Thank you very much for your response tim!
Your words could not be more true. In my previous years of teaching, I've learned bits and pieces every year. I did not realize how much students could improve just from kind words and believing in them. I will do as your advice says!

Thanks for your response and kind words Bitter Crank!

You are 100% correct in what you say about school district guidelines and core subject academics. I have taught for several years and for a while, was puzzled on how I could fit moral education within the lessons. From a purely academic standpoint, there is still not enough time of the day to fit everything in.

But what if I were disguise all of the aspects of school as a fantastical experience that they live through? The program I developed abides by all district rules and requirements and actually is aligned with curriculum and the state test. It also provides enough consistent practice and differentiation within subject areas and closely integrates all subjects together so that students can see how all subjects are interrelated. After my principal and assistant principal heard about it, they observed my classroom to see it and were astonished by how well it ran and how genuinely engaged the students were.

But just as you mentioned, their home life is a significant factor in their success in the classroom. One part of my goal is to have an incredible classroom community where as long as they practice these moral values as an individual in the classroom, they will rise together as a class, allowing them to feel safe and secure for at least part of their day. However, this is obviously much harder said than done, but I'm becoming a better teacher every year, so hopefully it will come sooner than later.

Thank you very much for your response!
First, you are correct, this is definitely not a computer program. I wrote about it in the last two paragraphs of my reply to unenlightened. But in short, the program is like an entirely new world that the students step into every time they enter my classroom.

The example you included in your story is most definitely an effective and engaging way to help students learn. There have been times in the classroom where I have taught things very similarly. However, I felt there was one thing missing from these lessons. This was their general interest in the said topic. While some may be more interested than others, it is incredibly difficult to get every person truly engaged, even if they are doing it.

Through this program, I am wanting kids to be invested within the story. From past experiences in the classroom, the more invested they are within the story, the more they are invested in the assignment, since they are integrated as one. This way, when I do teach lessons similar to the example you presented, there is a higher chance for every student to be more engaged while still thinking for themselves.

But you are correct, I know that there is no right answer with this question. Everyone holds each value differently but what I am looking for is; what are the values they value most and why? Behind the lens of every persons they have a deeper and more complex reasoning behind why they think one value holds higher than another. I am just wanting to learn about their reasons on why because their view could match one of my own students' potential views.

Within the story of this program, I will control what situations and scenarios are presented to them. I am trying to narrow it down to which types of moral lessons and values I should emphasize while presenting them with situations that would be more relatable to them in their present or future.

One thing you mentioned was that it was important to just get them to think of these issues and find themselves their own answers. Do you not believe that could cause harm to a student or give them a reason to not do justice if they are not guided? Plato states, "a man who acts morally always ends up worse off than a guy who acts immorally." I have found this quote to be awfully true fairly often, so what if the student realizes that it is easier to be immoral?

I suppose the real question would be, is it most important to have them find their own answer or to help guide them to find the answer? Please understand that when I say guide, I am not giving them the answer, so in a sense, they are still finding the answer on their own, yet through guidance, they can learn from the mistakes of others in the past.

First, thank you very much for your kind words.

As for the topic of love, the reason I included it is in a previous reply I made earlier if you'd like to read it. If you do, I wouldn't mind hearing your opinion on it as well and/or whether or not I should make adjustments.

Thank you for your suggestions and description behind each value and characteristic. Your words provide a deeper context that I can make sure I include within the story.

Speaking of truth and ethics, do you think it would also be appropriate to bring up ideas of lying and whether or not it is okay to lie?

For example, telling "white lies" to protect the feelings of another or lying to a Nazi Officer about knowing the whereabouts of Jewish people during WWII. To use a hypothetical example of advertising and politics, what if a group of people were already brainwashed by a political figure who covertly wants to harm the government and it's citizens and the only effective way to make sure they lose in the upcoming election is to bend the truth for the opposing candidate in hopes that the people change their favor. Or would that be unethical as well and another solution should be found?

I want the students to enter this thought process on their own, but I know I must guide them to understand that every scenario is different and they must differentiate when it is for the benefit of the overall good, which can depend on what they think good is.

Finally, I would just like you to know that this "program" as I called it earlier, is truly much more than the word that represents it. Philosophy, while I may not see it in the same way I did when I was much younger, has guided my life's purpose. Through this program, I'm extending many skills I have developed in my life to bring to life another world that the children may live through. Every aspect of the school day is integrated in this program. Every academic subject, moral theme, and fantastical story is interwoven and integrated into one thing making learning an entirely new experience for the kids. On top of that, I am doing my own artwork, music, narrative story, educational games, and classroom procedures. This program is actually an extension of my life that I am sharing with the students and it is as much for me as it is for them.

All I am truly trying to express is that this program is my life's work and I will live it for almost every year that I am alive after this year. The knowledge and wisdom that is shared within this thread is much more important than many of of the members here may understand. I truly thank you and everyone else on this thread who has shared their wisdom by responding.

Thank you very much for your response. I actually agree with you on the topic about love and I am actually rethinking it as one of the main values to include. Like you mentioned, since it is as much of an emotion as it is a cognitive function, could it even be considered a value?

I understand certain beliefs and philosophies avoid the concepts of love because of the worldly attachments it brings and can fuel a fiery passion that could easily get out of hand depending on how it's handled.

However, since the attachments of love are nearly instinctual and inevitable in ones lifetime, even if they did let go of the feelings and illusions of love at some point in their life, do you think the topic and concepts of love are still important to address? Since my target audience is 9-10 year old children in the lower/middle class in the U.S., chances are they already uphold ideas of love in their own household. I was thinking that instead of turning them away from ideas of love and the bias it can bring to their choices and decisions, I would like to try and nurture other philosophies that promote the happiness that love can bring.

The main reason I would still want to promote ideas surrounding love is because another large objective I have for my students is to use philosophy to find happiness, which I think is one of the, if not, the ultimate goal in life. Obviously, they can find happiness without love, but as a social norm and natural instinct, most people still tend to want to find a significant other. In this day in age, it seems the majority of people seem to have a twisted perception on what love is and the happiness that it can potentially bring. In other psychological studies, a very common quality found in most people who considered themselves "happy", had and cherished the relationships they had with others or a hobby they loved.

Regardless, I cannot refute your statements on the concept of love. Therefore, I will most definitely present the bias and dangers that love can bring as well as the goodness it can bring, if nurtured appropriately. Would you think this to be a better way of presenting it? Or like I stated earlier, could love even be considered a value as much as it is an emotion?

P.S. Thank you very much for the research from William and Lawrence Kohlberg. The information you presented is incredibly valuable and I am researching both more extensively!

Thank you! Streetlight was able to help bring it out of an auto-spam box.