This document contains a series of short case studies, called "tales" throughout the text, that describe moral dilemmas that arise in the lives of school-aged children. The tales are intended to help children develop their moral judgment and are meant to be read by teachers to their class. Suggestions for classroom use are provided. A…

This publication seeks to capture the character and content of thought with respect to the long-standing discussion in academic settings of leisure and philosophy. The book is organized into three sections. The first, "Reflections on the Philosophy of Leisure," includes the following papers: "Introduction: Leisure and the Perfection…

Although most schools use some type of character-education program, a select number do an exceptional job in fostering their students' development of character, values, and ethical judgment. An overview of how these schools achieve this excellence is offered here. The text assesses the programs used by the schools, and each chapter summarizes…

This paper reports the findings of a survey of rural northeastern Kentucky high school teachers on the questionnaire "What Do You Really Believe?," an instrument originally developed by Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) and revised to assist in identifying a potential set of Core Values to which a majority of the public might subscribe. The present…

Studies suggest that the challenge of violence in public schools can be met through character education, whether by providing a school culture in which core values are practiced or some form of moral training (indoctrination). To assess the need for character education in rural schools, small-school superintendents and board members in central…

By focusing on education and the development of four moral virtues (friendship, honesty, courage, and justice), this book presumes that the exercise of these virtues is an integral part of good educational practice and that anyone concerned with promoting excellence in education must also be committed to promoting these virtues. Part 1,…

This paper discusses moral development as an integral part of the educational process and development of college students. The paper's first section places the concept of development within a network of meaning that indicates "ethical development" to be redundant; i.e., if something enhances development, it is ethical, and if it is ethical, it…

This paper discusses strategies and techniques that early childhood educators can use to encourage self-esteem and responsibility in young children. It examines Kohlberg's theory of moral values, which states that children progress through three stages of moral development: (1) the pre-moral stage, based on rewards and punishments; (2) the moral…

This study examined care-based moral reasoning in 23 white females and 23 white males, ages 11 through 12 years in a small Canadian eastcoast town. Subjects were administered the Ethic of Care Interview (ECI), a measure administered in a structured interview format consisting of four dilemmas. In addition to three standardized, interpersonal…

The relation of moral reasoning to moral behavior has been the subject of a substantial number of empirical studies; it may be more productive to employ a configuration of characteristics to predict moral behavior. To investigate the relation of moral reasoning and personality variables to moral behavior, 74 undergraduates, 30 males and 44…

The Perry scheme of intellectual and ethical development has become widely used in a range of academic disciplines and such areas as career training and faculty consultation. However, current measurement techniques for the scheme, whether interview format or paper and pencil measures, do not adequately address issues related to assessing cognitive…

Reports on an observation study of children's tattling behavior in a classroom setting. General conclusion is that in areas in which there was most interaction between children, there was the most tattling to adults and vice versa. The degree to which children are constrained to cooperate is discussed. (Author/AM)

A study investigated students values to determine the regard in which today's students hold money and material possessions. Questionnaires, eliciting responses to 10 topics organized by a weighted scale, were administered to 150 students in two sections of a class in principles of public relations. Results revealed that money had minimal…

A comparison of organizational leadership choices and decision-making behaviors faced by current educational leaders and by the literary figure Lord Jim is the focus of this paper. Conrad's protagonist, when confronted by three critical life decisions, chooses erroneously. Like Jim, organizational leaders confront critical incidents that demand…

Three types of lay theories about the social world form a developmental sequence. Earlier developing theories are reorganized at the next level into a more inclusive, encompassing view of the world in order to make better predictions. The absolute thinker sees the world as fixed and unchanging, reasons with absolute rules, and has a narrow world…