MoralTeachers,MoralStudents Schools can best support students moral development by helping teachers manage the stresses of their profession

and by increasing teacherscapacityforreflectionandempathy. RickWeissbourd Onceagain,thepublicfretsaboutwhetherchildrenarebecominggood people.Bothconservativecommentators,suchasWilliamBennett(2000),and researchers,suchasWilliamDamon(2001),decryasteadyriseingreed, delinquency,anddisrespect.Andonceagain,thepublicholdsschoolslargely responsibleforremedyingthesetroubles. Solutionsabound.Manycharactereducationeffortsinschoolsnowfocuson everythingfromcommunityservicetoteachingstudentsvirtues,building goodhabits,rewardingpositivebehavior,anddevelopingstudentscapacity formoralreasoning(Schaps,Schaeffer,&McDonnell,2001). Thereisvalueinthesesolutions.Studentssurelybenefitfromperforming communityservice,beingremindedofimportantvirtues,andpracticinggood habits. Butwehavebeenwringingourhandsandtryingthesesolutionsfordecades, insomecasesfortwocenturies,withoutfundamentallychangingstudents moralprospects.Themoraldevelopmentofstudentsdoesnotdepend primarilyonexplicitcharactereducationeffortsbutonthematurityand ethicalcapacitiesoftheadultswithwhomtheyinteractespeciallyparents, butalsoteachers,coaches,andothercommunityadults. Educatorsinfluencestudentsmoraldevelopmentnotsimplybybeinggood rolemodelsimportantasthatisbutalsobywhattheybringtotheir relationshipswithstudentsdaytoday:theirabilitytoappreciatestudents perspectivesandtodisentanglethemfromtheirown,theirabilitytoadmit andlearnfrommoralerror,theirmoralenergyandidealism,theirgenerosity, andtheirabilitytohelpstudentsdevelopmoralthinkingwithoutshying awayfromtheirownmoralauthority.Thatlevelofinfluencemakesbeingan adultinaschoolaprofoundmoralchallenge.Anditmeansthatwewillnever greatlyimprovestudentsmoraldevelopmentinschoolswithouttakingon thecomplextaskofdevelopingadultsmaturityandethicalcapacities.We needtorethinkthenatureofmoraldevelopmentitself.

GuidingStudentsMoralandEmotionalGrowth
Duringthepastdecade,Ihavespentmuchtimeinschoolsandtalkedto manystudents.Ihaveobservedagainandagainstudentsexquisite sensitivitytothequalitiesoftheirteachersboththeirfierceloyaltytothe

