Parent/Teacher Bibliography
Adler, Mortimer, Geraldine Van Doren. Reforming Education: The Opening of the American Mind.
Macmillan Publishing Co., 1988.
Not much of value has been said about education in the past decade that Mortimer Adler did not say 40 years ago. Of particular interest is Part Four in this book: Thinking About Moral Values and his essays: “Virtue and Happiness,” “A Sound Moral Philosophy,” and “Ethics: Fourth century BC and Twentieth Century AD.”
Bennett, William J., and John T.E. Cribb. The American Patriot’s Almanac.
Thomas Nelson, 2008.
In a month when we celebrate civic virtue, this book is a treasure trove for teachers and older students—a daily compendium of inspiring people, landmark events, and not-to-be-missed stories in American history. Each date features a main entry with a three- to four-paragraph explanation. February spotlights not just George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, woman’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony, Wild West popularizer Buffalo Bill Cody, novelist Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Actor-Turned-President Ronald Reagan. It offers a chance to recall “Godspeed, John Glenn,” the day the Ohio astronaut became the first American to orbit the earth. Recognizing that we learn not just from our successes, but from our mistakes, February 19 marks FDR’s Executive Order 9066, clearing the way in 1942 for the internment of Japanese-Americans—one of our nation’s darkest chapters. February 24 celebrates John Quincy Adams winning release of the enslaved crew of Amistad, when he argued before the Supreme Court. A riveting read and a must-have teacher reference.
Bennett, William J., Chester E. Finn, Jr. and John T.E. Cribb, Jr. The Educated Child: A Parent’s Guide from Preschool Through Eighth Grade. The Free Press, 1999.
An excellent, if chunky, overview of what comprises a first-rate elementary school education. Contains sections on character education both for pre-school parents and parents of elementary school children. (See Chapter 13 “Along with Academics”).
Brooks, Arthur C. Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt. (Broadside Books, 2019)
If you're weary of the toxic anger and "the outrage industrial complex" that is making big bucks by turning us against each other, read this calm, wise, refreshing book. It is winning accolades from thoughtful people on both sides of the political aisle, and from leaders of the major faith traditions. Policy analyst Brooks focuses on our relatively new habit of seeing those with a different opinion from ours as fundamentally flawed and worthy of eye-rolling contempt. He points out that this is a break with our past, and promotes an ever-more-toxic downward spiral. Disagreement, he reminds us, is necessary and helpful in attaining excellence. Drawing on recent studies about leadership, he offers a path to disagreeing agreeably and forging new paths with shared purpose.
Coles, Robert. The Moral Intelligence of Children: How to Raise a Moral Child.
Random House, 1997.
In this most recent of his many fine books (The Moral Life of Children, The Call of Stories, The Spiritual Life of Children), Harvard psychiatrist Coles explores how character develops in children, specifically how moral conduct or behavior comes into being. How do we explain disparities between character and intellect?
Damon, William. Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Culture of Indulgence in America’s Homes and Schools. Free Press, 1995.
An incisive analysis of moral decline in the past thiry years, and of the misconceptions in parenting and education that have fostered the decline. Damon, professor of Education at Brown University, tackles ways in which parents, schools and communities can help change the tide and channel a child’s natural desire for responsibility and challenges into moral growth.
Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.
Scribner, 2018.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth’s research focuses on character and helping children thrive. In this book, she reminds parents, teachers, and students alike that success in life(flourishing) is not so much about innate talent, intelligence, or social condition, as “grit” – a quality of passion united to perseverance. Some see the book’s findings as just plain common sense: tenacious people who work hard, keep their eye on the prize, have hope, and learn from mistakes, go further in life than spectacularly talented or well-connected individuals who don’t put in the effort, fail to prioritize goals, or have an attitude of indifference. It’s nice to be reminded, though, that this “common sense” is actually grounded in strong empirical evidence. Inspiring examples of gritty individuals abound in this book. Duckworth contends that one can cultivate grit from a young age and that this key quality of character is one that parents and schools should purposely nurture. Good chapters on “Parenting for Grit” and “A Culture of Grit.”
