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The Character Education Initiative

The Character Education Initiative. A Project of the Universal Peace Federation. Introduction to the UPF Character Education Initiative. What Is Character Education?. Character Education = Conscious Effort to Instill Virtues.

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The Character Education Initiative

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  1. The Character Education Initiative A Project of the Universal Peace Federation

  2. Introduction to the UPF Character Education Initiative

  3. What Is Character Education?

  4. Character Education = Conscious Effort to Instill Virtues “Character education is the deliberate effort to help people understand, care about, and act upon core ethical values.” Dr. Thomas Lickona, author, Educating for Character

  5. Educating the “Head, Heart, Hand”Drs. Kevin Ryan and Thomas Lickona • To know the good • To care about the good • To do the good

  6. Why Do We Need Character Education?

  7. Explosion of Moral Problems in Society Divorce Premarital Sex

  8. Alienation from Traditional Values

  9. Leads to Alienation of Youth from Society

  10. Youth Don’t Know Who They Are or Where They Are Going

  11. Rising Youth Suicide Rates

  12. Rising Teenage Pregnancy Rates

  13. Rising Youth Violence and Crime

  14. Drug Abuse

  15. Alcohol Abuse

  16. Unwholesome Media and Entertainment Influences

  17. Character Education Has Always Been Part of Education • Since Plato, educators have accepted moral instruction of the young as part of their educational mission • Many universities, including Harvard,were founded to train clergy

  18. Character Education Declined in the Twentieth Century, in Part Due to Science • Logical positivism—everything should be empirically provable • Theory of relativity applied to the moral realm • Personalism—morals are everyone’s to choose

  19. Values are subjective What people value may vary from culture to culture Values change Virtues are universal Virtues are admired everywhere Virtues do not change Moral Relativism: Whose Values to Teach? “Virtues” Not “Values”

  20. Yet Virtues May be Used for Good or Bad Purposes • A strong-willed dictator • A diligent terrorist • A conscientious computer hacker • A generous thief

  21. Therefore, UPF Teaches Virtues within the Framework of Three Basic Life Goals

  22. The Three Life Goals = A Purposeful Life • To attain mature character • To develop loving relationships with family and others • To make a positive contribution to society

  23. Character Develops through Four Spheres of Love in the Family • A child’s love for parents • A sibling’s love for brothers and sisters • A spouse’s love for husband or wife • A parent’s love for a child

  24. Altruism = the Virtue of VirtuesTo live and work for the benefit of others Altruism encompasses all the other virtues

  25. The Family is the First School of Love and Relationships The Oliners’ study of rescuers during the Holocaust showed that altruistic people come from loving families

  26. The UPF Character Education Initiative Emphasizes • Virtues and ethical principles common to all cultures • The family is the first school of love • Three Basic Life Goals • Altruism is the organizing core virtue • Home, school, community

  27. UPF’s Discovering the Real Me Character Education Curriculum • Utilizes the power of story • Age-appropriate books, covering ages 5-18 • For use in homes, schools, community venues

  28. Discovering the Real Me, Books 1-4 • Elementary level: Aesop’s fables and classic fairy tales

  29. Discovering the Real Me, Books 5-8 • Adolescent level: Stories of realistic situations, and moral dilemmas

  30. Discovering the Real Me, Books 9-12 • High school level: Character-based sexuality education, relationship, communication, and leadership skills

  31. Character Education—Important and Necessary Part of Education Tomorrow’s Test: How did I show altruism this past week?

  32. Food Drive = A+

  33. Advanced Technology Means We Must Use Our Powers for Good, Not Ill

  34. “The greater our material power, the greater our need for spiritual insight and virtue.” Arnold Toynbee, British historian, Civilization on Trial

  35. Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the U.S., Knew the Value of Character Education “To educate a man in mind and not morals is to educate a menace to society.”

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