“A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.” Charles Evans Hughes
I have three teenagers in the house. I love them immensely and I couldn’t be more proud of the young people that they have become. Like all children, they have their strengths and they have their areas of growth. With the whole Rob Ford fiasco dominating the news, it got me thinking about the development of moral character and whether we are raising our children to be morally solid, true to their word and to the world. Being in a Catholic system, we have the advantage of permeating all that we do with character development and solid Catholic virtues, whether it is Science, Language Arts or Religion. Yet, despite all that we do as a Catholic system, some students seem to slip through our fingers with a somewhat dubious sense of what is right and what is wrong, choosing to avoid self reflection as a chance to look at their moral compass and instead look at what is best for them in that minute. The future is more about what benefits them than what benefits society.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of those who would suggest this generation is more self absorbed than the last, caring only about what benefits them. Far from it, in fact. I am a person who believes that this connected world has allowed our children to be globally astute and really see that they can make a difference to the lives of others. I think this generation has a far better work – life balance than has existed in many generations since before the boomers. I like this generation and I am hopeful that they are the answer to a lot of the problems that have emerged over the last 50 years.
But, some still slip through the cracks, don’t they? When I look at my children, I know they will always be a people of character. I see them stand up for others, I see them be kind to his younger cousins, I see them care deeply about the hurt of others. So, why do they have this character while others may not? As I reflect on this question, I can come up with a series of answers but they don’t all ring entirely true. Yes, they were raised in a good home with parents who loved them immensely. Yes, they were raised in a community that has been fairly violence and crime free. Yes, they attended a great Catholic school system, that promotes solid values and introspection. But so have other children who may not have the same moral fortitude. So, where is the difference? How do we ensure that our children grow up with strong character?
I don’t really have the silver bullet for this one. Yes, I believe that solid homes, great communities and positive teacher role models play a large part in how kids develop. In fairness though, I have seen students, some of them in pretty rough situations, from tough homes and tough communities, still have great character. How? My belief is that somewhere along the line they encountered a strong adult role model in a real, meaningful way. One who showed empathy and love to others. An adult who faced their frailties and short comings, not by lies and bluster, like a certain political figure, but rather as growth areas. Somewhere a great person has made a huge impact on their life. Often that person is a teacher.
So, to those teachers reading this article, you will hear a lot about the changing landscape of teaching in the next while. You’ll see kids who challenge you more, and technologies that will make the old knowledge based curriculum seem pretty antiquated. You’ll see huge changes in the classroom, as you should. The one things we need to hold onto above all else in this changing landscape is our ability to shape students moral character through example and through strong relationship.
Thank you to all those teachers who have impacted my three children. You should be proud of the impact that you have made. Your fingerprint is on the future.
Keep on Learning.
Dave
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