Emmons, Robert Ph.D. Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier.
Mariner Books, 2008.
Ancient virtue gets a thumbs-up from modern psychology. More than a self-help book, this volume by psychologist Robert Emmons (University of California, Davis) showcases “the new science of gratitude.” This focus in Positive Psychology has yielded extraordinary results, showing that people who practice gratitude (who intentionally cultivate thankfulness) live measurably happier lives – psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical. His more practical self-help book for adults is Gratitude Works! A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity.
Glendon, Mary Ann and David Blankenhorn. Seedbeds of Virtue: Sources of Competence, Character, and Citizenship in American Society. Madison Books, 1995.
The best single anthology of articles on this subject from scholars in law, public policy, sociology, and theology. An excellent introduction to the topic from various disciplinary perspectives.
Himmelfarb, Gertrude. The Demoralization of Society: From Victorian Virtues to Modern Values. Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.
The intellectual historian’s assessment of a shift one hundred years in the making—a superb look at the historical roots of our contemporary predicament.
Kilpatrick, William. Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right from Wrong: The Case for Moral Literacy.
Simon and Schuster, 1992.
The most trenchant analysis of the crisis in moral education as it has evolved in the past 30 years. Kilpatrick makes a compelling case for literature-based character education.
Lickona, Thomas. Educating for Character: How Our Schools Can Teach Respect and Responsibility. Bantam, 1991.
Path-breaking at the time of its publication, this book mixes strong practical tips for teachers and schools with a solid understanding of the larger issues in character education.
Mayer, Jack. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.
Longtrail Press, 2011
This is a fascinating read, and is two stories: the story of three Kansas teens who undertake a National History Day project in the late 1990s, armed only with a short article they’ve found about an obscure Polish woman, who rescued 2500 Jewish children during the war. Since Oscar Schindler’s rescues numbered in the hundreds, the girls assumed that there was a typo, but they dug further and unearthed a breathtaking story, which they turned into an award-winning play for National History Day. Mayer then flashes back and produces a novelized narrative of Irena Sendler’s life and exploits from the late 1930s through her daring rescues of Jewish children in occupied Poland, to capture, imprisonment, and torture. The two strands of the book come together in the end with the high school girls locating Irena, still alive in 2000. They make her story more widely known. A wonderful mix of contemporary teen stories (one of the girls had been abandoned by her mother; another was about to lose her mother) resolving in their understanding of this heroism of mothers in ages past.
Meilaender, Gilbert C. The Theory and Practice of Virtue.
University of Notre Dame Press, 1984.
An incisive collection of essays by one of the country’s leading moral philosophers. Chapters ranging from “Thinking About Virtue” to “Instructing the Conscience: Some Contemporary Views of Moral Education.” One of the most accessible presentations of Plato for laymen.
Nelson, Daniel Mark. The Priority of Prudence: Virtue and Natural Law in Thomas Aquinas and the Implications for Modern Ethics. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1992.
A serious work of moral philosophy, arguing for the revival of an ethics of virtue (courage, temperance, justice, prudence) centered on prudence. Nelson makes the case that “the vocabulary of the virtues provides an especially useful way of dealing with specific moral problems and that its emphasis on the relation between character and community productively challenges our contemporary moral situation.”
Popova, Maria& Claudia Bedrick. A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader.
Enchanted Lion Books, December 2018. Grades 4 to Adult....
