There are many web sites and articles that link to values education themes and programs. The following have been chosen as they present a variety of approaches to values education. The list is not exhaustive, but it does provide a starting point for parents and educators interested in learning more about various philosophical positions and the range of programs available in values education.
Values for Australian Schooling Kit
This is an an integrated package of resources for every school in Australia.
Values for Life
This is an Australian commercial website which provides resources for primary schools in a simple format, pitched at three levels. It claims that the resources promote resilience and well-being.
Australian Perspectives On Values Education: Research In Philosophical, Professional And Curricular
Newcastle Professor of Education Terence J. Lovat takes a broad look at what is driving the push towards values education in Australia. He says that “there has been renewed interest and emphasis on the place of educating for values in Australian education settings, with calls for new forms of civics, citizenship and values education at the school level, and related moves towards developing professional codes of conduct for teachers and academics, with notions of national or state registration being part of a current debate.”
Putting a price on values
John Howard stirred a bitter debate with his claim that state schools don't teach "values".
Ben Haywood of the Melbourne Age has compiled a number of views and questions around values education in schools.
Values Education – A Worldview Approach
The Council for Christian Education in Schools explores ways that schools can make students more aware of their own values and those of others, from a global perspective.
Revisiting values education: The role of civics and citizenship education
In this 1998 paper John Gore provides an overview of different approaches to Values Education.
Values Education
A short article which gives teachers in a number of disciplines ideas about how to incorporate values into their existing courses.
Public schools learn lesson about values education
Promoting values-based education is winning back disillusioned parents and students from independent and Catholic schools to the public education system, according to a new report.
UNESCO Education Network
Follow the ‘Schools’ link on this site to read about APNIEVE (Asia Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education) which was established in 1995 to form a network of regional experts in education for peace, human rights and democracy.
The Five Strand Approach to Religious and Values Education
This website gives an insight into how a number of Australian Independent Schools approach values education. Probably not entirely applicable to the public sector but worth a read.
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
This web site has a variety of articles and information on subjects ranging from information for teachers and students to human rights.
Values in NSW Public Schools
A March 2004 statement by then Minister of Education in NSW Andrew Refschauge.
Quality Public Education Coalition
This New Zealand website has links to the 21-23 July 2000 Conference on Values in Education and provides access to the Keynote addresses.
Determining the Place of Character Education in New Zealand Schools
This article is on the website of the NZ Foundation for Character Education. Rod Galloway examines current trends in educating for character. This site contains many resources for schools.
20 Character Education Strategies
Rod Galloway provides 20 strategies for use by schools. Unfortunately he does not specifically mention how parents and families can be involved.
Human Values Project - Notes and Commentaries
Only for those who want some in-depth reading of an academic paper. Covers such areas as values definitions, classification, constructive words, destructive words, complexity of value systems etc – not for the faint-hearted!
Beliefs, Values and Challenges
“Although some believe that rewards and punishments are sufficient for teaching core values, we firmly disagree. Without going over this debate which has been written about in far more detail than we endeavor to do here, let it suffice to say that rewards teach children that to do good, they will receive something in return; that values can be bargained for, exchanged, and have in the very broad sense, commercial worth. Punishments teach that it is bad to get caught, and encourage excuse making, sneakiness, and covering tracks.”
Values Education or Values Confusion?
This article critiques values education and states that the basic fallacies of values education are the assumptions:
a) that the relationship between values taught and values acquired is relatively simple; and
b) that the schools have sufficient resources to change student values .
What Is Worth Knowing About Values?
“Apprehensive about Dick and Jane lying, cheating, stealing, even murdering, many Americans are demanding that educators teach values: but what is it they want the kids to know? There are at least three types of knowing: "knowing that," "knowing how" and "knowing to;" and these distinctions are not mere hair-splitting. They are directly tied to what will happen if educators commit to further emphasizing the teaching of values.
Sermons and how-to instructions are largely worthless when it comes to teaching values, Children learn what they live. So if we want kids to act more morally, adults must act more ethically themselves. That's real values education. The rest is pious nonsense.”
Values in Education
“All schools, whether public or independent, teach values. None is value free or value neutral. Schools transmit a whole range of values and beliefs to students through educational content as well as teachers' attitudes and overall environment.”
