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The building blocks of character

an introduction to the building blocks of character

As we begin,
consider these questions...

Why did you want to become a teacher?

  • Did you feel a moral compulsion to teach?
  • Did you experience 'moral' teaching in your own education?
  • Did teaching seem like an 'honourable' profession? If so, why?

Do you think that teaching is a moral endeavour?
  • Do you apply your personal moral compass to your professional responsibilities?
  • If teaching is a moral endeavour, where are these morals codified? Who decides what moral means?
Are you a moral role model in your teaching practice?
  • As you teach and train, how do you role-model morals and virtues to your pupils and colleagues?
  • Is role-modelling morals even necessary for a teacher?
How important was your educational experience in forming the character you are today?
  • How impactful were your teachers on your own distinctive mental and moral qualities?
  • Are you who you are, or where you are, in part due to the impact of a teacher?

Does it follow that if we are prepared as teachers to teach academic subjects, we should also be prepared to teach character?
  • What is our role as a teacher?
  • Can we attribute meaningful value to character education in the same way we do academic education?
Have you experienced character education in your educational career?
  • Is 'character education' a new term?
  • Do you know what the component parts of character education are?
  • Have you received explicit training and insight into character education throughout your training?

We will revisit these questions towards the end of the session.

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