Ontario's Character Development Initiative In Canada
Discussion Questions
1. The Character Education Initiative asserts that there are universal values that must be explicitly taught to students. As the initiative states, “Character development is the deliberate effort to nurture the universal attributes upon which schools and communities find consensus.”
The initiative also states that teachers must, “model the character attributes agreed upon in the board-based community consultation process in their workplace practices and interactions.” Critics argue that this approach perpetuates the status quo. Some even go on to state that this is an approach to assimilate students into accepting desired behaviours of the Canadian society.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree that is a form of assimilation?
2. …show more content…
Ontario's Character Development Initiative is explicitly linked to democratic citizenship. Finding Common Ground declares:
Character development is an avenue through which students develop respect for self, others, property, the environment, diversity, human rights and other attributes upon which we find common ground as Canadians. It creates and expands opportunities for students to learn about, analyze, question, and contribute to, the building of their communities, our nation and the world. They develop an understanding of the interconnectedness and linkages that underlie social cohesion. Citizenship development is a deliberate effort to nurture these democratic ideals. (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008b , p.
1. The Character Education Initiative asserts that there are universal values that must be explicitly taught to students. As the initiative states, “Character development is the deliberate effort to nurture the universal attributes upon which schools and communities find consensus.”
The initiative also states that teachers must, “model the character attributes agreed upon in the board-based community consultation process in their workplace practices and interactions.” Critics argue that this approach perpetuates the status quo. Some even go on to state that this is an approach to assimilate students into accepting desired behaviours of the Canadian society.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree that is a form of assimilation?
2. …show more content…
Ontario's Character Development Initiative is explicitly linked to democratic citizenship. Finding Common Ground declares:
Character development is an avenue through which students develop respect for self, others, property, the environment, diversity, human rights and other attributes upon which we find common ground as Canadians. It creates and expands opportunities for students to learn about, analyze, question, and contribute to, the building of their communities, our nation and the world. They develop an understanding of the interconnectedness and linkages that underlie social cohesion. Citizenship development is a deliberate effort to nurture these democratic ideals. (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008b , p.