As United States society and culture becomes more and more integrated with global

societies and cultures, the race of success and superiority has taken off incredibly fast. Countries
are continually competing in this rapidly developing information age, and people everywhere are
desperately attempting to absorb the most amount of information to get ahead of their
competitors. While it is obviously beneficial to ensure that United States students are top
competitors when it comes to scientific, mathematical, historical, and professional trade
information that can be relayed instantaneously, it is equally important for the United States
education system to ensure that students receive a well-rounded educational experience, which is
arguably, a main contributor to top success. Aside from providing students with factual
information and knowledge, what other aspect of a well-rounded education must students receive
to successfully compete and survive in todays global and competitive society? The answer is
one responsibility of schools that is most often overlooked or under-appreciated; the instillment
of ethical education. To effectively ensure that students successfully develop ethical principles
and a highly appropriate system of ethical reasoning, teachers should guide students in an
analysis, discussion, and interpretation of literature with underlying ethical principles embedded
in the stories.
Why the dire need for ensuring students develop a system of ethical principles? These
ethical principles become the foundation through which students base their actions and
interactions with others on, and also serve as encouraging motivation and inspiration. In his
article entitled, Reform education: Teach wisdom and ethics, published in the Kappan
magazine in April 2013, Robert J. Sternberg argues that practical intelligence, or common
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 1
sense, is only very weakly correlated with analytical intelligence, or academic smarts, and
academic smarts also are only weakly correlated with wisdom, which he defines as the
seeking of a common good-over the long and short terms-by balancing ones own interests, those
of others, and higher interests through the infusion of positive ethical values (Sternberg, 2013)
Although Sternberg highlights wisdom, he essentially is speaking about the importance of ethical
education. Here, he supports the claim that equally incorporating ethical education into the
curriculum is just as important as teaching analytical information, or rather, ensuring students are
informationally smarter. Additionally, including ethical education into the curriculum to
encourage students to pursue the common good through the equal pursuit of individual interests
and those of others promotes positive prosocial behavior, which can continually be developed
and sophisticated. Furthermore, Sternberg contends that when educators teach students to think
wisely, or with ethical principles and values in mind, far greater emphasis [is placed] on the
uses [of] knowledge...not just on the acquisition of knowledge, which ultimately gives purpose
and higher meaning to the knowledge acquired by students, and makes this knowledge worth
committing to memory (Sternberg, 2013).
Ensuring a full ethical education that is valued as much as any other type of education
benefits the student not only once taught, but has long-lasting effects as well. Through the
implementation into the curriculum from the elementary level, a foundation can continually be
sophisticated well into the students adult lives. From their current grade level and life stage until
death, students will be making impacts upon society, whether intentional or not. Nurturing a
foundation of ethical education encourages current and future sophisticated cooperation and
collaboration with a meaningful purpose.
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 2
Students will become adults, who will pursue careers and impact society at large and
locally, as well as the progression of society. Thus, instilling these ethical principles in students
will help combat the repetition of incomplete individuals. Sternberg provides examples of such
incomplete individuals who are lacking such beneficial ethical principles; doctors who may be
stellar researchers but mediocre practitioners with respect to their patient skills [and who do not]
adequately [know] how to deal wisely [or ethically] with patients or politicians who resort to
name calling, contribute to the dysfunctional polarization of legislative bodies, and may be
sharp debaters...in an analytical sense, but...not necessarily wise politicians (Sternberg, 2013).
In her educational review, The return of character education?, published in The Public
Interest during the Spring of 2003, Kay S. Hymowitz warns educators that if ethical education is
neglected and ignored, society is endangered because, children are quite capable of cruelty and
violence (Hymowitz, 2003). Sternberg supports this logic by advising the avoidance of students
becoming overly egocentric, falsely optimistic, falsely omniscient, falsely omnipotent, falsely
invulnerable, and ethically disengaged all from the misdirection of intelligent individuals lacking
ethical principles, and who become arrogant and self-destructive (Sternberg, 2013). Sternbergs
warning continues, and cautions that if the students of today are not equipped and taught how to
think wisely with the foundation of ethical values and principles, and to become lifelong
learners, their careers will be victim (Sternberg, 2013). Ultimately, students are the future and it
is vital for teachers and education systems to address this fact with a sense of urgency because
teachers greatly impact the foundation of their students adulthood ethical principles and values.
A main part of a career as an educator is the responsibility of providing students with the
best possible education that will contribute as much as possible to the students future successes.
