CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
An Annotated Bibliograpy
Sources: ERIC & PsyLit
Compiled by: William G. Huitt, August, 1994
Return to: | Readings in Educational Psychology | Educational Psychology Interactive |
General
Astin, Alexander W. (1992). Values, Assessment, and Academic Freedom: A Challenge to the Accrediting Process. North Central Association Quarterly, 67(2), 295-306. Underscores the value and responsibilities of institutional autonomy in higher education. Challenges institutions to pay more attention to the development of such qualities as citizenship, character, honesty, and social responsibilities and to reflect these values in the curriculum, pedagogical methods, personnel policies, resource allocation, and outcomes assessment.
Berger, Michael L. (1982, Fall). The Public Schools Can't Do It All. Contemporary Education; v54 n1 p6-8. The role assumed by public schools in teaching affective subjects is discussed. It is argued that public schools have become scapegoats through their incapability of teaching such subjects as sex and drug education, moral development, and values clarification--subjects which should be the responsibility of the family and church.
Buechler, Mark; And Others. (1989). The Debate Over Corporal Punishment. Policy Memo Series No. 5. Consortium on Educational Policy Studies, Bloomington, IN. Corporal punishment, the act of disciplining students by inflicting physical pain (usually paddling the child's backside), has recently come under fire due to the public's growing concern over child abuse. Opponents of corporal punishment assert that there is little hard evidence showing that physical punishment promotes character development or produces lasting behavioral change. In fact, opponents claim that corporal punishment can be counterproductive by increasing rather than curtailing antisocial behavior. Corporal punishment supporters believe that coddling students who deserve to be punished is likely to do lasting harm; supporters suggest that children who do not learn that misbehavior has unfortunate consequences may never learn to behave acceptably. Currently, according to federal court rulings, school authorities can use reasonable physical punishment unless board policies or state laws stipulate otherwise. Across the 32 states that permit corporal punishment in their public schools, the laws vary considerably. Most states provide general authority to administer corporal punishment, but a few discourage this disciplinary technique. Whether corporal punishment continues to be used as a disciplinary tool will ultimately be resolved through the legislative process.
Campbell, Anne. (1985). Components of Rural School Excellence. Department of Education, Washington, DC. Paper presented at the National Rural Education Forum (Kansas City, MO, August 12-14. Although intrusive factors--such as the economy--have limited recent strides toward improving rural education, there are components of excellence within the realm of local determination that are appropriate to conditions, circumstances, and aspirations surrounding the schooling process in rural areas. The educational reform movement in most states has resulted in increased requirements that must be considered by rural educators/boards/citizens. While these mandates set parameters, local communities can determine goals and practices for the excellence components of content, standards and expectations, time, teaching and the teacher, and reinforcement of cultural mores. Rural communities can decide to meet or exceed minimum standards, with provision made to meet the needs of all children. Communities should take adequate time to identify issues, propose options, develop curriculum, and meet needs of students requiring instructional diversity. Teachers should not only be involved in the content process but should be accepted as members of the communities that recruit them. The additional preparation required of rural teachers should be supported by in-service and staff development, evaluation, career ladders, and incentive pay. Cultural mores can be reinforced by integrating character development into the school environment. These components of rural school excellence do not exhaust the list of items that could be explored.
Education Commission of the States. (1985). Civic Virtues and Character Development among Youth. A Leadership Symposium Hosted by the Education Commission of the States (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1985). No. CD-85-1. Denver, CO: Author. A belief that teachers and the school environment cannot be neutral forces in terms of shaping attitudes and behavior, that a publicly supported school should make no apology for trying to help young people understand and incorporate into their lives those civic virtues that almost everyone agrees are important to a democracy, plus a perceived need for more dialogue and research in this area underlies this symposium on the topic of values education. Approximately 200 key policy makers in the United States who provide leadership in citizenship education and character development at the K-12 levels of schooling were invited to attend. Presented in this document are: the symposium agenda; a list of 23 principles developed by participants for advancing civic virtues and character development among youth; a list of the participants; a bibliography of 102 readings recommended by the invitees; and copies of 19 handouts provided by the symposium presenters which explain the various programs and goals of their respective institutions.
Crossley, Kathy. (1990). Excellence in Education: Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Schools Recognized 1982-83 through 1989-90. Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC: Programs for the Improvement of Practice. Effective public and private schools selected for recognition by the Secondary School Recognition Program and the Elementary School Recognition Program for 1982-1983 through 1989-1990 are listed in this brochure. Criteria for selection are concerned with organization, leadership, curriculum, instruction, student achievement, character development, school climate, community involvement, initiatives for educational quality, and philosophy and goals. Individual schools are listed by state and year of participation.
Developing Character: Transmitting Knowledge. Sustaining the Momentum for Reform in American Education. (1984). A Thanksgiving Day Statement by a Group of 27 Americans. Thanksgiving Statement Group, Posen, IL. J.M. Foundation, New York, N.Y.; Johnson Foundation, Inc., Racine, Wis. A joint statement by 27 scholars, educators, and policymakers focuses on the question of character development in American education, as well as the general need to sustain the momentum of reform brought about by numerous national reports on education. Following an executive summary which presents a rationale for the statement, material is divided into nine sections. Each section addresses a particular issue: developing good character in the young, improving academic performance by all students, maintaining demands on the academically talented, strenghtening teachers and teaching, upgrading curriculum and textbooks, providing choice for parents and pupils, revitalizing education policymaking and research, re-evaluating undergraduate education, and receiving accurate information on schools and pupils. For each issue, an explanatory paragraph is followed by discussion and several concrete recommendations. Where relevant, charts and graphs provide statistical support for general statements. A concluding statement is accompanied by a chart allocating responsibility for action on the nine issues to parents, teachers, schools, districts, government agencies, the media, researchers, higher education, private interest groups, citizens, and the courts. Statements of partial dissent by some signers concludes the publication.
