Character Matters

December 1, 2003
In his timely follow-up to the definitive Educating for Character
, Lickona plucks the burden of moral corruption from society at large and plants it squarely in the laps of parents and teachers. He describes a society nearly bereft of character, and proposes that the solution is to awaken children's social consciences. Through a series of grim statistics and anecdotes from his research as a psychologist and educator, Lickona illuminates a culture that is lost (but not hopelessly), due largely to an overemphasis on academic achievement in lieu of formal character education. "The disturbing behaviors that bombard us daily—violence, greed, corruption, incivility, drug abuse, sexual immorality, and a poor work ethic—have a common core: the absence of good character." He defines 10 essential virtues that comprise good character and prescribes a six-part remedy, including modeling virtuous behavior, building a strong home-school partnership and getting involved with communities. Quotes from Aristotle, Martin Luther King Jr. and others make more eloquent points for why character matters, but the author's passion for creating a more civil and harmonious world is evident and inspiring. Lickona admits that changing the moral fiber of an entire generation is a lofty goal and that his solutions are ambitious: "The social-moral problems that beset our society have deep roots and require systematic solutions." However, this book can be one small step along that path, if it finds its way into the right hands.

Starred review from January 1, 2004
Lickona, an award-winning educator and psychologist, follows his renowned Educating for Character with this helpful, step-by-step program for implementing character education at home, in school, or even throughout a collective community. After defining why it's important to teach character, Lickona tackles teaching manners, preventing peer cruelty and promoting kindness, and helping kids take responsibility for their character. In each section, he provides valuable questions for inspiring ethical discussions with children, point-by-point tips for addressing a certain topic or audience (e.g., character-based discipline, teaching daily goal setting), and anecdotes of successful value-driven families, classrooms, and communities. The author emphasizes the importance of parents being the first and strongest teachers of children but also stresses the value of strong home-school connections (e.g., an approach that allows families to determine which sexuality values to teach, while the school provides the framework for the conversation). Though based on the philosophy of Educating for Character, this book is different in that it outlines more strategies for implementing character education. Highly recommended for child-rearing and education collections.-Charity Peak, Regis Univ., Colorado Springs

Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.