Editor Maria Popova describes this stunning book as a "250 page love-letter to literature." She and co-editor Claudia Bedrick invited 121 "of the most interesting and inspiring human beings in our world" to write a letter to children about "why we read and what books do for the human spirit." This is an inspiring compendium of one-page letters accompanied by illustrations that bring the writer's words to life. Jane Goodall, Yo-Yo Ma, and Ursula Le Guin are among those who attest to a life shaped by literature, which - in the words of poet Gwendolyn Brooks - formed the "meat and medicine and flame and flight and flower" of her youth. English teachers will find much here to inspire compositions from their students. Parents will enjoy reflecting on their own devotion to timeless works. But mostly, this is for young readers, who easily lose themselves in the wondrous world of a good tale. They will discover in its pages, their tribe.
Pritchard, Ivor. Good Education: The Virtues of Learning.
Council for Basic Education, 1998.
Beginning with the assumption that it’s not whether we undertake moral education but how, Pritchard makes the case for an approach to moral education on the elementary school level that focuses on four moral virtues: friendship, honesty, courage, and justice.
Ryan, Kevin and Karen E. Bohlin. Building Character in Schools: Practical Ways to Bring Moral Instruction to Life. Jossey-Bass, 1999.
A gem of a book! This is a primer on the meaning of character education, the need to build communities of virtue in our schools, and the practical ways to instill in children love and knowledge of the good, as well as foment the habits of virtuous behavior.
Tutu, Desmond, Desmond Tutu. No Future Without Forgiveness.
Image, 2000
South Africa’s Anglican Archbishop, Desmond Tutu chaired the South African commission that investigated human rights abuses under the apartheid regime. He tells the story of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission formed in 1995. It heard the testimony of over 20,000 people, who recounted appalling abuses under the apartheid regime. The Commission was unique in its emphasis on healing the wounds of the past through truth-telling followed by amnesty and forgiveness rather than punishment or retributive justice. Seeking a “third way,” Tutu and the TRC led a path-breaking political initiative grounded in Christian faith. Desmond Tutu knows all too well the depths of human depravity, but his narrative is buoyed by hope, occasional humor, faith, and love.
Wilson, James Q. On Character.
Aei Press, 1995.Insightful essays by one of America’s leading political scientists on the necessity and manner of reviving public and private virtue.
Macmillan Publishing Co., 1988.
Not much of value has been said about education in the past decade that Mortimer Adler did not say 40 years ago. Of particular interest is Part Four in this book: Thinking About Moral Values and his essays: “Virtue and Happiness,” “A Sound Moral Philosophy,” and “Ethics: Fourth century BC and Twentieth Century AD.”
Bennett, William J., and John T.E. Cribb. The American Patriot’s Almanac.
Thomas Nelson, 2008.
In a month when we celebrate civic virtue, this book is a treasure trove for teachers and older students—a daily compendium of inspiring people, landmark events, and not-to-be-missed stories in American history. Each date features a main entry with a three- to four-paragraph explanation. February spotlights not just George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, woman’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony, Wild West popularizer Buffalo Bill Cody, novelist Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Actor-Turned-President Ronald Reagan. It offers a chance to recall “Godspeed, John Glenn,” the day the Ohio astronaut became the first American to orbit the earth. Recognizing that we learn not just from our successes, but from our mistakes, February 19 marks FDR’s Executive Order 9066, clearing the way in 1942 for the internment of Japanese-Americans—one of our nation’s darkest chapters. February 24 celebrates John Quincy Adams winning release of the enslaved crew of Amistad, when he argued before the Supreme Court. A riveting read and a must-have teacher reference.
Bennett, William J., Chester E. Finn, Jr. and John T.E. Cribb, Jr. The Educated Child: A Parent’s Guide from Preschool Through Eighth Grade. The Free Press, 1999.
An excellent, if chunky, overview of what comprises a first-rate elementary school education. Contains sections on character education both for pre-school parents and parents of elementary school children. (See Chapter 13 “Along with Academics”).