Gottfredson, Gary D. (1986). Using the Effective School Battery in School Improvement and Effective Schools Programs. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Social Organization of Schools. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (67th, San Francisco, CA, April 16-20). The Effective School Battery (ESB) is a diagnostic tool used for assessing school climate and providing a sound basis for planning and evaluating school improvement programs. This paper provides a brief look at the development of the ESB and describes its basic features. The ESB serves for diagnosing problems, opening up communication, evaluating improvement programs, and providing some indicators of a school's organizational health. Many school characteristics cited in the effective schools literature are measured by the ESB, though some characteristics unsuited to measurement are not. The ESB permits development of a comprehensive rather than a unidimensional image of the school. Among the characteristics tested are school-site leadership, use of instructional time, establishment of goals and expectations, recognition of academic achievement, parental involvement, orderliness and security of the environment, performance monitoring methods, collegiality and collaboration, staff development, teacher-student relations, student participation, the sense of community, and district support. The standard of effectiveness is extended to include character development as well as academic achievement. Practical questions about the ESB are posed and answered. Appended are samples of graphs displaying ESB findings, tables of the ESB scales and their meanings, and a three-page list of references.
Kofodimos, Joan. (1990). Using biographical methods to understand managerial style and character. Special Issue: Character and leadership. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 26(4), 433-459. Describes a biographical action research (BAR) approach used to understand managers' behavior and foster their development. A theoretical framework of managerial style and personality was developed and used to determine the underlying forces within each S's character shaped by that person's life history and environment and reinforced by organizational values and norms. The key principles of the BAR approach are to gather multiple perspectives, use multiple methods, and combine research and service. Applications of the framework and principles in studying and consulting to executives are described, with details of the case study of one S highlighted. The dilemmas of BAR involve resulting emotional repercussions, reporting data accurately without compromising Ss' anonymity, and balancing service to clients with the scientific pursuit of knowledge. The benefits include deeper understanding of the manager's style, behavior, character, and development.
London, Perry. (1987). Character Education and Clinical Intervention: A Paradigm Shift for U.S. Schools. Phi Delta Kappan; v68 n9 p667-73. In response to changing social norms and "psychosocial epidemics" disrupting children's lives, schools must become more important agents of character development, providing education in civic virtue and personality adjustment. Schools' "damage control" function cannot succeed without involving families and reevaluating existing intervention training and research strategies. Includes 24 references.
McAvoy, Brenda. (Ed.). (1987). The Principal as Academician: The Renewed Voice. Atlanta: Georgia State University, Principals Institute. This collection of essays was written by principals who participated in the 1986-87 Humanities Seminar sponsored by the Principals' Institute of Georgia State University. The focus was "The Evolution of Intellectual Leadership." The roles of the principal as philosopher, historian, ethnician, writer and team member are examined through the eyes of philosophers, historians, and language scholars. Twelve participants contributed to this publication. The 12 contributions to this publication are: (1) "A Position Paper Regarding the Educational Profession and the Humanities" (Ron Lane); (2) "Thoughts on the Principal as Historian" (M. C. Specht); (3) "The Administrator as Historian" (Jim Ovbey); (4) "The Ethics of Competitiveness: Excellence Versus Success" (Linda Gruehn); (5) "The New Wave: Ethics Training--Character Development" (Beverly J. Dryden); (6) "Loneliness Is a Feeling of Without" (J. Carla Northcutt); (7) "Basic Beliefs" (Michael Cooper); (8) "Education For What? Krishnamurti's View" (J. B. Mahon); (9) "A Little of Knight's Story" (Burrelle S. Meeks); (10) "Instructions for the Use and Care of Teachers" (Patricia H. Cook); (11) "Inservice" (Paula Calhoun); and (12) "Passing the Torch: The Role of Teachers in Recruiting the Next Generation of Teachers" (Shirley Davis-Chapman).
McClellan, B. Edward. (1992). Schools and the Shaping of Character: Moral Education in America, 1607-Present. (Document no.: ED352310). Debates about how moral education ought to be provided have engaged many of the best minds in education and stirred public controversies throughout U.S. history. The vast array of European peoples who settled the American colonies brought a commitment to moral education and a variety of approaches to the task. While French and Spanish settlers brought Catholicism to the New World, northern European Protestants did the most to give moral education its character in the original 13 colonies. The 19th century brought an insistence on rigid self-restraint, moral purity, and cultural conformity. Public schools became the preferred educational institutions for most citizens as state systems expanded rapidly. A movement to establish nonsectarian schools grew out of Protestant social thought and modes of organization. At the same time, Sunday schools appeared to bring Christian discipline and discipleship to the working classes. As the schools of the late 19th and early 20th centuries expanded their functions, moral education was forced to compete for a place in an increasingly crowded curriculum. By the 1940s the role of moral education began to erode. Throughout the 1960 and 1970s, schools either adopted neutrality with regard to moral questions or became indifferent to them. At the same time, however, some educators and others sought to restore moral education in the schools. In more recent years, there have been efforts: (1) to take nontraditional approaches to moral education; (2) to restore virtue-centered character education; or (3) to provide public support to private schools. Few can doubt that the decision regarding whether to restore moral education in the schools will be a fateful one.
Murray, Christopher. (1984). Youth Research in the 1980s. Prospects. Quarterly Review of Education; v14 n2 p211-21. An overview of youth research from a global perspective is provided. Five substantive areas of youth research are identified: (1) youth movements; (2) transitional processes of youth; (3) social and psychological marginalization; (4) relationships between generations; and (5) physical and character development.
National School Boards Association. (1987). Building Character in the Public Schools. Strategies for Success. NSBA Leadership Reports, 1987-2. Alexandria, VA: Author. The National School Boards Association proposed to the United States Department of Education a project, "Building Character in the Public Schools," designed to enhance character development in the schools through involvement of more than 15,000 local school boards in this country. The project had two overall goals: to heighten national awareness of the importance of character development programs in local public schools to the continued success and stability of American society; and to encourage the establishment and improvement of character development programs in public elementary and secondary schools. The first chapter deals with the triggering conditions and problems surrounding this problem. Chapter 2 reflects on several approaches to the definition of character education. The remaining chapters describe the methods that boards desiring to respond to this issue can take to ensure development of effective character education policies and programs in their school systems. Policy development guidelines and implementation procedures relevant to character building in the public schools are listed. Appended are: (1) a list of resources; (2) 16 different sample policies; and (3) sample implementation aids.
