We can engage in moral education and teach moral knowledge, but can we teach moral
character? How?
As mentioned in the question educators can teach moral education and knowledge. But in my
opinion, you can’t teach a student moral character. Yes, teachers have a lot of impact on a
student’s character and their philosophy of life still, it’s nothing more than an influence. An
educator can influence a student’s moral character by teaching them moral knowledge basics.
It’s up to students to follow the unwritten morality rules or not.
It’s even relevant to the student’s background. For example, a teacher could mention it’s
important not to make fun of people with disabilities. But there might be a student who was
exposed to this unethical behavior in their home environment, one of the parents calling a blind
person ‘eyeless’ etc., and they would inherit this behavior with them to class. My point is that not
only teachers but a student’s family life, the content that they are exposed to -books, tv shows,
etc.- is also important while they are developing their moral character. Moral character can be
influenced but can’t be taught.
I would like to design an activity for primary school-age students. Their moral characters would
be at the early developing stage. If I would want to choose integrity for my moral behavior
activity I would have at least five primary school students. I would make them watch a video one
by one and interview them afterward. The video would include two parts. In the first part, a
person would drop their wallet in the street and this second person would take the wallet then
walk away. In the second part, the same dropping wallet scene would repeat but this time the
second person would return the wallet to the owner. After watching this video I would interview
kids one by one and ask them ‘Which one is correct?’. According to answers, I would conclude
this activity with teaching correct moral behaviour.