Learning right from wrong: why moral reasoning matters
Ishita Bhattacharjee
As a teacher deeply committed to nurturing the holistic growth of my students, I can’t help but reflect on the personal journey that led me to advocate for the integration of social-emotional learning (SEL) and moral education with core academic disciplines. During my own school days, moral education often felt like an isolated concept, tucked away in a curriculum labelled as “Dharma Shiksha”. Within this compartmentalized framework, I encountered several challenges that left me feeling disconnected and ill-prepared for real life. The stories of heroic figures from distant pasts seemed to lack relevance to my own experiences, presenting values as abstract ideals rather than as practical skills to navigate the complexities of everyday life.
This disconnect became increasingly apparent when confronted with moral dilemmas. Without a solid understanding of my own identity and values, I found it difficult to navigate the gray areas between right and wrong. I realized that this fragmented approach perpetuates a binary worldview, categorizing situations as either wholly good or entirely bad, neglecting the nuanced complexities in between. While prescribed rules offered some guidance, they often fell short of addressing the nuances of real-world scenarios. It was clear to me that resolving dilemmas required more than just memorization of rules, it demanded a deeper level of introspection, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning.
Compartmentalization of moral education not only makes it harder for learners to stay interested but also ignores how emotions, values, and learning are all connected. Delivered primarily through lecture-based formats, devoid of opportunities for meaningful self-reflection and critical inquiry, these lessons about morality fail to engage students in a way that resonates with their lived experiences. The “off the shelf” strategy leaves little room for personal exploration or divergent thinking, stifling the development of essential life skills such as empathy, self-awareness, and ethical decision-making.
It was while grappling with these challenges that I came to realize the importance of integrating SEL and moral education with core academic disciplines. Drawing from my own struggles and experiences, I am driven to create a classroom environment where students are not only challenged academically but also encouraged to explore their own identities, beliefs, and values. By weaving SEL principles into everyday lessons, I aim to provide students with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of the modern world with confidence and compassion.
An integrated approach of SEL with academic subjects offers a more holistic framework for nurturing learners’ socio-emotional development. By blending SEL principles into academic concepts, educators can create rich learning experiences that promote self-reflection, empathy, and moral reasoning.
Moral reasoning is all about figuring out what’s right and what’s wrong in different situations. It is like having a “moral compass” that helps you make the right decisions and resolve dilemmas. Resolving dilemmas and making just decisions demands that learners think “rationally and pragmatically”. They need to approach a situation from a scientific point of view: looking at the situation from multiple perspectives, creating and testing hypotheses, and drawing inferences from evidence. Instead of just following rules, moral reasoning encourages learners to think for themselves and consider how their actions affect others. It’s like asking questions, such as, “Is this fair to everyone?” or “How would I feel if someone did this to me?”
By thinking this way, learners learn to make decisions based on what they believe is right, even when nobody is telling them what to do. They learn to do and be good even when no one is watching. When learners learn to think morally, they become better at understanding fairness, honesty, and empathy. Moral reasoning isn’t just about being nice; it’s also about understanding people’s feelings and respecting everyone’s differences. This method helps learners understand values better by going beyond simple ideas of what’s “good” or “bad”. And so, learners become better equipped to deal with different cultures, individuals, and societies.
To make SEL part of everyday learning, educators can implement various strategies aimed at engaging learners in discussions about their values, experiences, and aspirations.
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Photos courtesy: Ishita Bhattacharjee
Personalized reflection activities provide learners with opportunities to explore their emotions and beliefs, fostering self-awareness and empathy. These activities give students time to think about themselves, their feelings, what they believe in, and what they’ve experienced. It’s like taking a moment to look inside themselves in a supportive and structured space. They might notice patterns in their thoughts or behaviours and see where they can improve. For example, they might write about how they felt frustrated during a math test and realize they need to practice more. Or they might write about a disagreement with a friend and realize they need to work on their communication skills. Overall, journalling helps students connect their emotions with their school experiences and learn more about themselves in the process.
Incorporating real-world examples in collaborative inquiry projects encourages learners to apply SEL skills to analyze complex issues and make ethical decisions, promoting critical thinking and teamwork. For instance, in a project on environmental sustainability, students work together in groups to investigate the impact of human activities on ecosystems. They explore various perspectives, considering the economic, social, and environmental factors at play. Through collaborative discussions and research, students develop empathy for different stakeholders affected by environmental issues and engage in ethical decision-making processes. As they navigate through the project, they enhance their critical thinking abilities by analyzing data, evaluating evidence, and synthesizing information to propose sustainable solutions. Additionally, by collaborating with peers, students learn valuable teamwork skills, such as effective communication, delegation, and conflict resolution. Role-playing scenarios enable learners to practice ethical decision-making and interpersonal skills, while community service projects instill a sense of social and civic responsibility. Student-led discussions on relevant topics provide platforms for respectful dialogue and exploration of diverse perspectives, where they talk about what’s important to them. Within these discussions, students actively listen to each other, carefully express their own ideas and opinions, and respond in ways that show appreciation for the input of their peers. This creates an environment where individuals feel heard, valued, and respected, fostering understanding and cooperation among participants.
In essence, by integrating SEL with academic disciplines (see box), educators can cultivate mathematical proficiency as well as ethical consciousness, empowering learners to thrive as engaged and empathetic members of society.
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How SEL can be integrated with academic disciplines
In biological sciences, we can incorporate the ethics of vaccination and public health. Students can discuss and undertake projects exploring this domain.
In social sciences, the topic of war and disarmament can be integrated with peace education.
Languages, too, provide scope for integrating SEL wherein students can write short stories about their beliefs, which can lead to deep discussions.
In mathematics, word problems should be designed such that students need to make a just decision after arriving at the calculation.
Worksheet to blend angles, time, and habits together*
Ever thought about tracking your morning routine? Sounds interesting! Let us fill out the table below, where we’ll combine geometry with your everyday routine.
Sr. No. | Your daily chore | Draw the time of event | Type of angle |
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1 | I woke up at 6.00 am. Do you have any morning routines or activities that help you start your day positively? |
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2 | I did my morning exercise at _______ (am/pm) Can you share any tips or advice for your friends on how to make morning exercise a part of their routine? |
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3 | I took a bath at ________ (am/pm) Did you find that your bath today helped relieve stress or improve your mood? |
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4 | I had my breakfast at ________ (am/pm) On days when you have a good breakfast, do you notice any differences in your energy levels or mood compared to days when you skip it? |
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5 | I thanked my parents for taking care of me at ____ (am/pm) What are some of the ways you can help your parents and make their day a little easier? |
*This worksheet assesses students’ understanding on the topic of angles and time. Every question is followed by a related question which requires students to indulge in reflection of their own practices. The questions are designed in a way that sparks students’ curiosity about a morning routine. The worksheet can be followed by a discussion. Students must discuss why it is important to have a morning routine and come to a consensus about an ideal routine. Instead of prescribing what to do, this is an attempt for the teacher to help her students self reflect and think about their own practices, discuss the benefits and harms of each and then decide what is better for themselves.
The author is an IGCSE Math facilitator and SEL coordinator at Aimee International School, Guntur. She firmly believes in education for life, not just livelihood. She can be reached at ishitabhattacharjee48@gmail.com.