Newman, Anabel P. (1985). Twenty Lives Nineteen Years Later: A Longitudinal Study (1964-1983) of the Impact of Literacy on the Occupations, Schooling, and Educational Growth of Young Adults Who Were Low-Reading Readiness in First Grade with Special Attention Given to Model, Motivation, Interest, Perseverance, and Pressure as Aspects of Background and Mental Environment. Indiana University, Language Education Department. The study described in this report had a threefold purpose: (1) to examine, over time, the development of young adults who, when in the first grade in a midwestern school system, were in the lower third of their classes; (2) to examine the effect of literacy on their educational attainment, occupational level, and achievement; and (3) to examine the part cultural and family experiences play in student growth and development. The five chapters of the report explain the background and need for the study; describe related research that showed that the intangible variables of model, motivation, interest, perseverance, and pressure played a large part in the development of the young people; outline the design and methodology of the study, which involved telephone interviews with the young adults and their parents; relate the findings and conclusions from the interviews; offer summaries; and make recommendations for learners with characteristics similar to those in the study--their interests, self-concepts, coping skills, values, character development, socialization, and thinking skills. Half of the volume consists of appendices. These include a research chronology, sample interview questionnaires, and student and parent interview tables.
Passow, A. Harry. (1985). Developing Character: Transmitting Knowledge--The Thanksgiving Statement--One Assessment of a Statement on Education Policy. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (69th, Chicago, IL, March 31-April 4). Developing Character: Transmitting Knowledge, a statement signed by 27 educators intended to sustain the momentum for reform in American education, is discussed and critiqued. The author declined to sign the Statement and was asked to critically evaluate it. The Statement presents nine major issues, follows with a discussion of each, and concludes with a set of recommendations concerning each issue. Although the report criticizes the national reform reports for not dealing adequately with the topic of youth character, the Statement avoids such strategies as values education or sex education, and seems not to come to grips with the elements of character development which require cognitive and affective development and the creation of a climate of community in the school. The recommendations are viewed by this critic as restatements of the recommendations from some of the national reform reports such as "A Nation at Risk." He believes the recommendations are conservative and traditional and stray from the focus on character development of youth. By attempting to deal with the whole of education and schooling rather than those issues and recommendations concerning character development, the result is a Statement which is too traditional, too conservative, and too general.
Seuffert, Virginia. (1990). Home Remedy: A Mom's Prescription for Ailing Schools. Policy Review; n52 p70-75. Discusses the history and advantages of home schooling. Reviews available curricula. Emphasizes immediate feedback, character development shaped by family values and religious beliefs, and low per-pupil costs.
Teplitsky, Alan. (1987). Life, Literature, and Character: Some Cornerstone Principles. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English Spring Conference (6th, Louisville, KY, March 26-28). There is a widely felt need to do something in education about the moral wasteland of contemporary American society. It is appropriate for English teachers to posit some usable dimensions of moral education. Seven cornerstone principles appear to be universally involved both in the lives of literary characters and in the kind of heart-deep character development which educators try to nurture in students through the English curriculum. The seven principles are: design, authority, conscience, love, power, destiny, and wisdom. The principles suggest a possible thematic scope and sequence for a complete literature curriculum, both within and between grade levels. Within each grade level the central theme could be examined in the light of each of the other principles. Presented in this way, the cornerstone principles would generate a kind of spiral curriculum of morally educative units, each year adding to the students' understanding of important social and ethical values. Year after year, they can be engaged in a vital and personal experiencing of literature, be asked questions that require them to come to grips with some universal principles of character, and be motivated toward an active involvement in solving personal and community problems. A series of exercises revolving around Shakespeare's "Hamlet" illustrate how the cornerstone principles can be applied. Educators must recognize that character development is a lifelong process, and that there are more key factors outside the classroom than in it. (One figure is included; two extensive appendixes containing a character development ladder and a detailed examination of the cornerstone principles, and 82 endnotes are attached.)
Walsh, Kevin. (1990). The Three Dimensions of Education. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (Lewisburg, PA, July 19-21). Three dimensions of education--development of knowledge, training of mental abilities, and development of character--and their implications for social and individual good are discussed in this paper. Education is described as the process that prepares young people for their social inheritance through the transmission of societal values. A recommendation is that knowledge development should be based on cultural knowledge and should stress student effort over whatever interests the child already happens to have. Mental discipline, or learning how to complete responsibility, is the central premise of the training of mental ability. The first two dimensions contribute to character development, which transmits cultural and moral values through discipline. Education is based on the premise that knowledge does not give rise to a culture's character, but rather the character of a culture gives rise to its knowledge and direction. A conclusion is that failure to develop character and morality through education fails the fundamental premise of education--the preparation of the young to inherit and strengthen their society.
Wilson, James Q. (1983). Crime and American Culture. Ethics and Public Policy Essay #43. Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, DC. Document no: ED289750. The great waves of foreign immigration, the onset of rapid industrialization, the emergence of an urban working class--all features of the post Civil War United States that might have contributed to rising crime rates--did not. Ted Robert Gurr suggests that a growth of the "civilizing process" occurred in which people turned away from violence and internalized or displaced aggressive impulses. The process began among upper socio-economic groups and was given institutional expression in various reform movements. Beginning in the 1920s, the educated classes in America repudiated moral improvement as it had been defined during the preceding century. Child rearing views began to change in the 1920s. Character development was replaced with personality development. By the 1960s, the baby boom generation had come of age. The psychology of radical individualism and the philosophy of individual rights triumphed. The factors that most directly influence crime (family structure, moral development, the level of personal freedom) are the very things that U.S. citizens do not easily change or, for persuasive reasons, do not wish to change. Law becomes more important as informal social control becomes less important. Thousands of neighborhood organizations and civic enterprises have emerged from a desire to reduce crime by direct popular action. This recourse to informal communal action has grown out of a reaffirmed allegiance to a communal theory of social control.
Wynne, Edward. (1986). Character Development: Renewing an Old Commitment. Principal; v65 n3 p28-31. Growing public concern with student discipline, increases in student suicide rates, homicides, and high pregnancy rates of teenage girls are causing educators to give renewed attention to the concept of "character development" in public education.
Wynne, Edward, & Walberg, Herbert. (1986, January). Pupil Characteristics and Academics--Concurrent Priorities. NASSP Bulletin; v70 n486 p59-66. The recommendations set forth in "Developing Character: Transmitting Knowledge," a recent statement signed by prominent scholars and educators, are reviewed here for principals. The statement focuses on the importance of education for character development.
Wynne, Edward, & Walberg, Herbert. (1985-1986). The Complementary Goals of Character Development and Academic Excellence. Educational Leadership; v43 n4 p15-18. Academically successful schools need to master student discipline and accept that character development is as important as academic development. Provides recommendations on how schools can do both.
