Making choices is one of the more pervasive acts of life. Almost every action we take demands that choices be made. Knowing how to choose wisely, to choose after reflection, to be aware of what motivates that choice, to see the consequences of that choice on others enables us to live healthier, more productive and more responsible lives.We now live in a world in which our traditional moral exemplars have been less than honorable in their public behavior. With fewer heroes and flawed role models, how are children to come to an understanding of whats right, whats good, decent and socially responsible? Do as I say, not as I do is hardly a viable tenet to guide childrens choices.This book offers important tools for carrying out effective strategies that build caring environments in the classroom and home; for teaching children to weigh decisions in the face of potential consequences, examine rationales for their choices, and study the effects of their choices on others, i.e., to think more carefully about ethical problems, in the presence of the moral freedom to determine for themselves what it means to lead a good and virtuous life.

Selma Wassermann is a professor emerita in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. Her books includeAn Introduction to Case Method Teaching: A Guideto the Galaxy (1994),This Teaching Life (2004),Teaching for Thinking Today: Theory,Strategies and Activities for the K-8 Classroom (2017),Teaching in the Age ofDisinformation: Dont Confuse Me with the Data, My Mind is Made Up (2017).

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1- Its a Dilemma

Theoretical Foundations of Moral Behavior

Chapter 2- Making Sense of a Complex World: Whats the Right Thing to Do?

What Can Teachers and Parents Do?

Chapter 3- Children as Decision Makers

Thinking and Deciding

Some Caveats

Freedom to Choose and Empowerment

Chapter 4- Introduction to the World of Moral Dilemmas

Its Complicated

Adult-Child Discussions About Moral Issues

The Value of Small Group Work

Chapter 5- Stories, Mini-Cases, Books, Films and Classroom Incidents

Whats a Case?

Twenty-two Mini-Cases

Inviting Childrens Stories About Their Own Dilemmas

Childrens Books and Stories

Films

Chapter 6- Putting Moral Behavior into Action

Community Projects

Extracting Meaning from Experience

Journals

Chapter 7- Discussion Strategies to Examine Moral Issues

Learning Discussion Skills by Observing the How in Action

The Interactive Dialogue

The Teacher/Parent in the Process

Non-defensive Awareness of Self

Chapter 8- Even Children Can Make a Difference

Children Who Make a Difference

Bibliography

About the Author