a class group and also within a school and the wider community can take place through newsletters, public events such as 'Harmony Day', class website, school assembly, etc.

Example 2: Making Informed Decisions about your Life!

A teacher can facilitate the creation of an ethos where students have the capacity to exercise judgment and
responsibility in relation to issues of morality, ethics, and social justice and the capacity to make informed decisions about their lives. A values voucher system based on a list of values that a class creates can be used for this purpose. The voucher system can be used to recognize and encourage the enacting of positive values and offer rewards such as the awarding of certificates in class or in the playground when students demonstrate any of the values depicted in the class formulated list of values.

A community of inquiry approach can be used in class for students to learn how to exercise judgment and responsibility within a group setting. For example, a teacher could seat the students in a circle so that they are placed in a setting in which they can learn to respect, listen to and understand a diverse range of views and take responsibility for their own learning processes. The class group can read a source text which is subsequently followed by the generating of agenda specific discussion questions by students and collaborative inquiry by students in the class. The use of a Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI) Chart can aid students to better understand the concepts or issues they are exploring (see below for a template).

           PMI Chart template

Example 3: Shaping a Community through Values

A teacher can utilize a range of action projects to instill values among their students and to help them develop values that can be practised in community settings wherein student groups engage in community service. Suggestions for action projects that students could participate in include:

• visting a local aged care home, creating and presenting a gift such as a patchwork quilt to the residents, visting them frequently and singing songs with them; or
• visiting a day care center and regularly playing games with the young children who attend the center, or creating a flower garden and helping to maintain it.

Through action learning projects, instilled values such as 'respect' and 'empathy', among others, can be reflected upon. A teacher can guide students to form a list of behaviors that support values instilled and which can be exemplified in the thoughts and words of students who partake in a project. It is important that clear foci are established before an action learning project commences so that students are given well structured learning
opportunities to shape and influence how values can be applied to their world through a process of decision-making in the class, year group, school and greater community.

Things to keep in mind when facilitating ethical skills development (DEEWR, 2010)

1. The class has the responsibility for constructing and evaluating the range of possible responses to any question.
2. Students can share ideas and must consider many different perspectives.
3. Participation should be primarily through oral communication and in an environment in which students
4. can offer their opinions in an atmosphere of care and safety where they can try out ideas with the guarantee that they will be listened to.
5. The concept of the community of inquiry should focus on communicative exchanges between students and

the teacher and increasing levels of respect within the class group and the greater school community.

Thinking about skills that can be gained from Moral Education-based learning experiences (Lovat & Toomey, 2007)

The development of moral knowledge and social reasoning among students can enhance a range of skills leading
to a greater:

• capacity for analyzing and evaluating circumstances;
• ability to talk with others respectfully and with consideration of other's views;
• demonstrated compassion and sensitivity for the world around them;
• capacity to reflect and consider the impact of events or actions and to plan to do better; and
• ability to work with others on issues related to values and to live out these values.