Youngs, Bettie B. (1993). Self-Esteem in the School: More than a "Feel-Good" Movement. NASSP Bulletin, 76(549), 59-66. The six vital ingredients of student self-esteem are physical safety, emotional security, identity, affiliation, competence, and mission. Educational reform efforts will not succeed until educators reinforce character-building practices promoting self-respect as a basis for learning and achieving. Principals must provide leadership in staff development, parent participation, recognition of new work demands, and development of a health school environment. Philosophical Issues
Beller, Edward. (1986, August). Education for Character: An Alternative to Values Clarification and Cognitive Moral Development Curricula. Journal of Educational Thought; v20 n2 p67-76. Discusses the weaknesses inherent in Sidney Simon's values clarification method and Lawrence Kohlberg's cognitive moral development method, suggesting that single class, isolated instruction overlooks the affective, unconscious elements of character formation. Recommends an alternative holistic approach based on John Locke's concept of all education as education for character development.
Bermeo, Franklin H. (1979). Ellen G. White's theory of character development with inferences suggested by selected contemporary psychologists. Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol 40(3-A), 1379.
Miller, Peter J.; Kim, Ki Su. (1988). Human Nature and the Development of Character: The Clash of Descriptive and Normative Elements in John Stuart Mill's Educational Theory. Journal of Educational Thought; v22 n2 p133-44. Discusses John Stuart Mill's belief in the development of character as a solution to social problems and a worthy educational ideal. Concludes that Mill's belief in education's power to perfect human nature through character development could not be realized within the framework of his anthropological views of human kind.
Shermis, S. Samuel; Barth, James L. (1982). Teaching for Passive Citizenship: A Critique of Philosophical Assumptions. Theory and Research in Social Education; v10 n4 p17-37. While educators have always talked about active citizenship and critical thought, classroom practices have emphasized passive acquisition and character development. Teachers' philosophical assumptions that enable them to train future citizens to become passive spectators are discussed.
Taylor, Michael R. (1982). Character and autonomy: The paradox of moral education. Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol 43(3-A), 827.
Statewide Efforts
Arizona State Department of Education. (1990). Character Development in the 90s: A Reaffirmation of Values. Teaching Values in Arizona Schools. The Report of the Task Force on Values in Education for the State of Arizona. Phoenix: Author. Pursuant to a request from the Arizona State Board of Education, an interagency task force was formed in fall 1989 to examine the issue of values instruction in Arizona schools. This document begins with a summary of the resulting report, along with a list of suggested common core values, recommendations for development and implementation of a values instruction program, and an historical perspective on values instruction. Appended is the full text of the task force report, "Character Development in the 90s: A Reaffirmation of Values." This report states and develops 10 consensual premises underlying values instruction: (1) that values need to be taught; (2) that society supports an increased role for the public school in values instruction; (3) that values instruction needs to be defined; (4) that a common core of values exists within our society; (5) that values play a role in education and that teachers and administrators play a part in transmitting values; (6) that values are taught implicitly and explicitly throughout the curriculum, by instruction, practices, and personal example; (7) that educators should be aware of differing values and ethics of the community; (8) that knowledge from research in values education and child development should be considered in developing a program; (9) that goals of values instruction should be established in terms of student behavior and character development; and (10) that a recognized philosophy of values instruction and commitment to its implementation should be adopted and implemented. Also appended are state board members' comments on the values education report and a list of the values education task force members. A bibliography is included.
Beswick, Richard. (1992). Character Education. OSSC Bulletin, 35(9). Although there has been reluctance to support direct methods of teaching moral values and character traits, due in part to lack of consensus about whose values should be taught, a national call to rethink that trend has begun to be heard. An up-to-date account is provided of the recommendations of the Oregon State Board of Education to mandate character education throughout Oregon, by December 1992, along with suggestions on policy and implementation. This publication explores the need for character education and shows how a direct approach can work in an interdependent and multicultural world. Chapter 1 attempts to define character education and discusses the need for instilling character traits. Several modern theories of moral development and their limitations are also explored in the chapter. Chapter 2 describes several ongoing character education programs and features Oregon's North Clackamas School District. Character education curriculum is the subject of chapter 3. Finally, chapter 4 deals with the legal and public policy aspect carrying out character education in Oregon. The appendix lists seven sources of information on programs and curriculum.
Ohio State Department of Education. (1990). Character Education in Ohio: Sample Strategies. Columbus: Author. (Document no.: ED350196). The Ohio State Department of Education has identified 10 basic values for which students are to strive. These individual character traits are compassion, courtesy, tolerance,honesty, self-discipline, diligence, responsibility, self- respect, courage, and integrity. This guide provides sample strategies for educators to help them to develop these traits in their students. The guide is comprised of five sections. Section 1 contains a sample character trait inventory. The 10 basic values are listed with statements related to each trait. The purpose of the instrument is to determine the extent to which these values are practiced by individuals in the school. A sample needs assessment instrument is provided in section 2 of the guide. It is to be used in conjunction with the character trait inventory to target aspects of the general school and classroom environments where action may be needed to ensure that individual character traits are being addressed. Goals based on the environmental aspects listed on the needs assessment tool are established in section 3. Each goal is followed by sample activities or lesson plans that address each of the character traits at various grade levels. Section 4 provides a model for organizing an advisory committee. School districts are encouraged to appoint a broad-based advisory committee to review the State Board's report, determine the community's values, and develop strategies for incorporating these values in the schools. The fifth and final section of the guide is a listing of books, articles, resource materials, and newsletters that may prove beneficial in the incorporation of character education in the school environment.
Early and Middle Childhood
Freeman, Evelyn B. (1984). The development of empathy in young children: In search of a definition. Child Study Journal, Vol 13(4), 235-245. Investigated (a) the relationship between cognitive and affective dimensions of empathy and (b) the effects of sex of S and sex and race of stimulus character on empathy development. 54 White preschoolers (aged 43-67 mo) responded to story vignettes both in terms of how they themselves felt and how the stimulus child felt. Results indicate that a significant positive correlation existed between cognitive and affective empathy with Ss expressing significantly more cognitive empathy than affective empathy. For male Ss, the degree of racial similarity had a significant effect on the expression of cognitive empathy. Results are discussed in terms of current theories regarding empathy development.