This article stimulates discussion on the role of Christian values in public schools.
Sai Baba Links
A vast repository of resources for those who want to explore Sathya Sai in more depth
Momilani Elementary School
This primary school near Honolulu may provide some tips for Australian schools. Click on the list of values to discover more.
Character Education in Utah
This website provides a wealth of materials for students, parents and teachers in relation to Values Education
When Will Values Education Become Core Business In Our Schools?
Values education is an effective way for schools to become happy and successful learning communities. It is about consciously and deliberately defining and teaching the second part of NZ National Education Goal 1.
Judy Lawley says that the Living Values project provides schools with tools to develop values education.
Values Education in American Secondary Schools
Dale Titus says that historically, character education has been emphasized when educators and the public view social stability as threatened and moral standards weakened. Such is the American mood of the 1990's as concerns about crime, gang violence, and juvenile delinquency have taken centre stage.
Values in South African Schools
The South African story: It was in a climate of anxiety about the need for moral regeneration, and the re-norming of society, that the Working Group on Values in Education presented its document "as a starting point in what ought to become a national debate on the appropriate values for South Africa to embrace in its primary and secondary educational institutions".
Understanding Values Education in the Primary School
This paper reports on a major research project that was carried out in primary schools in Scotland between April 1993 and April 1995 in order to explore the kinds of values currently being taught, explicitly or implicitly in primary schools in Scotland. The report also aims to raise awareness of the ways in which values education takes place.
The Complexities of Researching Values by Janet Powney
Lead researcher in the Scottish project reflects on the complexities of researching issues in values education. A major problem is the lack of precision in the language used to describe values education.
The Case for a Strong Values Education Program in Public Schools
The need for a strong values education program in public education was expressed forthrightly by Close who said, "The fundamental tragedy of American Education is not that we are turning out ignoramuses but that we are turning out savages"
Internalizing Character Education Values by Living and Learning Within A Caring School Community
The “Tribes” approach from the US is one way to tackle Character Education
Citizenship and values education: developing key skills for a consumer society
This UK resource makes the link between Citizenship and Values Education
The Belief, Learning and Culture Information Gateway
The BeCAL, site provides articles and synopses of a variety of values education programs. Follow the links to the data base to research specific values education projects from Australia and internationally:
Living Values: An Education Program
This is a values education program which enables children and young adults to develop 12 key values: cooperation, freedom, happiness, honesty, humility, love, peace, respect, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance, and unity. LVEP is currently in use in 66 countries.
The Virtues Project
A number of Australian and New Zealand schools use the Virtues Project as a foundation on which to build their values education programs. It uses five strategies to build foundations for safe and caring communities. These are: Speak the language of the Virtues, Recognise Teachable Moments, Set Clear Boundaries, Honor the Spirit and Offer Spiritual Companioning. The program also uses 52 virtues as a way of creating a culture of character. To learn more about the Virtues Project go to:
International Educational Foundation Character Education Worldwide
The IEF supports a multi-dimensional approach to emphasise universal values: Character Education, Marriage and Family Education, Service Learning and Character-based Prevention Education.
Institute for Global Ethics
This organisation seeks “to promote ethical behavior in individuals, institutions, and nations through research, public discourse, and practical action”. There is plenty of information on approaches to promoting ethical behaviour in young people on this site
Values Education Council (UK)
This group provides useful information and links to a range of values education programs, articles and journals.
Schools, parents should join to teach values
An article by Jeffery Faulkerston advocating a positive role for parents and schools in teaching values
Easy Ways to Avoid Conflict and Promote Harmony
This article provides some tips for ways in which schools can engage parents in their teaching programs
Champion Your School's Values
A public relations primer from the National Association of Elementary School Principals (US)
Teaching children values while abroad
An interesting article that explores the influence of environment on the development of values in children
Parents as Partners - Working with the New Generation of Parents
How do the values of today’s “Generation X” parents differ from those of “Baby boomer” parents? Schools should understand the differences, and adjust accordingly!
Parents: The First Character Educators
In the US Values Education is often described as Character Education. In this article, some tips are given as to how to involve parents to have input into character education initiatives