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teacherstheytrustandtheirkeenalertnesstohypocrisy,injustice,and indifference.Researchshowsthatevenwhenschoolsaremassively restructured,studentsoftenremainstrangelyoblivioustonewstructuresand practices.Whenaskedaboutthestrengthsandweaknessesoftheirschools afterthesereforms,studentsfocusonthestrengthsandweaknessesof individualteachers(WarrenLittle,1998). Intheserelationships,moralqualitiesareshaped.Adultsdonotsimply transmitmoralqualitiesandbeliefstochildren.Thesequalitiesandbeliefs emergeandcontinuallyevolveinthewidearrayofrelationshipsthatevery childhaswithbothadultsandpeersstartingnearlyatbirth,andinchildrens feltknowledgeofwhatisharmful,true,orright.Intheserelationships, childrencontinuallysortout,forexample,whattheyoweothers,whatthey shouldstandfor,whattraditionsareworthkeeping,whethertofollowrules, howtocontributetotheirfamily,classroom,andcommunityinother words,howtobeadecenthumanbeing. ShouldItellmyteacherwhenIknowanotherstudentislyingtoher?DoI havetosayyestothegirlwhoinvitedmeoverandwhodoesnthavefriends, whenIwouldratherplaywithanothergirlIlikemore?ShouldIspeakmy mindaboutanissuethatsimportanttome,eventhoughImaylosefriends? Fair,generous,caring,andempatheticeducatorsmodelthesequalitiesand caneffectivelyguidestudentsinsortingoutthesequestions.Oftenadultsare alsoeffectivewhentheyexpresshowtheirownmoralquestionsarerelatedto childrensmoralquestionsandwhentheymodelhowtothinkthroughmoral issuesanddilemmas. Teacherstudentrelationshipsshapestudentsmoraldevelopmentinanother sensethroughtheirinfluenceonstudentsemotionaldevelopment.Mostof thetalkaboutmoraldevelopmentinschoolassumesthatwecanteach studentstobehavemorallybyinstillinginthemvirtuesandstandards,aclear senseofrightandwrong.Thisassumptionignoresthefactthatemotionsare oftenthehorse,valuesandvirtuestheridertryingtohangon.Harvardchild psychologistJeromeKagan(1995)observesthatviolenceprevention programsthatexplaintostudentstheharmfulconsequencesofviolenceoften donthelpbecausechildrenknowviolenceiswrongwhattheycantcontrol istheshameanddestructiveimpulsesthatfuelviolence. Peopledonotusuallylie,cheat,orabuseothersbecausetheydontvalue honestyandrespect;morelikely,theysufferfromfeelingsofinferiority, cynicism,oregocentrismthatblindthemtoothersfeelings.Research suggeststhatsuchemotionsasshame,anger,andcynicisminparticulareat awayatcaring,asenseofresponsibility,andotherimportantmoralqualities (Gilligan,1996;Rozinetal.,1999).Whenpeoplesmoralbeliefsconflictwith theirimmoralactions,manywillchangetheirbeliefstoaccommodatetheir
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actions,notviceversa.Theywilljustifystealing,forexample,becausesociety iscorruptorbecauseallpeoplearebasicallyselfinterested.

ComplexInteractions
Whatmakesmattersmorecomplicatedisthattheinfluenceofteachersand otheradultsonstudentsemotionalandmorallivesgoesbothways,in complexreverberationsandinteractionsthatareoftenpositivebutsometimes clearlydestructive.Forexample,Randall,a7thgraderwhogetsunder everyonesskin,findshimselfinacommonkindofescalatingwarwith adults.Hisconstantantagonismmakesithardforteacherstoseehis perspectiveoneteachercallshimajerk,andtheprincipalreferstohimin evenharshertermswhichmakeshimstepuphisprovocations,further angeringhisteachersandtheprincipal.Randallisspinningoutofhisschool community.WhenIaskhimwhomhetrusts,heholdsupapieceofpaper thatistotallyblank. Oftenachainofcomplexinteractionsamonghome,school,andpeersshapes studentsmoralqualitiesandbehavior.ConsiderSally,a10yearoldwith AttentionDeficitDisorder.Sallyhasahighlyanxiousmotherandafather pronetospikesofanger.Accordingtoherpsychologist,Sallyisfuriouswith themandisolatesherselfathome.Atschool,shehasbecomeincreasingly disruptiveandrude:Shewroteonthechalkboardthatherteacherisabitch. Herteacherhaslittleempathyforher,notonlybecauseoftheseattacksbut alsobecauseshefeelsharassedandcriticizedbySallysmother.Atwarwith bothherparentsandherteacher,Sallylookstoherpeersforsupport.Other students,however,findherneedyandrude.Sallybecomesmoreprovocative withherteacher,andthespiralcontinuesdownward.