Hess, Charlotte M.; Gilgannon, Nancy. (1986). Gaming: A Curriculum Technique for Elementary Counselors. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Association for Counseling and Development (Los Angeles, CA, April 20-23). Recently, emphasis has been placed on curriculum implementation of character development. The elementary school counselor can function as a curriculum consultant by providing a delivery system for affective goals and objectives in the curriculum. Elementary counselors can help administrators and teachers to define learning problems and establish program goals, collect data to assist in determining teaching methodology and strategies, develop a plan and design curriculum, implement the plan, and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. A useful instructional strategy which has suffered a decline in popularity is gaming. Gaming encourages students to explore, discover, and create. Counselors and teachers can observe students' gaming and thus gather information for instructional planning. One form of gaming, role playing, is an effective means for developing decision-making and problem solving skills. Effective use of gaming involves the development of instructional objectives and teacher training. Teachers need to know how to establish affective objectives and use affective education. Character development must come through coordinated learning activities and school counselors have the expertise to act as consultants in this process.
Lickona, Thomas. (1989). Character Development in Elementary-Grade Children. Religion & Public Education; v16 n3 p409-17. Identifies goals of character development for elementary school children. Offers four processes that promote positive social growth and moral maturity: (1) building self-esteem and a sense of community; (2) learning to cooperate and help others; (3) reflecting on moral choices; and (4) participating in decision making. Suggests how teachers have implemented these processes.
Lickona, Thomas. (1988). Educating the Moral Child. Principal; v68 n2 p6-10. Spurred by an impending morality crisis, moral education is making a comeback. Gallup polls indicate that over 80 percent of parents want public schools to teach moral values. This article shows how to promote respect and responsibility as the fourth and fifth "R's." Insets list values and character development objectives.
Lickona, Thomas. (1988). Four Strategies for Fostering Character Development and Academics in Children. Phi Delta Kappan; v69 n6 p419-23. Discusses three goals of character development for elementary school children: promoting (1) cooperative relationships and mutual respect; (2) moral agency; and (3) a moral community based on fairness, caring, and participation. Explores teaching strategies for building self-esteem and fostering cooperation, moral reflection, and participative decision making. Incudes five references.
McKee, Patricia; And Others. (1986). A Salute to Success: The Elementary School Recognition Program. Principal; v66 n1 p14-19. In October 1984, Education Secretary William Bennett proclaimed 1985-86 the "Year of the Elementary School" and announced the Elementary School Recognition Program. The program's goal was to focus national attention on schools providing high-quality instructional and character development programs. This article lists the 270 winning schools by state.
Schaps, Eric; And Others. (1985-1986). A Program that Combines Character Development and Academic Achievement. Educational Leadership; v43 n4 p32-35. Describes the Child Development Project in California, which holds that academic and character education are equally important goals for schools. The project has been established to produce long-lasting effects on children's "prosocial" development.
Wynne, Edward (1988). Balancing Character Development and Academics in the Elementary School. Phi Delta Kappan; v69 n6 p424-26. Describes the For Character Program that identifies and honors public and private schools in which students demonstrate high levels of positive conduct and academic effort. Outlines several school and classroom management principles that stress both character development and academic quality and resemble effective school characteristics.
Yeatts, Karol L. (1990). Establishing an Affective School Environment To Enhance Character Development in Pre K-3rd Grade Students Using Storytelling Techniques. Ed.D. Practicum, Nova University. Document no: ED321901. During an 8-month period, a primary school teacher designed and implemented a practicum study intended to socialize children in prekindergarten through 3rd-grade classes to be cooperative, responsible, and achieving individuals. Primary goals of the practicum were to develop a nurturing affective environment, enhance character development, decrease behavioral problems, and enhance home and school relations. A literature review provided: (1) evidence of the importance of an affective environment for the enhancement of character development; and (2) suggestions for establishment of such an environment. The effort to establish a positive, nurturing affective environment involved getting support from school administration and the Parent Teacher Association, writing a proposal for an education grant to purchase education materials, arranging teacher in-service and peer-teacher support activities, and providing teachers with suggestions, activities, and support. Practicum evaluation data indicated effectiveness in improving character development and decreasing behavior problems. An emphasis on story writing and story telling resulted in over 600 works by students. Questionnaires and other measures, instructional materials, and additional materials used in the practicum are appended.
Middle Grades
Fenwick, James J. (1987). Caught in the Middle. Educational Reform for Young Adolescents in California Public School. Report of the Superintendent's Middle Grade Task Force. Sacramento: Bureau of Adult Education. California State Department of Education. Twenty-two principles of middle grade education are addressed in this report, which is intended for those who have the authority to give meaning and substance to the reform of middle grade education in California's public schools. Each principle is developed through a discussion that concludes with specific recommendations that have implications for legislative initiatives, educational policies, administrative guidelines, and professional practices. Part One, "Curriculum and Instruction: Achieving Academic Excellence," provides recommendations in the areas of core curriculum, knowledge, thinking and communication, character development, learning to learn, and instructional practice. Part Two, entitled "Student Potential: Realizing the 'Highest and Best' Intellectual, Social, Emotional, and Physical Development," covers academic counseling, equal access, student diversity and underrepresented minorities, at-risk students, and physical and emotional development. Part Three, "Organization and Structure: Creating New Learning Environments," addresses school culture, extracurricular and intramural activities, student accountability, transition, structure, scheduling, and assessment. Part Four, "Teaching and Administration: Preparing for Exemplary Performance," focuses on professional preparation and staff development. Part Five, entitled "Leadership and Partnership: Defining the Catalysts for Middle Grade Educational Reform," focuses on sharing accountability for educational reform among parents, communities, and school boards, and concludes with a proposal for a partnership to create 100 state-of-the-art middle schools. Appended are (1) an outline of middle-grade student characteristics; (2) a tabular "accountability matrix" for the recommendations as a whole; and (3) a selected bibliography of books and articles on middle grade education.
Honig, Bill. (1988). Middle Grade Reform. Social Education; v52 n2 p119-20. Discusses California's Middle Grade Task Force and its report, "Caught in the Middle: Educational Reform for Young Adolescents in California Public Schools." Describes the 1987 revision of the California history-social science framework which emphasizes character development through studying the moral and ethical struggles of literary and historical figures.
