Throughout times, our society has recognized compassion, core values, shared responsibility as essential human characters. Unity comes from interconnection, the means of manifesting glorious future generations lies in the sense of collective consciousness. The virtues that are developed through effective character education set the tone in young minds about the ethos and cultural values that they need in their entire lives.
School at large is an integral community builder in children’s life. The school counselor, administrator, and teachers with counseling skills have their part to play in helping students recognize the role of strong character in developing abilities to respond wisely and compassionately.
What is Character Education?
Character education is the process of teaching students about common attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and social responsibilities that are important to interact in society as a virtuous citizen. It involves how schools, related social institutions, and parents/guardians can support the positive character development of children and adults" (US Department of Education, 2008, p.1).
Good character is said to build when children and adults:
- Mindfully aware of right and wrong.
- Consciously chooses to do the right thing.
- Takes active action towards doing the right thing.
Character education from a young age can guide children to practice good behaviors and provide ground rules for sustaining as a part of the community. With this, children can navigate their feelings, thought, and behavior as pro-social members.
Why Character Education is Relevant to Schooling?
As 21st-century educators, it is on us to ingrain ethical values within students, help them become better human beings to ensure healthy moral development. Early intervention on the aspects of good behaviors, justice, civic virtue, ethical values, responsibility for self and others has always been a hallmark of good citizenship.
While students from an early age spend much of their time in school, both educators and the educational institutions have greater responsibility in building the foundational core values upon which the character of an individual is formed.
Issues such as delinquency, bullying, violence, and substance abuse have been majorly seen to impact the lives of many children over the years. Besides patents, it is also the school's responsibility to model students’ behaviors. Children need constant reminders and reinforcement of standard behavior and what society expects them to be.
Character education brings a holistic approach to life, how individuals can keep up with their family, school, and community. Indeed, this is a life-long tool that children are going to use not just to avoid negative behaviors but to live a life with shared values and compassion collectively.
The Role of School Counselor in Character Education –
Assisting students in character educations is a shared responsibility of counselors, teachers, administrators, and family. Especially parents, school counselors, and teachers with counseling skills have a major part to play in it.
In fact, school is the most promising place for students to learn about character education, as it has multiple opportunities for students to discuss. Learn and interact with positive social behaviors in a diverse space. The school counselor should approach character education comprehensively by emphasizing intellectual, emotional, and moral qualities within each student as well as in groups.
Both school counselors and teachers with counseling skills can make programs and initiatives that promote:
- Establishing standard norms, policy and guidelines supporting positive character development and maintain the standard for adult members of the schools.
- Collaborating with the family while understanding each other’s values and respecting the same.
- Implementing school activities that help students understand core values, ethics, and appropriate behaviors towards each other.
- Encouraging students to participate in extracurricular activities involving concepts such as community service.
- Helping students to be better leaders, communicators, negotiators, decision makers for developing conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
- Integrating multicultural and diversity in learning space to foster appreciation irrespective of race, caste, cultural and economic background.
All these initiatives can be implemented as a part of the curriculum as well asseparately. The school as the whole educational organization can also make it a point for teachers, administrators, and other staff to model exemplary character traits as pro-social individuals for students.
Character education is not just for the betterment of an individual as a social being, it helps students to achieve academic and career goals also advocates social and emotional development within a child. The role of school counselors and teachers with counseling skills is to act as a leader in making character education effective in school. A counselor’s career in the teaching sector can reflect multiple responsibilities; nonetheless, helping students build a strong sense of self is a major task. Not to mention, it is an important aspect of human life and needs active participation of both parents and school to build community-based effort.
Written By : Aditi Rao
