Evolution of Character Education: From Hellfire and Brimstone to Constructivism, (The)

As America becomes increasingly pluralistic, the task of deciding whose values to teach, and how to best teach them, is most treacherous. A starting place for this task may be an examination of the three domains of character education: moral, political, and intellectual. This paper will explore the "essential tensions" that have historically defined these three domains. A discussion of these domains in light of current policy and practice will follow. Finally, the author will analyze constructivist service-learning, which, in the author's experience, is the character education model that best maximizes each domain and thoroughly acknowledges the desperation and pluralism of current American society.