What's the Right Thing to Do?

This book for teachers and parents makes an important case for the need for developing moral behavior in young children. It offers effective tools for teaching children to weigh decisions in the face of potential consequences, examine rationales for their choices, study the effects of their choices on others.

Selma Wassermann is Professor Emerita in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. Author of more than 30 books, she is the recipient of the University Excellence in Teaching Award.

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1- It's a Dilemma Theoretical Foundations of Moral Behavior Chapter 2- Making Sense of a Complex World: What's the Right Thing to Do? What Can Teachers and Parents Do? Chapter 3- Children as Decision Makers Thinking and Deciding Some Caveats Freedom to Choose and Empowerment Chapter 4- Introduction to the World of Moral Dilemmas It's Complicated Adult-Child Discussions About Moral Issues The Value of Small Group Work Chapter 5- Stories, Mini-Cases, Books, Films and Classroom Incidents What's a Case? Twenty-two Mini-Cases Inviting Children's Stories About Their Own Dilemmas Children's Books and Stories Films Chapter 6- Putting Moral Behavior into Action Community Projects Extracting Meaning from Experience Journals Chapter 7- Discussion Strategies to Examine Moral Issues Learning Discussion Skills by Observing the "How" in Action The Interactive Dialogue The Teacher/Parent in the Process Non-defensive Awareness of Self Chapter 8- Even Children Can Make a Difference Children Who Make a Difference Bibliography About the Author