Approaching literacy through a human rights lens potentially equips children with the courage and support needed to face sources of human suffering; develop compassion for others; and identify obstacles to their sentience, autonomy, and well-being. A human rights view of literacy pedagogy necessarily involves attending to the moral reasoning of…

This article explores the ways in which the quantitative and qualitative tools used by risk managers can help students think critically about issues. In particular, it identifies some of the quantitative skills used for risk assessment that can be taught and used in mathematics and science classes. It also examines the qualitative knowledge of…

This study aims to reveal whether or not the ability to say "no", which is tried to be taught to students in the 2005 life studies curriculum, has been gained by children with regards to various situations. The survey model was utilized in the study. The study was conducted with 4th grade students who took the class of life studies in…

This collaborative action research study describes the results of how pre-service teachers at three institutions of higher learning construed three pre-colonial West African folktales that portrayed the villain or trickster in a heroic manner. Folktales represent common forms of literature that are used in the classroom as conscience stories to…

By considering ethics and morals from a vantage point in which personal and political beliefs become part of our national debate, students could form the habit of political discussion in much the same way that representatives of social and political groups prepare and respond on a daily basis to an ever inquiring media. I will explore several…

Many scholars, teachers, parents, as well as others, are concerned with the decline of civility in public discourse and public schools. The sharp differences among various ideological groups, exacerbated by media incivility, are contributing factors to rising incivility. This ideological divide currently manifests itself in bitter partisan…

Anthropologists have provided rich field descriptions of the norms and conventions governing behavior and interactions in small-scale societies. Here, we add a further dimension to this work by presenting hypothetical moral dilemmas involving harm, to a small-scale, agrarian Mayan population, with the specific goal of exploring the hypothesis that…

A rabbi and educator shows how moral education can be crafted to address each of the three main branches of the moral life: philosophy, civics, and ethics. Although adolescents roll their eyes at adult platitudes, they love to grapple with sticky moral issues, and they value teachers who nurture their growth as moral decision-makers. Instead of…

Describes recent cases of high school book banning illustrating patterns of censorship in the United States. The author examines reasons for book banning, the motivations behind this kind of censorship, and the ideological orientation of groups responsible for it. A bibliography of information on censorship is included. (AM)

Compares Kohlberg's and Dewey's views on moral education with regard to implications for elementary social studies classes, moral instruction of children, curriculum development, and community life of the school. Concludes that Dewey's approach to moral education is more comprehensive than Kohlberg's. (Author/DB)

The lesson presents the case of a person accused of killing to prevent being caught while fleeing from a politically repressive regime. Student skills in making moral and ethical value judgments are developed through activities involving critical thinking, moral reasoning, participation, and oral and written language exercises. (Author/DB)

Reviews the history of the public controversy surrounding the social studies curriculum, "Man: A Course of Study" (MACOS) and discusses the implications of the MACOS controversy for future curriculum development efforts in the social sciences. Available from Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1701 K Street, N.W.,…

The underlying aims and present activities of Antipoverty, an organization which attempts to make a connection between study and action in the field of contemporary affairs, are discussed. (Author/KM)

Contains a French folk tale and discussion questions that give elementary level students the opportunity to discuss cheating and human behavior. Children read about three clever boys who outwit an unscrupulous innkeeper. They discuss the behavior of the protagonists and argue for or against the brothers' trick. (AM)

See TE 499 864, above. An answer guide to the exercises in this unit is contained in "Cases and Controversy" (TE 499 864).