Thompson, Denise R. (1989). METRO Achievement Program: Summer 1988. External Evaluation Report. Chicago: METRO Achievement Program. Document no: ED317651. This document comprises an evaluation of the 1988 METRO Achievement Program, a summer educational program to help develop the academic potential of primarily Black and Hispanic girls entering the seventh and eighth grades in Chicago. The 5-week program included the following components: (1) mathematics, science, and communication skills classes; (2) a character development class; (3) a fine arts class; (4) team sports; (5) personal counseling; and (6) field trips. Evaluation information was gathered from surveys of participants, parents, and advisors, and from comparison surveys of girls in five of the schools from which METRO recruits participants. The following findings are reported: (1) only seventh-grade blacks and eighth-grade Hispanics showed significant increases in self-esteem and seventh-grade Hispanics showed a decrease in self-esteem; (2) the overall patterns of self-esteem were similar to those of the five comparison schools but the individual measures of participants were better than those at the comparison schools; (3) parents and advisors perceived increases in participants' self-confidence and self-assurance, and reported that a majority of the participants became less shy and more outgoing; (4) participants reported liking the program and one-sixth reported having learned something new; (5) almost all participants would recommend the program to others; (6) 20 percent of the participants reported an increase in self-confidence; and (7) eighth-grade participants were much more positive about the academic classes than seventh-graders. Recommendations for improvement are suggested. Thirty-seven tables of statistical data, copies of the survey questionnaires, and a list of 82 references are appended.
High School
Bauer, Rodney W. (1992, January). Correlates of student character development in a small high school. Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol 52(7-A), 2491.
Kessler, Glenn R., & Ibrahim, Farah A. (1986, Spring). Character development in adolescents. Adolescence, Vol 21(81), 1-9. Explored the effect of a program consisting of communication and counseling skills, assertiveness training, and moral dilemmas on the character development (i.e., moral reasoning, ego development, and assertiveness) of 54 high school seniors. It was hypothesized that exposure to the experimental treatment would enhance Ss' character development. Ss, who were enrolled in 3 psychology classes, were assigned randomly to 2 treatment groups and 1 control group. Assessment instruments were the Defining Issues Test, to measure moral reasoning; the Washington University Sentence Completion Test, to measure ego development; and an assertiveness schedule. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine significant differences between control and treatment posttest means with respect to the dependent variables--moral reasoning, ego development, and assertiveness. Results demonstrate that the character development of Ss in the experimental treatment group was affected significantly over time by the program, with measurable improvements noted in all 3 character development indices.
Maher, Robert. (1988). Leadership: Self, School, Community. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals, Division of Student Activities. This book describes Character Development and Leadership Training in the School and Community, a high school course instituted at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak, New York in 1983. It was written to help other educators interested in implementing similar student leadership programs. The developer of the program explains some of his reasons for starting the course, techniques which have proven successful in moving it forward, valuable community resources, and some problems and roadblocks encountered and avoided in the program implementation. Vandalism and loitering in the school are cited as reasons for beginning the program at Lakeland. It is noted that a successful program in character development and leadership training must serve three needs: the improvement of self, of school, and of community. The main objective of the program is to encourage students to better themselves by knowing themselves and the kinds of leadership roles they are best suited to perform; in the course of this development, to better the school as an educational and social community so that the student body will encounter a healthy and supportive atmosphere for their growth as scholars and persons; and, finally, to become involved in established community organizations. Chapters in the book describe student selection for the program, the leadership application, sample exercises and descriptions, committees in action, individual projects, the School Watch Program, special projects, the summer break, teachers, grading, and readings and films.
Maryland State Department of Education. (1989). Bridge to the Future. Addressing The Needs of Students At Risk during the High School Years. Technical Team Report. Submitted to the Commission for Students At Risk of School Failure. Baltimore: Author. This report analyzes practices and conditions that seek to prevent at-risk behaviors among adolescents. Discussion begins with a description of the developmental tasks that adolescents need to complete before they can assume productive adult roles in society. While two conflicting views of adolescence are noted, the capacity of young people to change is supported. The report examines characteristics of home, school, and community environments that support the healthy physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and character development of adolescents. The report then outlines a process for identifiying at-risk adolescents and highlights some intervention designs for youths already displaying at-risk behaviors. Interventions include academic support, pupil services and social services supports, career preparation and experiential learning, schools of choice, and school reorganization. Concluding discussion concerns two challenges to those attempting to make changes that will benefit high school students. For each challenge, barriers that will need to be dealt with are listed. Forty-three profiles of intervention programs that serve as examples across the nation are appended. A list of 65 references is provided.
University/College Age
Bliming, Gregory S. (1990, Summer). Developing Character in College Students. NASPA Journal; v27 n4 p266-74. Examines four problems associated with developing character in college students: two concerned with moral cognition, or knowing what is right, and two concerned with moral action. It then reviews educational programs concerned with moral action, and provides suggestions for designing character development strategies.
Dalton, Jon. (Ed.). (1985). Promoting Values Development in College Students. Monograph Series, Volume 4. Columbus, OH: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Inc. Document no.: ED272803. This monograph was written to examine the significance of recent moral development theory and research for college student development and to demonstrate ways in which these findings can be incorporated into student affairs programs and services. Although the monograph includes some review and discussion of research and theory in values development, it is intended primarily for student personnel practitioners. The following chapters are included: (1) "The Legacy of Values Education in College Student Personnel Work" (Arthur Sandeen); (2) "Values Education: A New Priority for College Student Development" (Jon C. Dalton); (3) "Influences of Character Development During the College Years: The Retrospective View of Recent Undergraduates" (John M. Whiteley, et al); (4) "Critical Factors in the Value Development Process" (Jon C. Dalton); (5) "Planning a Comprehensive Values Education Program" (Jon C. Dalton, et al); and (6) "Evaluating Moral Development" (James R. Rest). Also included are a conclusion by Martha McGinty Stodt and an annotated bibliography (66 entries) by James Thorius. The appendix provides short summaries of the method and goals of 10 sample values education programs.