Brooks, Arthur C. Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt. (Broadside Books, 2019)
If you're weary of the toxic anger and "the outrage industrial complex" that is making big bucks by turning us against each other, read this calm, wise, refreshing book. It is winning accolades from thoughtful people on both sides of the political aisle, and from leaders of the major faith traditions. Policy analyst Brooks focuses on our relatively new habit of seeing those with a different opinion from ours as fundamentally flawed and worthy of eye-rolling contempt. He points out that this is a break with our past, and promotes an ever-more-toxic downward spiral. Disagreement, he reminds us, is necessary and helpful in attaining excellence. Drawing on recent studies about leadership, he offers a path to disagreeing agreeably and forging new paths with shared purpose.
Coles, Robert. The Moral Intelligence of Children: How to Raise a Moral Child.
Random House, 1997.
In this most recent of his many fine books (The Moral Life of Children, The Call of Stories, The Spiritual Life of Children), Harvard psychiatrist Coles explores how character develops in children, specifically how moral conduct or behavior comes into being. How do we explain disparities between character and intellect?
Damon, William. Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Culture of Indulgence in America’s Homes and Schools. Free Press, 1995.
An incisive analysis of moral decline in the past thiry years, and of the misconceptions in parenting and education that have fostered the decline. Damon, professor of Education at Brown University, tackles ways in which parents, schools and communities can help change the tide and channel a child’s natural desire for responsibility and challenges into moral growth.
Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.
Scribner, 2018.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth’s research focuses on character and helping children thrive. In this book, she reminds parents, teachers, and students alike that success in life(flourishing) is not so much about innate talent, intelligence, or social condition, as “grit” – a quality of passion united to perseverance. Some see the book’s findings as just plain common sense: tenacious people who work hard, keep their eye on the prize, have hope, and learn from mistakes, go further in life than spectacularly talented or well-connected individuals who don’t put in the effort, fail to prioritize goals, or have an attitude of indifference. It’s nice to be reminded, though, that this “common sense” is actually grounded in strong empirical evidence. Inspiring examples of gritty individuals abound in this book. Duckworth contends that one can cultivate grit from a young age and that this key quality of character is one that parents and schools should purposely nurture. Good chapters on “Parenting for Grit” and “A Culture of Grit.”
Emmons, Robert Ph.D. Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier.
Mariner Books, 2008.
Ancient virtue gets a thumbs-up from modern psychology. More than a self-help book, this volume by psychologist Robert Emmons (University of California, Davis) showcases “the new science of gratitude.” This focus in Positive Psychology has yielded extraordinary results, showing that people who practice gratitude (who intentionally cultivate thankfulness) live measurably happier lives – psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical. His more practical self-help book for adults is Gratitude Works! A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity.
Glendon, Mary Ann and David Blankenhorn. Seedbeds of Virtue: Sources of Competence, Character, and Citizenship in American Society. Madison Books, 1995.
The best single anthology of articles on this subject from scholars in law, public policy, sociology, and theology. An excellent introduction to the topic from various disciplinary perspectives.
Himmelfarb, Gertrude. The Demoralization of Society: From Victorian Virtues to Modern Values. Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.
The intellectual historian’s assessment of a shift one hundred years in the making—a superb look at the historical roots of our contemporary predicament.
Kilpatrick, William. Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right from Wrong: The Case for Moral Literacy.
Simon and Schuster, 1992.
The most trenchant analysis of the crisis in moral education as it has evolved in the past 30 years. Kilpatrick makes a compelling case for literature-based character education.
Lickona, Thomas. Educating for Character: How Our Schools Can Teach Respect and Responsibility. Bantam, 1991.
Path-breaking at the time of its publication, this book mixes strong practical tips for teachers and schools with a solid understanding of the larger issues in character education.
Mayer, Jack. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.
