I guarantee it. If character education is done correctly, using a good character education program, and modeled by a teacher who makes it a passionate, purposeful priority, character education works an enormous change in teenagers.
Character education changes teenagers, and yet most of our schools do not spend time trying to build character in teens. Some educators write that teenagers are “exposed to it” incidentally through other subjects, and that is sufficient. Others write that character is best taught “up to age ten” and that anything after that is more difficult. The unstated conclusion is that, since it is more difficult, it need not be attempted. Finally, there are those who believe, and state, that teenagers are “likely to rebel” at lecturing on character since it impinges directly on their behavior at a time when they are striving to be independent. Again, the unspoken conclusion is that this alone is ample reason not to forcefully teach character education at secondary school levels.
Character education changes teenagers positively, and we should welcome such an excellent tool instead of shunning it. We should employ it vigorously, since the teen years are the last opportunity we have to “bend the twig” before adulthood. Imagine a community in which most, if not all, teenagers show respect for others. Imagine asking teenagers, at home, school, or job, to do given tasks, and having them readily comply, doing every task fully, and to the utmost of their abilities. Dream about teens who exercise compassion toward one another rather than hostility and violence; who protect others rather than bully and abuse them.
Best of all, imagine teens who stand up strongly for what they believe – and whose beliefs are morally excellent. The article “So You’d Like to See Teens Stand Up to Peer Pressure!” discusses ways in which this change can be accomplished. After you’ve read the article, you will order Passport to Courage for every teen you know, as a jump start to helping them develop their convictions, and then build the courage of their convictions.
Character education changes teenagers if we are not afraid to use it. The trouble is, we may be afraid of our teenagers. We may actually fear their anger, and cater our teaching to what they will accept readily rather than what they desperately need.
But wait! What if we applied to the physical well-being of our children the same philosophy we apply to their moral well-being? We would teach them good health practices only until they turned ten years of age. As they became teenagers, even though we could see ill health developing rapidly, we would refrain from addressing the issues, fearing that our teens would rebel against going to a doctor. We would “understand” that our concern for their heath might be viewed by them as lecturing or holding back on their independence. We would choose, instead of the conflict with teens, to doom them to poor physical health, or even death.
Character education changes teenagers, and their moral health absolutely depends on it. Not only does their moral health depend on building their character, society’s moral health also depends on it. We cannot afford to make more excuses. We cannot afford to withhold from teenagers the building blocks of solid moral health. We can make the change, but we ourselves have to be willing to stand for what we believe. We must have the courage of our own convictions.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?