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 3
Teachers have a huge role in shaping the foundation of their students adult lives and developing
their students ethical principles. As educational facilitators, it is a teachers duty to use their gifts
of creativity, communication, and leadership to assist students in defining their own system of
ethical principles and values. Hymowitz declares that teachers, as administrators, possess the
power of transmission, which is important for clearly and successfully passing down the
wisdom of civilization that children must internalize (Hymowitz, 2003). Educators have a
responsibility to make moral education meaningful, especially for doubting students, and will
in turn prepare students as future adults for the wellbeing of the future global society
(Hymowitz, 2003). Sternberg concurs with this vocational responsibility of teachers and states,
our job, as teachers, is not to moralize, but to help students develop their own positive moral
codes (Sternberg, 2013).
How can such a task of providing students with ethical education, rather than moralizing
students, be done so that it has consistent and lasting impacts upon the receiving students? Kay
A. Hymowitz reports that the typical method is the dictation of ethical principles and values as
decrees by adult authority, and are basically sermonizing decrees to students, ultimately
making these lectures the least effective way to instill such principles and values into students
(Hymowitz, 2003). She explains that pronouncements like these make morality extrinsic and
alien to students (Hymowitz, 2003). Instead, educators should incorporate child-centered
approaches of progressive educators and...anti-authoritarian attitudes (Hymowitz, 2003). This
revolutionary and highly successful new vision of the young student as an autonomous
individual capable of designing his own moral system enables students to become active
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 4
learners by taking control of their educational wellbeing, as well as making a greater impact with
more meaningful ties (Hymowitz, 2003).
The educators role throughout the process of student development of ethical values and
principles is as a guide or facilitator. Through the implementation of creative, subtle, positive
suggestions that guide students during analysis, discussions, interpretations, and applications of
ethical principles and values can such an objective be accomplished. By scaffolding as a
framework, as Cheryl Hunter and Donna Eder discuss in their article entitled, The Role of
Storytelling in Understanding Childrens Moral/Ethic Decision-Making, published in 2010 in
The Official Journal of the National Association for Multicultural Perspectives, educators must
present the facts and then guide students to learn how to make judgments for themselves, as
Sternberg advised (Hunter & Eder, 2010; Sternberg, 2013). This revolutionary method of
educating fosters student ownership of what they are learning, and is a highly effective tool for
teachers to use in shaping and guiding students in developing their own system of ethical values
and principles.
By facilitating discussions, teachers can dissect students thoughts about ethical
principles and ethical ambiguities. Then, the teacher is able to shape the students ideas with
guiding questions that encourage students to reanalyze their own thoughts, as well as see
situations in a different perspective. Ultimately, through this discussion facilitation with guiding,
open-ended questions, teachers are to encourage students to challenge what may seem like
definitive ethical decisions and applications of ethical principles, in hopes of further developing
and sophisticating their own system of ethical reasoning. A highly successful avenue to use
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 5
within the classroom curriculum is the usage of literature that contain embedded lessons on
ethical principles and values.
In his article entitled, Using Exceptional Childrens Literature to Promote Character
Education in Elementary Social Studies Classrooms, published in The Social Studies in 2011,
Timothy Lintner claims that regardless of the avenue used to introduce students to exceptional
literature, the goal is to facilitate character education in young learners that ultimately translates
into tolerant, compassionate, and conscientious adults (Lintner, 2001). Additionally, he states
that it is incumbent on...teachers...to provide opportunities for students to understand and to
practice dispositions that lead to more enlightened, tolerant, and inclusive
understandings (Lintner, 2001).
These opportunities for students to make connections occur during discussions about the
literature and reflective writing exercises, with which author, Sue S. Minchew, concurs in her
article entitled, Teaching Character Through Sports Literature, published in the January/
February 2002 issue of The Clearing House. She affirms that no matter the specific avenue taken
to teach students ethical education, it should be reflective rather than didactic (Minchew,
2002). Hymowitz reinforces this ideology and advocates that students should be given
opportunities to construct meaningful values from experience so that practical application of
important values such as responsibility, empathy, fairness, and character development can be
more naturally applied in their every day life (Hymowitz, 2003). Encouraging students to
construct...from experience, teachers are to guide students subtlety in activities with literature
and throughout the curriculum to provide an environment for student ownership of what they are
learning.
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 6
To guide students in developing their own definition of ethical reasoning and the ethical
values and principles, the following childrens books can be used to reinforce the embedded,
important ethical values and principles.
The Street of Flower Boxes by Peggy Mann can be used to teach students about
responsibility. After reading the book, the teacher should facilitate a discussion with students
about the events in the book, encourage students to share their personal experiences of having
responsibilities, and lead students to understanding that taking care of the environment and other
people within their community is a responsibility that everyone shares. The teacher should
generate a list of students ideas as to how the class can assume responsibility in caring for their
environment and the people around them. Examples such as picking up trash, recycling, hosting
a school-wide canned-food drive, planting trees and establishing birdhouses around the school
are just a few ideas. Then the class can vote on which idea to assume responsibility for and
engage in that activity. Additionally, the teacher should stress the importance of the students
responsibility to educate those around them about why they are doing what they are doing.
