Unit Four: My best book for teaching character in classroom

Target Objective

Learners will be able to evaluate certain children literature which they can apply to Character Education.

Unit Objectives

By the end of this unit, the participant will be able to

• Identify the features of children literature which are proper to teach good values
• Analyze the example of using children literature to teach character
• Choose the proper children literature to apply to teaching character

Let's Get Started

Which Literature to Use

• Well-written books containing moral dilemmas
• Books with enough depth to allow comprehension beyond literal level

• Books with admirable but believable characters about the same age as the students

• Books across a wide range of cultures with both boys and girls as lead characters.

Book selection is a critical element for successful character education in order to facilitate the principles of identification, involvement, and insight. There are four types of books that meet the criterion for “deeper and richer literature”…

The options are bountiful and include fiction and non-fiction, contemporary writings and classics. It is best to expose students to a wide variety of literature incorporating classics, folk literature, legends, and contemporary stories-all drawn from various cultures. This type of diversity allows students to discover similarities in values across geography, culture, genders and time.

Sample

6th Grade Language Arts Lesson

Holes, by Louis Sachar

Character Principle: Caring - Help people in need

• Identification:

A story map is used to introduce the characters and setting and track the plot. 6th graders identify with boys their own age who have been sentenced to dig holes at a detention camp. The struggles are similar to the everyday problems faced in the middle grade classroom.

• Involvement:

Discussion circles are based on reading journal entire. The elements of adventure and humor draw the students into the story and provide a wealth of topics for discussion during the reading.

• Insight:

Cause-Effect Charts emphasize the consequences for the behavior of the characters. Understanding of the character principle for each day is developed during the review of the chapter content at the daily discussion circles. Students compare the choices faced by the characters to situations in their own lives.

Do Some Research

Now, read these articles about using children literature to teach values.

• "Bringing Books to Life: Teaching Character Education through Children's literature" File:Tyra.pdf by Courtney Tyra

• "Does Reading Moral Stories Build Character?" File:NarvaezReadStories02.pdf by Darcia Narvaez

Reflect

After the whole units, please respond to the reflection questions below in personal perspectives.

How do you think about using literature for character education? Which book will you choose to use for character education? And, why?

Please make your reflection and reply to others in the discussion area.

References and Resources

Narvaez, D. (2002). Does Reading Moral Stories Build Character? Educational Psychology Review, 14 (2), 155-171.

Tyra, C. (2008). Bringing Books to Life: Teaching Character Education through Children's Literature.

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