A growing number of advocacy groups, educators, and families are concerned that something important is missing from modern public education. They recognize the necessity of students making progress in their math and reading abilities, but they fear that a narrow focus on those subjects has caused schools to neglect other essential aspects of…

Does the current drive to incorporate social and emotional learning (SEL) into the K-12 curriculum represent a positive reform that will lead schools to educate the "whole student" and ultimately boost young people's academic success? Or is it a distracting fad that comes with high opportunity costs? Common sense and considerable…

In this commentary for the special issue on the social and character development (SACD) research program, the author identifies some of the dilemmas facing practitioners attempting to do evaluation research in SACD in schools and discusses some of the related concerns raised in this issue's papers. His familiarity with the SACD program derives…

There is a widely held notion that public schools should not teach values. In effect, schools do. In addition, there is probably no significant decision that a school administrator or classroom teacher can make that does not have a normative dimension. In this article, the author discusses how teachers are often not aware that they are imposing…

This commentary focuses on the promises and challenges facing the Social and Character Development (SACD) consortium in evaluating the effectiveness of seven universal SACD programs designed to enhance student behavior and school climate under conditions of real world practice. In this commentary, we highlight that the opportunity costs associated…

Social and moral development, like intellectual development, is a process by which learners actively construct meaning. Conventional character education, based on behaviorism, conservatism, and religious dogma, assumes that values can be asserted into passive receptacles. To help children develop the capacity for moral deliberation when called…

L. Kholberg's model of moral development and the social learning theory both provide methods of perceiving the relationship between cognitive and moral development, and both are useful in application to the intellectually gifted child. Educating gifted children toward high levels of moral behavior is a particularly important concern. (Author/SEW)

Harold Kushner, the author of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" (1981), insists that public schools should never advocate particular religious views nor serve as forums for debating religious values. However, shared values such as truthfulness, accuracy, personal responsibility, acceptance of limitations, kindness, and cooperation…

The values education movement is inimical to the development of moral discernment and character. The moral development of students requires moral and character discernment--first, in those who teach them, and second, in the curriculum. (Author/MSE)

Because of widespread acceptance of Kohlberg's theory of moral development other aspects of moral thinking and behavior linked with the feminine voice have not received attention. Four areas of Kohlberg's theory relevant to the gender issue are critiqued, and work by Carol Gilligan, suggesting alternative theories for thinking and behavior, is…

Presents the underlying assumptions for the Erdkinder concept of educating adolescents. Discusses the importance of independence and social life beyond the family, the necessary environmental awareness for youth in the context of civilization, the meaning behind social values of civilization, and the importance of social morals, social…

A conceptual background and definition of social education with emphasis on interpersonal values and skills are provided. Secondary Canadian and U.S. social education curriculum development projects are discussed, emphasizing implementation guidelines, program objectives, and potential pitfalls. (RM)

Communicating values is at the heart of education. Intertwined with the processes and procedures of schooling, a host of values are taught every day. Education, therefore, carries with it a social and moral imperative. If we are to help students avoid moral bankruptcy, we cannot have a value-neutral education. A basic feature of the social and…

Argues that communication education must cultivate in teachers the capacity to respond sensitively to teaching values. Defines the responsible teacher as one who: (1) understands structure of the discipline including the relationships among communication, ethics, and morality; (2) understands students' cognitive, social, and moral development; and…

This paper summarizes findings of a 3-year study assessing outcomes for 35 children (preschool to high school aged) with mild to severe disabilities in inclusive educational settings. Additionally, the study looked at "connected" pairs of children--each pair including a child with and a child without a disability. It identified three main areas of…