Tico and the Golden Wings by Leo Lionni can be used as an example of what empathy
looks like. Again, after reading the book, students should engage in a teacher-facilitated
discussion and are encouraged to share their personal experiences about when they experienced
empathy, either as a received emotion or when they felt empathy toward another. The teacher
should divide students into groups of four or five and instruct them to create a five-minute play
demonstrating empathy, either using the characters in the book, or an entirely new creation. Each
group will plan their short play on empathy and propose their idea to the teacher. Once the
teacher approves their short play, each group will perform their play in front of the class. Once
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 7
all groups have performed, the teacher will lead a class discussion on additional circumstances
where empathy can be applied or seen. The teacher should be sure that students understand why
empathy is important.
Keep Your Ears on the Ball by Genevieve Pertillo can be used to demonstrate the ethical
value or principle of fairness to students. After reading the story, the teacher should ask students
their opinions about the book and guide them in a discussion with open-ended questions, to
which students should support their answers with personal experiences concerning fairness. The
teacher should also have the students participate in generating a classroom list of when and
where fairness can be applied and why it is important. Also, the teacher provide students with
advise on how to respond to and implement fairness in unfair circumstances. Afterwards, the
teacher should take the students outside to engage in activities where fairness can be applied,
such as a reenactment of the book using a kickball and a blindfold to encourage students to use
good communication skills, Red Rover, Red Rover, Mother May I?, Freeze Tag, etc.
Koya Delany and the Good Girl Blues by Eloise Greenfield can be used to discuss
character development and personal reflections. At various points in the story, the teacher should
stop and ask students to assess Koyas character and emotions as they relate to her current
circumstance. The teacher should encourage students to share personal experiences of when they
felt similar or acted in a similar way. The teacher should be sure to guide students in discussing
how much ones actions reflect ones character, the importance of understanding what emotions
mean and why they are feeling them, and the importance of making decisions based on how they
want their character to reflect. The teacher should also be sure that students are fully aware of
what consequences certain actions have. The teacher will then instruct students to complete a
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 8
About Me Character Bibliography, which will ask students questions about when they feel
certain emotions, why they feel those emotions, how this impacts others, and who they hope to
be. Once the students have completed the questionnaire, they are to decorate them according to
their personalities. Once all the students are completely finished, the teacher will display the
entire classs questionnaires on a wall entitled, Meet Our Class! The teacher should be sure that
none of the questionnaires have students names on them so that students can remain anonymous.
This display will remind students about their character, the importance of emotional reflection,
and especially who they hope to be.
The ultimate reason for ethical education is to teach students how to act ethically,
[because]...children need to understand the range of possibilities for action, that there are
consequences to actions and how to make choices based upon the awareness of options and
consequences (Hunter & Eder, 2010). Sternberg provides a step-by-step guide in the process of
ethical reasoning, which starts by such an awareness, continues to defining the situation as
having an ethical component, understanding that this situation is worthy of attention and is
personally relevant, recognizing which ethical value or principle applies and how it applies,
and developing a plan of ethical action to bring about a change regardless of any possible
adverse consequences (Sternberg, 2013).
The educator, as a facilitator, has an important responsibility to guide and shape students
ethical values and principles, their systems of ethical reasoning, and the application of such a
foundation. Rather than dictating and lecturing to the students about ethical education, students
most successfully make lasting connections and sophisticate foundations of ethical reasoning
when the teacher subtlety guides students through analysis, discussion, interpretation, and
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 9
application, as well as making positive and encouraging suggestions. The most popular,
successful, and widely used avenue to guide students in developing a foundation of ethical
values and principles is through applicable literature that is embedded with important ethical
values and principles. Combined with these stories, activities that reinforce the lessons within the
literature help students make strong and important connections that they lead them to owning
their education and last throughout adulthood. Paving the ethical education foundation for
students in such a way that encourages the students to own their education has lasting effects on
the individual students as maturing individuals and as future contributors to their local and global
society.
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 10
Resources
Hunter, C., & Eder, D. (2010). The role of storytelling in understanding children's moral/ethic
decision-making. The Official Journal of the National Association for Multicultural
Education, 12(4), 223-228. doi: 10.1080/15210960.2010.527593
Hymowitz, K. S. (2003). The return of character education?. The Public Interest, 104-109.
Lintner, T. (2011). Using "exceptional" children's literature to promote character education in
elementary social studies classrooms. The Social Studies, 200-203. doi:
10.1080/00377996.2010.550955
Minchew, S. S. (2002). Teaching character through sports literature. The Clearing House, 75(3),
137-140.
Sternberg, R. J. (2013). Reform education: Teach wisdom and ethics. Kappan, 94(7), 45-47.
Ashley Lennon Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Children 11