TeachersWhoMakeaDifference
Manyteachers,ofcourse,areeffectiveatidentifyingandturningaround thesedownwardspiralsandatpromotingkeyemotionalandethicalqualities. Manyteacherscommunicatehighmoralexpectationsandprovidesteady listeningandopportunitiesforaccomplishmentthatreducestudentsshame anddistrust.Manyteacherslearnfromtheirownmoralerrorsand continuallydeveloptheircapacitytoseetheperspectiveofeverystudentin theirclassrooms.Irecentlytalkedtoa4thgradeteacherwhotoldmethatshe thinksthata10yearoldboyinherclassroomhasamorerefinedand complexsenseofjusticethanshedoesthatheismoreeffectiveatworking outconflictsintheclassroomthansheis.Shesaidthatshetriestolearnfrom him. Iknowteacherswhoworkhardtoentertheparticularmoralworldsof students.Ahighschoolteacherrecentlytoldmeabouthiseffortsnotto condonebuttounderstandwhyastudentheadmiredhadbroughtagunto
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school.Itturnedoutthatthisstudentwentstraightfromschooltoworkand returnedhomelateatnight.Onhiswayhomefromthebus,hehadtowalk pastagangthathadthreatenedhimseveraltimes.Bringingthegunwasnot anactofprovocationbutanactofselfdefense.Thissameteachertoldme abouthisstrugglestounderstandthereligiousorientationsthatunderlie somestudentsmoralthinking.Herecalledhowvexedagirlinhisclass becamewhenherelatedthathedidnotbelieveinGod.HowcanIrespect yourjudgmentandguidance,thestudentaskedopenly,ifitisnotrootedina beliefinGod?Theteacherrealizedthedepthofhisstudentsreligious feelings.Ihaveobservedthatotherteachersconsciouslytrytotakethe perspectiveofthechildrenwhomtheyfindmostfrustrating. Manyteachersandadministrators,however,clearlydontpossessthese qualitiesordontexpressthemintheirinteractionswithstudentsdayto day.Theseteachersandadministratorsdontreachouttostrugglingstudents, dontattempttoseestudentsperspectives,andhavelosttheiridealism.What getsinthewayofadultsdevelopingorexpressingthesequalities?Andwhat canwedoaboutit?

DepressionandDisillusionment
Exactdataaredifficulttoobtain,butIthinkthatdisillusionmentand depressionunderminelargenumbersofteachersinurbanschools.Ireferhere lesstotheserious,acutedepressionthatafflictsabout20percentofU.S. adults(Beardslee,2002)thantothesteadydrizzleofhelplessnessand hopelessnessthatcanwearteachersdown. Thelitanyofstressesthattheseteachersbearhasbecomewellknown.They cantgettextbooksandothermaterials;theyfeelstranded,maroonedintheir classrooms;theydontgetadequatesupportfromadministrators;theydont believethattheyhavetheskillstodealwithproblemsthattheyconfront everyday.Eventhoseteacherswhodeveloptheskillsandknowledgeto workeffectivelywithindividualstudentsoftenbecomeoverwhelmedwhen theyrealizewhatitwouldtaketoworkeffectivelywitheverystruggling studentintheirclassroom.Asahuman,Imayneverbeuptothis,onetold me. AcolleaguewhorecentlydirectedaninstitutefornewteachersinBoston believesthatnewteacherssufferakindoflearnedhelplessnessatermcoined byMartinSeligmanattheUniversityofPennsylvaniaagradualsenseof losingcontrol(Peterson,Maier,&Seligman,1993).Youcanhardlysetfootin anurbanschoolthesedayswithoutalsohearingabouttheburdenof managingstudentswithbehaviortroubles.Someteachersfeelphysicallyat risk.Oneofmyformergraduatestudentswashurtwhilephysically restraininga2ndgradestudent;another7yearoldtoldherthathewasgoing

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tokillher.Shecameintomyofficeinakindofmoralshock,adisbeliefthat thisstateofaffairsexisted.Mostteachershavebroughttothisworktheir heartsandsouls,andmanyhavelostthebeliefthattheycanmakeareal differenceinstudentslives. Researchdocumentingwhathappenstoadultswhentheygetdepressedmay shedlightonwhathappenstoteacherswhofeelthischronicsenseof helplessnessandbecomeburnedout.Depressedadultsoftenbecome unilateralandcommandingintheirinteractionswithotherpeople.Their behaviortendstobegovernedbytheirownmoodsandneedsratherthanby anawarenessofothers.Theytendtotakethepathofleastresistanceanddo whatrequirestheleasteffort.Oftentheybecomewithdrawn,irritable,critical, orsometimesoutrighthostile(McLoyd,1990).Whatshardforthemare exactlythequalitiesempathy,patience,persistence,consistency,idealism thatarecrucialforteacherstoshepherdstudentsmoralgrowth.

