Post # 15 Prosocial and Moral Development

Chapter seven covered topics of morality and ethical issues and how they are developed according to Kohlberg, and the pro-social development and behaviors of children at all stages of development. This chapter was very interesting and applicable to teaching because I believe teachers have a responsibility to help develop pro-social behaviors through modeling and effective environments in the classroom. According to the text pro-social behaviors can be defined as voluntary actions intended to benefit another person, that emerge early in development when there is supportive relationships between caregivers and children.(pg. 421) For example a mother shows her children how to share among their siblings and children thus learn sharing and cooperation which can be carried out with peers. It was interesting to learn some components that play a role in the development of pro-social behaviors such as: genetics, home environment, discipline, and schools/teachers. Over the years students in elementary school will be developing cognitively and will learn to interpret several feelings and even develop pro-social behaviors. Teachers can play such a significant role in the development of pro-social behaviors by modeling good behaviors in class and encouraging children and giving them opportunities to practice: sharing, cooperation, helping, and peer interaction such as class projects. In the classroom I want to have several opportunities to support my students such as sharing of material in centers and science experiments and a lot of opportunities for healthy group collaboration and work.The text also talks about the moral development of children and the role that plays in the classroom. I believe that parents are the first teachers and personal ethics is first started in the home or learned in the home whether bad or good. However, as teachers we may have several students with such diverse backgrounds that they need help creating and developing their "post conventional moral reasoning" (Kohlberg-own set of ethical principles and values developed or achieved rarely before college.) The text talks about on pg. 436 of the creating of a moral classroom. The schools I have worked in such as the Tempe district have developed "life skills" which consists of skills such as: friendship, honesty, flexibility, trust, determination, kindness, respect, etc..."In order to help develop student’s morality in the classroom teachers must have a warm, caring, and supportive environment in which all children are created with respect and compassion." (pg. 436) This chapter is essential for understanding your student’s development of such important elements of life such as morality and ethics. This chapter had a plethora of practical applications and Kohlberg's ideas are very helpful in understanding how children acquire basic moral values through social interactions.