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There are some preliminary answers to these apparently overwhelming
questions. First let’s define values education.
Values education is activity which can take place in any organisation
during which people are assisted by others, who may be older, in
authority or more experienced, to make explicit those values
underlying their own behaviour, to assess the effectiveness of these
values and associated behaviour for their own and others' long-term
well-being and to reflect on and acquire other values and behaviour
which they recognise as being more effective for long-term well-being
of self and others.
Let’s see what some of the terms in that definition mean.
Enhanced well-being means better behaviour
The extent of well-being in any community depends on people's
behaviour towards one and other. Values education is ultimately about
changing behaviour for the better - to enhance well-being of all. It
is surprising how many educators do not accept that their fundamental
task is to change behaviour - even if this means encouraging deeper
thinking or the correct use of chemistry apparatus. Educators who
promote values education see it as a direct and effective contribution
to reducing youth crime, drug misuse, vandalism, bullying, unwanted
teenage pregnancy and so on. Of course, it is one's motives and how
one does it that will determine the rightness or wrongness of attempts
to change behaviour.
Moralistic telling and social indoctrination ruled out
Values education does not dictate rules, promote lists of values or
state desirable ways of behaving. The values educator, does not say:
"You should behave this way or that way because I, God, society,
school rules or the law, says so". Values education requires a new way
of thinking about how to get youngsters to realise right from wrong.
During values education the youngsters themselves decide what "better"
behaviour means. Instead of asking them to depend on some external
code for judging the appropriateness of their behaviour, values
education attempts to assist youngsters in building their own internal
code. Motivated only by total concern and love (agape), the values
educator, genuinely wants to know what youngsters think they should do
in a moral dilemma or what they understand the values of 'respect' and
'honesty' entail in differing situations. Values educators attempt to
participate as equals in these discussions - their views are one
contribution, not the right answer.
Does this mean that we must do away with school rules?
Not at all! If two children are involved in fisticuffs, the adult's
duty is to impose his/her will and stop the fighting and state without
consideration of the children's views, that fighting is unacceptable
in school. However, this alone is not values education. Values
education, through detailed and supportive discussion, should enable
youngsters to reach the very bed-rock of what it means to be human and
to make explicit for themselves the values they should act on to
enhance their feelings of worth and meaningfulness.
This is why values education emphasises long-term well-being.
Shoplifting might enhance the well-being of the thieves in the
short-term. But in the long-term, well-being is diminished by the
thief's dread of being caught, ostracised, and feelings of
worthlessness and meaninglessness. Does this mean that values
education is about social manipulation and conformity? No! Values
education should give youngsters the rationale and courage to resist
social norms or laws in the very rare instances when these blatantly
infringe human dignity such as in slavery, the Nazi's treatment of
Jewish people in World War II and apartheid. Values education
transcends cultural and religious differences.
How can values education be done?
In the context of schooling, values education can be undertaken by at
least four main interrelated approaches.
1. The cross-curricular or permeation approach in which subject
specialists identify values issues in, for example, history, geography
or chemistry, and discuss them briefly when they arise during
teaching.
2. The hidden curriculum that entails values educators attempting to
become more aware of their behaviour and choosing only those
behaviours they wish students to adopt. For example, the chemistry
teacher would show respect for method, honesty in recording data and
concern about the social implications of chemical products. Despite
their status or educational attainments, values educators would
attempt to regard all others (including cleaning and catering staff)
as having equal worth as human beings.
3. The whole school ethos approach in which senior personnel take the
initiative to implement organisational policies which entail the whole
school in making explicit the values it stands for. Events and
occasions would be organised whereby youngsters would have the
opportunities to act according to the values identified. This approach
involves, for example, senior staff consulting teachers, students,
janitorial staff and parents on how the school is to be administered.
Within statutory guidelines teachers would consult with students on
what and how they are taught; what school and classroom rules should
be, and how rules should be monitored and rule-breakers treated.
4. The subject approach. A specific time could be set aside for group
reflection and detailed discussions on the meaning of particular
values, values issues and current social problems. Of course there
will be some debate on what to call such a subject, but “values
education” is a sensible starting name. Values education is not
necessarily the same as moral education, religious education, and
personal and social education but an essential part of them.
Dr Bill would be delighted to talk at your next conference or event
and give more details on what values education is and how it relates
to the many other “educations” schools are expected to teach. Contact
him on bill.robb@valueseducation.co.uk
Copyright © 2008 Values Education Ltd
Note to editors. Feel free to use this article as long as the
following details are retained. “A values education article from CAVE
www.valueseducation.co.uk
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