Smart & Good High Schools - The Flippen Group

CHAPTER 5: Fostering the 8 Strengths of Character—Outcome 42. Prevaricator, who leads us to lie to others and to ourselves.3. Perverter, who blows things out of proportion andcauses us to lose perspective.4. Polarizer, who leads people to think they are enemies.5. Emotius, who agitates emotions that cloud judgment.6. Possessit, who creates an “I Want Bias” by convincingus that what we want is more important than anythingelse.7. Passionata, who fires up emotions to the point whererational thought and responsible choices are highlyunlikely.“When Possessit and Passionata are in control,” Rogerswrites, “hate, envy, lust, greed, and other raw emotionsrule a person’s choices.” Rogers provides exercises thathelp students learn to spot the seven habits of errorpronethinking.“Our ability to reason enables us to finda reason for whatever we want to do.”Although we may try to lead a good life, we will oftenfail. If we wish to help students develop as integratedethical thinkers, we must help them gain insight intothe many sources of moral failure. Forewarned is forearmed.OUTCOME 4:Ethical ThinkerPromising Practice 4:Help students develop an abilityto make well-reasoned ethical4 decisions.Teach Ethical TestsThe basic beliefs about right and wrong that form our gotoethical framework, or conscience, don’t necessarilyneed a lot of moral reasoning to explain them or provetheir validity. John Wooden says that he and his brothers“knew what it meant” when his father taught them not tolie, cheat, or steal and not to whine, complain, or makeexcuses.But in using their ethical framework, young people alsoneed decision-making skills that help them apply generalprinciples about right and wrong to particular situations.Granted, I should respect and care about other people,but what does that require me to do when someone tellsme dirt about another kid at school? When I see anotherstudent cheating? Friends making sexual decisions thatput them and others at risk? Granted I shouldn’t lie, butdo I have to tell my parents everything when they askabout the party I went to Friday night?The front-page test: Would I want thisreported on the front page of myhometown paper?Part of the ethical equipment young people need inorder to make good decisions in the nitty-gritty of moralliving is a series of “ethical tests”—questions they can askthemselves when faced with a moral decision. Below arenine such tests (similar to the Four-Way Test promoted byRotary International 35 ) we can offer for students’ consideration.Alternatively, we can have them brainstorm theirown ethical tests in small groups and then construct acomposite list as a class.1. The Golden Rule (reversibility) test: Would I want peopleto do this to me?2. The fairness test: Is this fair to everybody who might beaffected by my actions?3. The what-if-everybody-did-this test: Would I want everyoneto do this (lie, cheat, steal, litter the school, etc.)?Would I want to live in that kind of world?4. The truth test: Does this action represent the wholetruth and nothing but the truth?5. The parents test: How would my parents feel if theyfound out I did this? What advice would they give meif I asked them if I should do it?6. The religion test: If I have religious beliefs, how do theyapply to this action? What would a respected memberof my religion advise? Are there any religious textsthat I could draw on for guidance?7. The conscience test: Does this go against my conscience?Will I feel guilty afterwards?8. The consequences test: Might this action have bad consequences,such as damage to relationships or loss ofself-respect, now or in the future? Might I come toregret doing this?9. The front-page test: How would I feel if my action werereported on the front page of my hometown paper?140Smart & Good High Schools