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PSHE Association (2018) NSPCC ‘Making Sense of Relationships’ Lesson Plans and Guidance. [online] Available at: www.pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/nspcc-%E2%80%98making-sense-relationships%E2%80%99-lesson-plans (accessed 6 February 2020).
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter you will understand:
INTRODUCTION
This chapter introduces the concept of character education and emphasises the importance of values, attitudes, skills and behaviours. It also considers the implications of character education within the context of school responsibilities. Additionally, the chapter provides guidance in relation to the key challenges that schools are likely to experience with their planning and delivery of character education. There is some discussion on the importance of character education and this is situated within the requirements of the statutory guidance. The chapter also considers character education in relation to positive school culture and the role of the leadership team is outlined. Some guidance is provided to support schools to develop learners’ resilience and confidence and we emphasise the importance of co-curriculum and volunteering opportunities. Finally, the chapter emphasises the role that schools play in promoting equality of opportunity and some guidance is provided to support teachers and school staff.
WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION?
Character education aims to develop a set of values, attitudes, skills and behaviours that support personal development and contribute to positive long-term outcomes (Walker et al, 2017). Specifically, character education aims to support students to develop moral and civic values. This enables them to understand the difference between right and wrong and to understand their responsibilities as citizens to the local and global communities in which they live.
There is no correct approach to delivering character education in schools. However, it is important that school leadership teams view the development of character as being central to the culture, values and vision of the school (Walker et al, 2017). It is also important to adopt a whole-school approach (Walker et al, 2017). This ensures that specific character virtues are consistently reinforced in all classrooms. It is also important that teachers and leaders exemplify the character virtues that they want students to develop (Walker et al, 2017). This has implications for the way in which adults speak to students.
Some students live their lives surrounded by adults in their families and in the wider community who do not demonstrate positive character virtues. It is important to be aware that the values that the school seeks to promote may be in direct conflict with the values that are consistently demonstrated in homes and communities. In this case, students may have to reframe their character traits when they are operating within the context of the school. Some students will internalise the positive character virtues that the school promotes, and these will shape their identities as they develop. Others will learn to ‘switch’ the positive character virtues on when they are in school, even though they may adopt a different set of virtues when they are outside the school. The key challenge for schools is therefore how to address the dissonance between the character virtues that are promoted outside of school and those that are promoted within schools. More significantly, however, is how schools support students to internalise the positive character virtues that are essential to long-term success so that they consistently demonstrate them, believe in them and subsequently reject the negative character virtues that they may be exposed to outside of school.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER
Although character education is not identified as a separate strand within the statutory guidance (DfE, 2019a), it is embedded within specific themes. Within the strand of ‘respectful relationships’, specific character traits are addressed. These character traits include trust, respect, honesty, kindness, generosity, boundaries, privacy, consent, conflict management and skills in reconciliation and ending relationships. In addition, respect for authority is identified as a key character trait. Character education is therefore part of Relationships Education in secondary schools.
The statutory guidance states:
A growing ability to form strong and positive relationships with others depends on the deliberate cultivation of character traits and positive personal attributes, (sometimes referred to as ‘virtues’) in the individual.
(DfE, 2019a, p 20)
Evidence suggests that character education supports the development of a positive school culture, leads to a more conducive learning environment and leads to improved behaviour and attendance and motivation (OECD, 2015; Walker et al, 2017). It also leads to positive long-term outcomes including facilitating access to higher education (Walker et al, 2017) and promotes good mental well-being (DfE, 2019b; Taylor et al, 2017). Character education therefore drives equality and social mobility. Research has found that specific character traits are associated with positive outcomes. These are summarised below.