MisconceptionsaboutAdultsMoralDevelopment
Yettheremaybeabiggerobstacletoadultsdevelopingimportantmoral qualities,andthatobstacleisafundamentalculturalmisconceptionaboutthe natureofadultsmorallives.Mostadults,includingmostteachers,dontview themselvesasengagedintheirownmoralgrowth.Wehavethepeculiar notionthatourmoralnaturesareestablishedbylatechildhoodandthatas adults,wesimplyliveoutthediethatiscast. Yetnewmodelsofadultdevelopmentsuggestthatadultsethicalqualitiesdo notremainstaticatalltheyzigzagdependingonmanyfactors(Noam, 1995).Someadultsbecomemoregenerousandcompassionateovertime; othersbecomemoreselfish.Someadultsbecomewiser,moreabletodistill importantmoraltruths;othersnotionsoffairnessbecomemoreformulaicor coarse.Manypeoplelosetheirmoralenthusiasms.Everystageofadulthood bringsbothnewmoralweaknessesandnewmoralstrengths. Thiscapacityforchangemeansthatthetypicaladulthasnotreachedhisor hermoralpotential.KingLeardoesnotdevelopcompassionoramature senseofjusticeuntilhenearsdeath.Schoolsfacethechallengeofcreating culturesinwhichteacherscometoviewappreciatingandbeinggenerousto others,actingwithfairnessandintegrity,andformulatingmatureand resilientidealsasevolvingandsubtlecapacities.Thereisnothingnoblein beingsuperiortosomebodyelse,civilrightsleaderWhitneyYoungsays. Theonlyrealnobilityisinbeingsuperiortoyourformerself. Muchofwhatpassesforcharactereducationinschoolssimplyhasno influenceonadultsemotionalormoralqualities.Theconstantexhortations thatteachersreceivetobecomebetterrolemodelsgeneratebythemselves neithertheinternalcommitmentsnortheexternalguidanceandsupportthat

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teachersneedtodevelopthesequalities.Minimally,aneffectivemoral educationeffortwouldincludespecificstrategiesforhelpingadultsdealwith disillusionmentandhelplessnessandwouldfocusoncreatingaculturethat supportsteachersintheiremotionalandmoralgrowth.

