Are we preparing children to be caring and ethical citizens? Richard Weissbourd | IECO – Harvard

TL;DR

The current priorities in child raising focus on achievement and happiness rather than caring for others, which contributes to societal division and lack of empathy.

Transcript

dr. richard weiss board is currently a senior lecturer in education at the harvard school the Harvard Graduate School of Education and at the Kennedy School of Government he's also a faculty director of the human development and psychology master's program his work focuses on vulnerability and resilience in childhood the achievement gap moral devel... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 80% of students prioritize achievement or happiness over caring for others, leading to a lack of empathy and concern for the common good.
• 👪 Parents often prioritize their children's achievements over their moral development, contributing to the devaluation of caring and ethical values in child raising.
• 👨‍🏫 Schools, historically focused on ethical character development, have shifted their priorities to achievement and success.
• 🛟 The absence of religious communities in secular life diminishes opportunities for moral development and the fusion of spirituality and ethics.
• 🖐️ Media and children's television shows play a role in promoting caring and ethical values.
• 🎟️ The college admissions process can be an opportunity to prioritize ethical engagement instead of quantity of achievements.
• 🎟️ Efforts such as the "Turning the Tide" report aim to change college admissions standards to prioritize ethical engagement and the quality of intellectual and moral character.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do children in America rank the importance of caring for others compared to achievement and happiness?

Research shows that approximately 50% of students prioritize achievement, 30% prioritize happiness, and only 20% prioritize caring for others. This indicates a lack of emphasis on empathy and moral development.

Q: How do parents in America prioritize their children's values?

When asked about their priorities in child raising, parents often rank caring as the most important value. However, when children are asked how they believe their parents would rank these values, they perceive achievement to be the top priority. This suggests a disconnect between parents' intentions and children's perception.

Q: What is the impact of this imbalance in priorities?

The overemphasis on achievement and happiness over caring for others is linked to societal division, polarization, and incivility. It hinders the development of empathy, perspective-taking, and social awareness in children.

Q: How can schools and parents address this issue?

Schools and parents must prioritize the promotion of caring for others and the common good. This may involve reevaluating the values communicated to children, reintroducing ethical character development into education, and fostering communities that engage children in ethical questions and rituals.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dr. Richard Weiss discusses the lack of emphasis on caring for others in child raising, with achievement and happiness being prioritized instead.

• Research indicates that a significant percentage of students rank achievement and happiness over caring for others.

• Parents often prioritize their children's achievements over their moral development, while schools no longer focus on fostering ethical values.