Moral Development
concept
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Moral development contains thoughts, behaviors, and feelings on what individuals perceive as right or wrong (Kohlberg 1958, 1976, 1986). Moral development includes two dimensions: intrapersonal and interpersonal. An intrapersonal dimension deals with a person's basic values and their sense of self. An interpersonal dimension is where an individual focuses on what they should do while they interact with other people. While intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions are important, they are not the key ideas to moral development.
How adolescent's reason, behave, and feel are the key ideas of moral development. The first basic idea of moral development involves how adolescents reason. For example, if an adolescent had the choice between cheating and not cheating on a test, they have to decide what is the best thing to do and why. The focus is based upon the reasoning the adolescent uses to justify their decision. The second basic idea of moral development involves how adolescents behave. For example, if an adolescent was cheating on a test, observers might look at the environmental circumstances that create the cheating. Behavior involves how the adolescent responds to certain environments and circumstances. The third and final basic concept of moral development involves how adolescents feel. For example, after an adolescent cheats, do they feel guilty enough to be able to cheat again? Does this guilt allow the adolescent to be sure to not cheat again in another circumstance? Adolescents "feelings" provide adolescents with a moral code.
John Dewey (1933) recognized that if schools do not have specific programs in moral education, moral education is provided through a "hidden curriculum" (1.1). The hidden curriculum is the moral atmosphere that is a part of every school. The classroom rules, moral orientation of teachers, and text materials create the moral atmosphere of adolescents. The students look up to the teachers or see how they act, so teachers serve as modes of ethical or unethical behavior. The classroom rules and peer relations convey how adolescents view cheating, lying, and stealing. Through the schools rules and regulations, the school instills a value system. The hidden curriculum is vital for students to get a glimpse of the "real" world.
Schools are important for adolescent's healthy moral development. With the hidden curriculum in schools, adolescents learn specific attitudes about cheating, lying, stealing and consideration for others (5.5). Without this moral development in the school system then it would be harder for adolescents to judge between right and wrong as they grow older. A schools hidden curriculum allows adolescents to get a glimpse of what is considered acceptable in the work field.
How adolescent's reason, behave, and feel are the key ideas of moral development. The first basic idea of moral development involves how adolescents reason. For example, if an adolescent had the choice between cheating and not cheating on a test, they have to decide what is the best thing to do and why. The focus is based upon the reasoning the adolescent uses to justify their decision. The second basic idea of moral development involves how adolescents behave. For example, if an adolescent was cheating on a test, observers might look at the environmental circumstances that create the cheating. Behavior involves how the adolescent responds to certain environments and circumstances. The third and final basic concept of moral development involves how adolescents feel. For example, after an adolescent cheats, do they feel guilty enough to be able to cheat again? Does this guilt allow the adolescent to be sure to not cheat again in another circumstance? Adolescents "feelings" provide adolescents with a moral code.
John Dewey (1933) recognized that if schools do not have specific programs in moral education, moral education is provided through a "hidden curriculum" (1.1). The hidden curriculum is the moral atmosphere that is a part of every school. The classroom rules, moral orientation of teachers, and text materials create the moral atmosphere of adolescents. The students look up to the teachers or see how they act, so teachers serve as modes of ethical or unethical behavior. The classroom rules and peer relations convey how adolescents view cheating, lying, and stealing. Through the schools rules and regulations, the school instills a value system. The hidden curriculum is vital for students to get a glimpse of the "real" world.
Schools are important for adolescent's healthy moral development. With the hidden curriculum in schools, adolescents learn specific attitudes about cheating, lying, stealing and consideration for others (5.5). Without this moral development in the school system then it would be harder for adolescents to judge between right and wrong as they grow older. A schools hidden curriculum allows adolescents to get a glimpse of what is considered acceptable in the work field.
Classroom
In order to apply this theory in the classroom, teachers must understand the influence they have on the students they teach. For example, every school has a "hidden curriculum" that is enforced. In the classroom teachers should enforce that cheating, lying, and stealing is morally wrong. For example, if a student was cheating on a math test the teacher could give that student a zero to show that cheating is wrong and that there is a punishment for cheating. In classrooms teachers can also enforce that stealing is wrong. Students should not take their peers stuff or touch it without the owner's approval. Teachers need to show that it is wrong to take things that do not belong to them.
Teachers also need to be sure to go over the school's policy and rules in order to fully enforce them. The teachers need to be straight forward about the rules so the students realize that the teachers are not fooling around. The teachers can also set guidelines of their own; such as students have to raise their hand before speaking and they are to not talk while others have the floor. If teachers set rules and enforce them in their classroom, it would make a better learning environment. If the students raise their hand when they have questions and no one else is talking, then it ensures that the others students can hear the question. Some students might ask questions that other students might also have, and being able to hear the question and answer makes it easier for the student to learn.
Teachers also need to be sure to go over the school's policy and rules in order to fully enforce them. The teachers need to be straight forward about the rules so the students realize that the teachers are not fooling around. The teachers can also set guidelines of their own; such as students have to raise their hand before speaking and they are to not talk while others have the floor. If teachers set rules and enforce them in their classroom, it would make a better learning environment. If the students raise their hand when they have questions and no one else is talking, then it ensures that the others students can hear the question. Some students might ask questions that other students might also have, and being able to hear the question and answer makes it easier for the student to learn.