Second International School On Mind, Brain And Education
2008, May 22-26
Basic and applied topics
in biological rhythms and learning
Directors: Antonio M. Battro and Kurt W. Fischer
Program officer: María Lourdes Majdalani
Majdalani Foundation, ARGENTINA
Moral evaluation in schools
To evaluate children’s moral behavior proves to be very difficult. Instead of trying to know whether children incorporate moral attitudes, the aim of the present study is to observe teachers´ intervention when faced with moral conflicts. The study shows that what teachers find more difficult is to actually intervene in these conflicts. Nevertheless, they do intervene and they find ways to make children think about what has happened.
A second study is now trying to examine whether teachers have a certain “style” when intervening in moral conflicts and if this can be seen among children’s reactions. Apparently, there is a way of provoking shame and another different way of provoking guilt in children, depending on how the teacher judges the child and fosters reparation of harm. Authors agree that guilt has proved to be more positive because it helps the child repair the harm committed.
