Lesson 1: What Are Values?
By Ann Schurmann, M.P.H.
1. Ask students to define the word "values," writing their definitions where everyone can see them. Pass out a dictionary definition of values:
" Abstract concepts of what is right, worthwhile, or desirable; a personal basis for conduct or management; a guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of right conduct; the morals, ethics, and customs regarded generally or by an individual as acceptable; concepts pertaining to or concerned with a sense of right and wrong."
2. Have students brainstorm a list of values. (Make certain they compile a full list by helping them to include not only pro-social values like "honesty is the best policy" or "do unto others . . ." but also less-than-positive values like "might makes right" or "beauty is more important than intelligence.")
3. Have students read "Deciding Right from Wrong" then use the following questions to guide discussion:
- Is it always easy for people to stick with their values?
- Do you think it is easy for one person to stand up to another �s persuasion if he doesn�t have a clear sense of what is important to him, a clear set of values? Why or why not?
- Some people say it takes "moral courage" to do what you think is right when everyone else is doing something else. What do you think "moral courage" is?
- Do people�s values always coincide with the values of the culture they live in? Give an example to back up your opinion.
- Is adhering to your culture�s values always the right thing to do? Why or why not?
- Can you think of some famous people in history who had the moral courage to challenge their cultures� values?
- Imagine you have an opportunity to steal money and you are guaranteed no one else will ever find out you did it. Imagine you also believe that stealing is wrong. Clearly, you would gain money by going against your own beliefs. What would you gain by sticking to your beliefs?
- Why is self-esteem or self-respect important? Why might you choose self-respect over all the other things you might have � money, for instance � if you chose not to stick with your values?
- Can you imagine a situation where two people with two different sets of values might make two different decisions when faced with the same choices and yet both be "right" according to their values?
4. Have students look at the original list of values they compiled at the beginning of the lesson. Ask the following questions:
- What values do you think are held up as important by our culture?
- If you disagree with those values, do you think it is possible to challenge them? How? What could you do?
5. Have students write a paragraph about a time they stood up for their own values, whether it was in a personal situation involving their parents, their friends, or a boyfriend or girlfriend; in a situation where they challenged prevailing cultural values; or when they considered doing something like telling a lie or cheating on a test and decided against it.
6. Ask students to share how they felt about the situations they wrote about.
WINTER 2000
Discussion Guide
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