Dunn, Dana S. (1992, March). Freud, Problem Solving, Ethnicity, and Race: Integrating Psychology into the Interdisciplinary Core Curriculum. (Document no.: ED350065). The new core curriculum at Moravian College, in Pennsylvania, utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, integrating topics of psychology into three of the seven core courses: "Microcosm/Macrocosm"; "Quantitative Problem Solving"; and
Durand, Henry F., & Reister, Barry W. (1987). Management Theory Meets Student Development Theory: Implications for Student Affairs Programming. NASPA Journal, 25(2), 82-90. One goal of student affairs programming is the promotion of character development. Based on the assumption that empathy training will have a significant impact on character development, a study was designed which incorporated the listening skills (empathy) training of the Sierra Project (Whitely, 1982) with the Hersey/Blanchard model for situational leadership. College students' (N=39) scores on Kagan's Affective Sensitivity Scale fell within four groups of empathy readiness: R1 (low motivation/low ability), R2 (high motivation/low ability), R3 (high ability/low motivation), and R4 (high ability, high motivation). Subjects were then divided into four listening skills training workshop conditions: S1 (high task/low relationship), S2 (high task/high relationship), S3 (low task/high relationship), and S4 (low task/low relationship). In an effort to monitor the effects of the training on self-esteem, a semantic differential was administered before the workshop began, at the midpoint, and immediately after the workshop. The Affective Sensitivity Scale was readministered after completion of the workshop to measure changes in ability to empathize. The results indicated that high skilled students (R3-R4) who participated in a low structured (S3-S4) treatment did significantly better than high skilled students who participated in the high structured (S1-S2) intervention. Low skilled (R1-R2) students in a high structured (S1-S2) intervention did significantly better than low skilled students in a low structured (S3-S4) intervention. Changes in self-esteem throughout the study indicated the importance of monitoring self-esteem, although at this time results are only speculative.
Goodchild, Lester F. (1986). Changes in the Professoriate, the Curriculum, and the Aim of Higher Education from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper. Views from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era are traced concerning the role of faculty in collegiate education, the curriculum, and desired learning outcomes. Previous educational thought concerning faculty, curricula, and mission provides a historical paradigm in which the ideological orientation of the 1985 Association of American Colleges' (AAC) report, "Integrity in the College Curriculum" can be interpreted. The AAC recommendation to restore the teaching orientation of the professoriate "as its first obligation" represents a movement away from the thought of Aquinas, Vergerius, and Ticknow which has characterized American higher education since the turn of the century. A revised faculty role emphasizing a greater teaching and formative orientation toward students' intellectual and character development represents a shift to the thought of Hugh of St. Victor, Aquaviva, Erasmus, Day, and Newman. The report further endorsed this group's thought when it revitalized the general education and prescribed manner of the liberal arts curriculum. The report also emphasizes wisdom rather than knowledge as desired outcomes. These orientations renunciate the current state of the American undergraduate experience formed during the twentieth century. However, the report does not fully address the purpose of the baccalaureate degree.
Hirschhorn, Michael (1987, March 11). Student Entrepreneurs Test World of Business Deals and "Power Schmoozing." Chronicle of Higher Education; v33 n26 p1,36. The Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs is an organization supporting and promoting student entrepreneurship through positive attitudes, character development, and enthusiasm. Student-run businesses are varied, creative, and often highly successful.
Klingman, Barbara A. (1992, May). The call of the wild: Investigating the relationship between adventure education, character development, and the college curriculum. Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol 52(11-A) 3836.
Moral and Ethical Development on the College Campus. A Symposium. (1985). Bowling Green State Univ., Ohio. Document no.: ED267709. Issues concerning student moral and ethical development during college are considered in three papers from a symposium sponsored by Bowling Green State University as part of the Academic Outcomes Project. Four major questions are addressed: the college's role in promoting students' moral and ethical development; what constitutes moral and ethical development in young adults and adults in general; the degree to which this type of development occurs among college students; and what types of collegiate experiences promote or inhibit students' moral and ethical development. After an introduction by Patricia M. King, a paper by John M. Whiteley is presented: "The Development of Values and Ethics During the College Years." Attention is directed to the Sierra Project, which is a longitudinal study of the effects of a new approach to character education, and the character development of students during college. Three ways to respond to forces that push education to specialization are proposed by Thomas Klein in "Moral Development: A Faculty Member's Perspective." Ideas for faculty development, curriculum monitoring and change, and faculty renewal are included. Finally, in "Opportunities to Promote Moral Development: A Dean's Perspective," Donald Schweingruber discusses seven steps to promote student moral development.
Whiteley, John M. (1990). The Renewal of Opportunity for Enhancing Character Development during the College Years. Journal of the Freshman Year Experience; v2 n2 p75-87. Advances in theory and practice make it possible to measure moral reasoning empirically and offer college-level educational programs enhancing moral understanding. Bases for these advances are reviewed, a longitudinal study and curriculum development effort is described, and the next research frontier, the relationship of moral reasoning to moral action, is discussed.
Whiteley, John M.; Yokota, Norma. (1988). The Freshman Year Experience. Character Development in the Freshman Year and over Four Years of Undergraduate Study. South Carolina Univ., Columbia. Center for the Study of the Freshman Year Experience. Document no.: ED318323. The study reviews the impact of the freshman year and 4 years of undergraduate study on the formation of character and its progression from late adolescence to young adulthood. Much of the empirical data used is drawn from the Sierra Project, a study originating in the 1970s that addressed traditional obstacles in higher education in meeting its responsibility for character development through curriculum intervention and longitudinal research. The study's methodology and results are reported. Specific aspects of character development studied include changes in moral maturity, ego development, and principled thinking during the course of undergraduate study. The ways in which the context for promoting personal development can be changed are examined, and the elements of the Sierra Project curriculum considered central in this effort are outlined. Includes 35 references.
Special Education
Gibberman, Charlotte. (1986). Plays for the Special Education Classroom: 10 Short Plays Designed to Promote Character Development. This booklet contains 10 short plays written especially for performance by special education students who ranged in age from five to ten and in academic level from kindergarten to fourth grade. The plays focus on promoting character development and topics include death, prejudice, manners, senior citizens, responsibility for others, and positive thinking. In each play, there is a flexible number of parts, and roles may be played by boys or girls. The roles are usually of equal length and importance. The plays usually take 10 to 15 minutes to perform, and a minimum amount of time is needed for practice. Dialogue does not have to be memorized. Props and costumes are not required. The situations presented in the plays parallel real life situations and provide a nonthreatening forum for class discussions; discussion questions following each play give students the opportunity to offer their own insights and personal examples of the problems presented and to find their own solutions.
Sports and Physical Education
Hodge, Kenneth P. (1988, December). A conceptual analysis of character development in sport. Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol 49(6-A), 1402.
Miller, Ronald F., & Jarman, Boyd O. (1988). Moral and Ethical Character Development--Views from Past Leaders. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; v59 n6 p72-78. Character education is a historical and fundamental objective of a sound physical education program. Excerpts from speeches by eminent American physical educators from 1885 to the present focus on the moral and ethical development of young people and instilling in them a sense of their potential for spiritual growth.
Romance, Thomas. (1988). Promoting Character Development in Physical Education. Strategies; v1 n5 p16-17. The development of character through physical education programs requires the use of specific methodologies. This article discusses ways in which physical education teachers may promote and encourage students' moral development and makes specific suggestions on how to do so.
