http://www.dadmag.com/dadskills/values.php
Michael Shulman, Ph.D. says character formation really does begin in the cradle, with people like us being dependable.
I had a great time with a bunch of early childhood educators yesterday evening. We discovered that none of them had ever had any training in how to teach good character traits! So we talked about how important that is and we practiced planning lessons around stories with a good moral point.
A few, well just 3, had decided that because they taught – or cared for — infants, that they couldn’t do the assignment. Even when I told them how to do it 3 times, they just repeated that they couldn’t. One was staring off into space. The other group of infant teachers was busily, happily filling in their lesson plans. Clearly I thought they could since, I gave them answers. Then I gave them choices and pointed to answers along either line. They took none of them. Ah well.
Any way, I’m glad today to see that Dr. Shulman also thinks that some things we do, even with infants, helps them develop better characters.
Please share your ideas: what can we do to help children develop good character, manners, and morals?