Reappraising character

This chapter discusses what is meant by the terms Character and Character Education, and then looks at how Character is developed in individuals, as well as the practice of Character Education today. It needs to be noted that the term Character Education is used more commonly in the USA and the UK, while Values Education is the common term in Australia and India; other countries will use one or other of these two terms, and sometimes they are used interchangeably. The importance of character has been emphasised by the founder of EHV who said: Character is the hallmark of humanity. Teachers must dedicate their learning and wisdom to the great task of uplifting pupils to higher levels of knowledge and action. The virtues they help inculcate in their pupils are essential for the uplift of society. Every student must endeavour to equip oneself for serving society with skill and knowledge. When virtues are rooted in the heart, every being shines in full glory. The chapter starts by asking you, the reader, to explore your own understanding of the terms Character and Character Education, and then builds up the reader’s learning and understanding by introducing a number of definitions and descriptors from a range of published sources. By completing this first exercise, you will be able to compare your ideas with what is subsequently presented. It is hoped that by the end of the chapter, you will have found further ideas that you might want to try out in practice.