Multicultural Issues
Bailey, Becky, & Lee, Gi-Hyoun. (1992). Early Childhood Education in Korea. Paper presented at the Conference of the Florida Association for Children Under Six (Orlando, FL, September). (Document no.: ED354069) The Korean kindergarten curriculum involves a mixture of Japanese, American, and Korean methods. The Japanese influence is reflected in the use of large group instruction and an expectation of uniformity from the children, influences from the United States include a consideration for children's individual interests, and the Korean influence is seen in a focus on self-esteem, Korean culture, and a strong Korean identity. Korea has two kinds of kindergarten, public and private, both of which are regulated by the Ministry of Education. The curriculum focuses on physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and language development. Day care is available for prekindergarten children through day care centers, Semaull Head Start (a program for low-income children), and infant schools. Teacher training for early childhood education relies heavily on vocational training colleges. Three major cultural factors which contribute to the character of Korean children are Confucian ideology, Korea's history as an agricultural country, and the value Korean culture places on the group. Korean children express their love and respect for teachers differently than do American children, and are taught to be quiet and obedient. It is important for Americans who teach Korean children to be sensitive to these cultural differences.
Glenn, Charles L. (1986). New Challenges: A Civil Rights Agenda for the Public Schools. Phi Delta Kappan; v67 n9 p653-56. While many poor people of color have not really benefited from antipoverty and antidiscrimination programs, substantial gains in educational access have been achieved. Educators need to redefine objectives to improve minority children's education, focusing on language skills and character development appropriate to a diverse, multicultural society.
Long, Delbert H. (1984). Soviet Education and the Development of Communist Ethics. Phi Delta Kappan; v65 n7 p469-72. Surveys characteristics of the Soviet philosophy of education, which emphasizes character development consonant with Communist Party goals. Describes the attempts to train "the new Soviet man."
Lyke, James P. (1987). Sharing the Gifts of the Black Community. Momentum; v18 n1 p8-10. Offers a summary of the first pastoral letter of the black bishops of the United States, "What We Have Seen and Heard." Sees the Catholic schools representing an opportunity for quality education and character development to many in the black community.
Ohnishi, Fumiyuki. (1988). Current Trends in Psychological Research on Morality in Japan. Moral Education Forum; v13 n2 p16-19. Briefly discusses the formation of the Japanese Association of Morality Psychology and lists the papers presented at its annual meetings since 1985. Presents a survey of publications on moral development and education in Japan, organized by theorists such as Kohlberg and Piaget and themes such as moral development theory.
Pine, Gerald J.; Hilliard, Asa G., III. (1990). Rx for Racism: Imperatives for America's Schools. Phi Delta Kappan; v71 n8 p593-600. Racism, prejudice, and discrimination are sabotaging our nation's efforts to provide a high quality education for all children. The consequences of institutional racism and monocultural education are pervasive and profound. Schools must increase the pool of minority teachers, develop a multicultural curriculum, improve pedagogical practice, and teach character development. Includes 41 references.
Pollak, Susan. (1982). Traditional Indian Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, Graduate School of Education. Bernard Van Leer Foundation, The Hague (Netherlands). Paper from the Project on Human Potential. From the earliest historical period up to the present, Hindus have linked education with religion. This paper examines the evolution of the Hindu educational system from the Vedic period (up to 1000 B.C.) to the present. Topics covered include the historical development of the Hindu education from the earliest period when it consisted of recitation of the Vedas to the Brahmana period which led to the development of the Laws of Manu, the rule of religious and social life for Hindus, and later periods. Other areas discussed are teaching methods and objectives in traditional primary schools, the central position of the student-teacher relationship, higher education from the Vedic period to 1200 A.D., and teaching methods used in an educational system emphasizing memorization. Separate sections also deal with: (1) the evolution of women's education from the earlier period, when women were freer to participate, to the period beginning around 500 B.C. when women's educational opportunities declined; and (2) the philosophy of education, which emphasized the importance of education for illumination, greater piety, and character development. A seven-page list of project research papers concludes the document.
Tait, Alice A.; Perry, Robert B. (1987). The Sociological Implications of the Civil Rights Movement for Black Character Development and Generic Programming within the Television Medium, 1955-1985. Negro Educational Review; v38 n4 p224-37. Examines the portrayal of the Black experience on television in relation to civil rights legislation during the period. Reviews various television programs and finds that despite an increase in the number of Black characters on the air, stereotyping has remained a problem.
United States Department of State. (1989). Cultural Orientation. Young Adult Curriculum: Introduction. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics, Refugee Service Center, Author. The cultural orientation curriculum for young adults in the International Catholic Migration Commission's Philippine Refugee Processing Center is discussed and outlined. The program's goals for emotional and character development (self-awareness and self-esteem, cultural awareness, pro-activity, personal responsibility), knowledge of cultural information and resettlement realities, and cross-cultural adaptation skills (problem-solving, goal-setting and planning, information seeking, stress management, and socialization) are specified. The curriculum's organization is described, including the four major unit topics (self, family and home, work/school/peers, and community and society); use of themes and projects; and the emphasis on learning skills related to American socialization, such as throwing a frisbee. Commonly-used classroom instructional techniques are also described briefly. Additional materials include an outline of themes for each unit, a series of forms for developing individual student profiles, a reprinted article on the program's young adult emphasis, and descriptions of the young adult services and classroom crisis components of the program.
Wharton-Boyd, Linda P. (1983). The Significance of Black American Children's Singing Games in an Educational Setting. Journal of Negro Education; v52 n1 p46-56. Discusses how Black children's singing games may be applied to enhance education in the areas of (1) curriculum content and philosophy; (2) teaching strategies; (3) child assessment; (4) character development; and (5) development of self-expression.
Bibliographies
Cochrane, Don. (1988). Bibliography on Moral Development, Values Education, and Character Development. Moral Education Forum; v13 n1 p14-30. Provides a bibliography on moral development, values education, and character development. The bibliography is divided into two parts: (1) cites 17 books published between 1985 and 1988, and (2) covers 282 journal articles and ERIC documents published between 1986 and 1988.
Selected References. (1988). A Special Report: Developing Character. Principal; v68 n2 p28-29. Provides a bibliography of 41 books and reports on character development themes such as values education, civic responsibility, family and societal influences, ethical instruction, traditional American and religious values, and parental involvement.