TowardEffectiveMoralEducation
Schoolsclearlycantrespondtoallthetroublesthatleadtohelplessnessand hopelessnessinteachers.Buttheycanfocusontwoprimecauses:thestrainof dealingwithstudentswithbehaviortroubles;andisolation. Manyschoolsnowputapriorityonhelpingteachersworkwithstudentswith behaviorproblems,notonlybecausetheseproblemsaresofrayingtoteachers butalsobecausetheproblemsundercutthelearningofallstudentsinthe classroom.Happily,programsexisttohelpteachersdealeffectivelywith thesestudents.Thebestgiveteachersspecificstrategiesandbreakdown teachersisolation,creatingstronger,morecaringschoolcommunities.An exampleistheChildDevelopmentProject,anelementaryschoolprogram designed,implemented,andevaluatedbytheDevelopmentalStudiesCenter inOakland,California(Battistichetal.,1991).Amongthemanysupports provided,teacherslearneffectivedisciplinestrategiesandreceivehelpin developingstudentsintrinsicmotivestoactconstructivelyandcooperatively, includingengagingstudentsinrulesetting,decisionmaking,andproblem solving.Overthepastfouryears,IhaveworkedintwoBostonelementary schoolswithRobertSelman,BethanyMontgomery,andAlisonAuderiethon asimilarproject,whichtrainsadiversecadreofgraduatestudentstowork withschoolsonthesegoals. Schoolsmightalsoassistingettingthesmallnumberofteacherssuffering fromseriousdepressionintotreatment.Suchtreatmenthasdramatically improvedinthepast25years(Beardslee,2002).Iamcertainlynotsuggesting thatschooladministratorsidentifydepressedteachersandpressuretheminto gettingtherapy.Butschoolscouldplayamuchbiggerrolebyparticipatingin theNationalInstituteofMentalHealthsongoingpubliceducationcampaign ondepressionawarenessandscreening,includingusingpostersandother materialstoinformbothparentsandteachersaboutthesymptomsof depressionandabouttreatmentresources. Althoughamountainousliteratureexistsondepression,psychologistshave remarkablylittleunderstandingofdisillusionment.Theydontevenhavea vocabularyfortalkingaboutit.Butdisillusionmentespeciallythelossofa beliefthattheycanmakeadifferenceinstudentslivesisoneofthebiggest reasonsthatnearlyonehalfofteachersintheUnitedStatesleavethe professionwithintheirfirstfiveyears(EducationWeek,2001).Disillusionment isnotnecessarilybad.Strictlyspeaking,disillusionmentisfreedomfrom

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illusion.Itistheabilitytofaceandabsorbagreaterportionofrealitya foundationforwisdomandmaturity.Butdisillusionmentturnspernicious whenitslidesintohelplessnessandpassivitywhenteachersdonthavethe confidence,support,oropportunitiesforthecreativityneededtomasterthese realities. Thereisagreatdealoftalkthesedaysaboutstronger,morecoherent mentoringprogramsfornewteachers,andthesenewprogramsarevitalfor helpingteachersworkthroughdisillusionment.Mentorscanassistteachersin developingtheircompetenceandtalents,buttheycanalsoberesponsiveto teachersatpreciselythosemomentswhennewteachersimagesand expectationsaboutteachingcollidewithdifficultrealities.Mentorscanhelp newteachersberealisticandtakeprideinseeminglysmallaccomplishments. Mentorscanalsohelpnewteachersthinkaboutcreative,diversecareerpaths withintheteachingprofessionthatmightenablethemtousetheirtalentsand havealargerimpactonstudentslives.Researchsuggeststhatusingtheir talentsandgrowingprofessionallyaresignificantlymoreimportantthan statusorsalaryinboostingteachersmorale(Heath,1994).Agrowingchorus ofeducatorsandresearchersnowcallforrevampingteacherscareer opportunitiestoallowteacherstobecomeinnovativeandentrepreneurial forexample,enablingthemtostarttheirownprograms,conductresearch, takesabbaticalsintheprivatesector,orassumeleadershiproles. Suchchangesastheseshouldbeonepieceofabroadefforttosupportboth teachersethicalgrowthandtheirabilitytoguidestudentsethicalgrowth. Newmodesofprofessionaldevelopmentfocusedonimprovinginstruction canteachusmuchinthisregard.District2inNewYork,forexample,has attractedattentionforrevampingprofessionaldevelopmentsothatteachers regularlyobserveandreflectononeanotherspractice.Veteranprofessionals withexpertiseinsuchimportantcontentareasasliteracyalsocoachteachers. Schooldistrictsneedtodomuchmoretopromoteprofessionalculturesthat focusonbothacademicinstructionanddevelopingadultsethicalawareness andskills.Teachers,guidedbycoaches,couldprovidefeedbacktoone anotheronsuchtopicsasearningrespectandtrust,creatingacaring community,dealingwithchallengingstudents,andidentifyingandreversing thedownwardspiralsinwhichstudentsandadultsgetcaught. Teachersneedopportunitiestoreflectonwhytheyhavedifficulty empathizingwithparticularstudents,ontheirsuccessesandfailuresin cultivatingstudentsmoralthinking,andonthestateoftheirownideals. Teachersneedemotionalsupportfromtheircolleaguesindealingwith chronicstress.Andadministratorsneedtolearntheartofcreating opportunitiesforthisemotionalsupportwithoutturningschoolsintothe kindsoftherapeuticculturesthatwouldestrangemanyteachers.
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Noneofthis,ofcourse,willbeeasy.Butitdoesnthavetobeyetanothertask forschoolsalreadyburdenedwiththehardworkofimprovinginstruction. Muchoftheworkcanbedoneinthecontextofwhatschoolsshouldbedoing anywaytosupportnewteachersandtopromotegoodinstruction,andmuch ofitcreatingstrongcommunities,helpingteachersmanagestudentswith behaviorproblems,increasingadultscapacityforreflectionwillcertainly serveacademicgoals.Bestofall,thisapproach,unlikesomanycurrent charactereducationefforts,standsarealchanceofnurturinginchildrenthe qualitiesthattheyneedtobecomecaringandresponsibleadults.