Longtrail Press, 2011
This is a fascinating read, and is two stories: the story of three Kansas teens who undertake a National History Day project in the late 1990s, armed only with a short article they’ve found about an obscure Polish woman, who rescued 2500 Jewish children during the war. Since Oscar Schindler’s rescues numbered in the hundreds, the girls assumed that there was a typo, but they dug further and unearthed a breathtaking story, which they turned into an award-winning play for National History Day. Mayer then flashes back and produces a novelized narrative of Irena Sendler’s life and exploits from the late 1930s through her daring rescues of Jewish children in occupied Poland, to capture, imprisonment, and torture. The two strands of the book come together in the end with the high school girls locating Irena, still alive in 2000. They make her story more widely known. A wonderful mix of contemporary teen stories (one of the girls had been abandoned by her mother; another was about to lose her mother) resolving in their understanding of this heroism of mothers in ages past.
Meilaender, Gilbert C. The Theory and Practice of Virtue.
University of Notre Dame Press, 1984.
An incisive collection of essays by one of the country’s leading moral philosophers. Chapters ranging from “Thinking About Virtue” to “Instructing the Conscience: Some Contemporary Views of Moral Education.” One of the most accessible presentations of Plato for laymen.
Nelson, Daniel Mark. The Priority of Prudence: Virtue and Natural Law in Thomas Aquinas and the Implications for Modern Ethics. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1992.
A serious work of moral philosophy, arguing for the revival of an ethics of virtue (courage, temperance, justice, prudence) centered on prudence. Nelson makes the case that “the vocabulary of the virtues provides an especially useful way of dealing with specific moral problems and that its emphasis on the relation between character and community productively challenges our contemporary moral situation.”
Popova, Maria& Claudia Bedrick. A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader.
Enchanted Lion Books, December 2018. Grades 4 to Adult....
Editor Maria Popova describes this stunning book as a "250 page love-letter to literature." She and co-editor Claudia Bedrick invited 121 "of the most interesting and inspiring human beings in our world" to write a letter to children about "why we read and what books do for the human spirit." This is an inspiring compendium of one-page letters accompanied by illustrations that bring the writer's words to life. Jane Goodall, Yo-Yo Ma, and Ursula Le Guin are among those who attest to a life shaped by literature, which - in the words of poet Gwendolyn Brooks - formed the "meat and medicine and flame and flight and flower" of her youth. English teachers will find much here to inspire compositions from their students. Parents will enjoy reflecting on their own devotion to timeless works. But mostly, this is for young readers, who easily lose themselves in the wondrous world of a good tale. They will discover in its pages, their tribe.
Pritchard, Ivor. Good Education: The Virtues of Learning.
Council for Basic Education, 1998.
Beginning with the assumption that it’s not whether we undertake moral education but how, Pritchard makes the case for an approach to moral education on the elementary school level that focuses on four moral virtues: friendship, honesty, courage, and justice.
Ryan, Kevin and Karen E. Bohlin. Building Character in Schools: Practical Ways to Bring Moral Instruction to Life. Jossey-Bass, 1999.
A gem of a book! This is a primer on the meaning of character education, the need to build communities of virtue in our schools, and the practical ways to instill in children love and knowledge of the good, as well as foment the habits of virtuous behavior.
Tutu, Desmond, Desmond Tutu. No Future Without Forgiveness.
Image, 2000
South Africa’s Anglican Archbishop, Desmond Tutu chaired the South African commission that investigated human rights abuses under the apartheid regime. He tells the story of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission formed in 1995. It heard the testimony of over 20,000 people, who recounted appalling abuses under the apartheid regime. The Commission was unique in its emphasis on healing the wounds of the past through truth-telling followed by amnesty and forgiveness rather than punishment or retributive justice. Seeking a “third way,” Tutu and the TRC led a path-breaking political initiative grounded in Christian faith. Desmond Tutu knows all too well the depths of human depravity, but his narrative is buoyed by hope, occasional humor, faith, and love.
Wilson, James Q. On Character.
Aei Press, 1995.Insightful essays by one of America’s leading political scientists on the necessity and manner of reviving public and private virtue.