Theories and Methods of Teaching

Mr. Jerome M. dela Cruz

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral DevelopmentIntroduction:

Morality – is the ethical aspect of human behavior. It is intimately bound to the development of an awareness of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. It is therefore linked to what is often called conscience.

Morality has to do with human interactions that give rise to questions of ethics, of values, of trust and of rights.

Four Steps involved in Behaving Morally

1. The need to recognize the moral problem.

2. The person must make a judgement about what ought to be done, what is right or wrong.

3. The need to decide what to do.

4. A plan of action must be put into effect.

In this view, behaving morally or immorally is largely a matter of decision making and also involves acting on decisions. In other words, morality is not simply a matter of innate goodness or badness as some sort of deep-seated personality trait. In the view of many theorists like Kohlberg, morality develops even as do language and intellect.

I. Objective: Evaluate pupil’s level of morality

II. Stages of Moral Development (Kohlberg)

PreconventionalConventionalPostconventional

III. Strategies:

Debate

IV. Presentation of the Problem

Kohlberg’s Level of Morality

Kohlberg identified levels of moral judgment in children by describing to them situations involving a moral dilemma. One example is the story of Heinz, whose wife is dying. One special drug, discovered by a local druggist, might save her, but the druggist is selling it at an exorbitant price. So Heinz, after falling to borrow the money he needs, pleads with the druggist to sell the drug cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist refuses. Should Heinz steal the drug for his wife? Why? Why not?

Level I:Preconventional

Stage 1:Punishment and Obedience Orientation

Stage 2:Naïve Instrumental Hedonism

“If he steals the drug, he might go to jail.”(punishment)

“He can steal the drug and save his wife, and he’ll be with her when he gets out of jail." act motivated by its hedonistic consequences for the actor)

Level II:Conventional

Stage 3:“Good Boy, Nice Girl" Morality

Stage 4:Law-and-Order Orientation

“People will understand if you steal the drug to save your wife, but they’ll think you’re cruel and a coward if you don’t.” (reactions of others and the effects of the act on social relationships become important)

“It is the husbands duty to save his wife even if he feels guilty afterward for stealing the drug” (institutions, law , duty, honor, and guilt motivate behavior)

Level III:Postconventional

Stage 5:Morality of Social Contract

Stage 6:Universal Ethical principles

“The Husband has a right to the drug even if he can’t pay now. If the druggist won’t charge it, the government should look after it.” (democratic laws guarantee individual rights: contracts are mutually beneficial)

“Although it is legally wrong to steal, the husband would be morally wrong not to steal to save his wife. A life is more precious than financial gain.” (conscience is individual; laws are socially useful but not sacrosanct

V. Target/ Clienteles

30 pupils

VI. Persons Involved

Pupils, teacher, parents

VII. Evaluation/ Recommendation

As teachers, we have to equip the pupils with the necessary knowledge and intellectual skills to enable them to solve moral issues and evaluate them effectively. They should be taught how to think and communicate clearly; tell what is right from wrong, know why something is right; how to argue correctly and evaluate one’s own or another person’s reasoning correctly. Let us develop our pupils to become highly rational problem solvers in the values area.

Teachers should be models to others as they teach about responsibility, honesty, integrity, creativity, respect and the like. One should practice what one teaches for living a good and genuine human life.

Thank You!..................................