References
Battistich,V.,Watson,M.,Solomon,D.,Schaps,E.,&Solomon,J.(1991).The ChildDevelopmentProject:Acomprehensiveprogramforthedevelopment ofprosocialcharacter.InJ.L.Gewirtz&W.M.Kurtines(Eds.),Handbookof moralbehavioranddevelopment(Vol.3).Hillsdale,NJ:Erlbaum. Beardslee,B.(2002).Outofthedarkenedroom.Boston:LittleBrown. Bennett,W.(2000).WhatreallyailsAmerica?InG.Muller(Ed.),TheMcGraw Hillreader(7thed.,pp.342346).Boston:McGrawHill. Damon,W.(2001).Tonotfadeaway:Restoringcivilidentityintheyoung.In D.Ravitch&J.Viteritti(Eds.),Makinggoodcitizens(pp.122141).NewHaven, CT:YalePress. EducationWeek.(2000,January).Qualitycounts2000:Whoshouldteach? Bethesda,MD:EditorialProjectsinEducation. Gilligan,J.(1996).Violence:Ourdeadlyepidemicanditscauses.NewYork: Putnam. Heath,D.(1994).Schoolsofhope:Developingmindandcharacterintodaysyouth. SanFrancisco:JosseyBass. Kagan,J.(1995).Personalcommunication. McLoyd,V.(1990).Theimpactofeconomichardshiponblackfamiliesand children:Psychologicaldistress,parenting,andsocioemotionaldevelopment. ChildDevelopment,61,311346. Noam,G.(1995).Reconceptualizingmaturity:Thesearchfordeepermeaning. InG.Noam&K.Fischer(Eds.),Developmentandvulnerabilityinclose relationships.Hillsdale,NJ:Erlbaum. Peterson,C.,Maier,S.,&Seligman,M.(1993).Learnedhelplessness:Atheoryfor theageofpersonalcontrol.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress. Rozin,P.,etal.(1999).Themappingbetweenthreemoralemotions(contempt, anger,anddisgust)andthreemoralcodes(community,autonomy,divinity). JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,76(4),574586.
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Schaps,E.,Schaeffer,E.,&McDonnell,S.(2001,September12).Whatsright andwrongincharactereducationtoday.EducationWeek,pp.4041. WarrenLittle,J.(1998).CaliforniasSchoolRestructuringDemonstrationProgram: Lessonsaboutcomprehensiveschoolreformanditseffectsonstudents,educators,and schools.ExcerptofpaperpresentedatUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley.

RickWeissbourdisalectureroneducationattheHarvardUniversity GraduateSchoolofEducationandtheKennedySchoolofGovernment; weissbri@gse.harvard.edu.HeistheauthorofTheVulnerableChild:What ReallyHurtsAmericasChildrenandWhatWeCanDoAboutIt(AddisonWesley, 1996).

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