role of society in character building essay

Role of Education and its importance in building a character

tooba yousufi

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil” ~ C.S. Lewis.

Education is a way that improves our lives and pushes us to be better people. It gives us an understanding of the world around us. It offers opportunities allowing us to use our experiences and knowledge to gain respect and lead a better life in the future. 

What is Education? It is one of the simplest questions that have different answers — each with its own unique perspective. Some say that education is essential to gain knowledge about the past and the present that leads to a better future. It just doesn’t include readable information present in the books used in schools and colleges such as the best books on weather for kids or the scientific knowledge delivered to the young students—although it plays an important part in setting our mind — it is more complicated than just being disciplined to acquire values and skills that serve society and generations of humanity. 

The goal of true education is more than the cerebral aspect of understanding the various modes of critical, abstract, visual, and creative thought processes. It is rather about addressing the corporeal aspect of a person making a holistic individual. 

Simply put, it can be said that Education is a platform that can break all barriers allowing us to discover and explore our limits. 

Character and personality: the soul of Education

The personality and character of a person is something that makes an individual different from others. Some associated character to be the moral values and ethics of a person. However, it is an optimistic approach to life and a process of continuous learning which can be acquired at any time, no matter the time and age. 

In order to understand the relation between the character and Education in character building, imagine a situation where a human has knowledge but no character or personality that can differentiate his character from others. Such a person is indeed knowledgeable, but it is merely a robot that does work and carries out tasks without having moral and ethical values. 

Role of Education in the development of character

The key to knowledge — lack of knowledge can have an effect on the pleasing quality of politeness and involvement in discussions with educated people. Knowledge lets you indulge with learned people giving a boost to your personality and character. Besides providing you with an opportunity to be better at every task, it can enhance your decisions and set a better perception of your personality, among others.

Makes you choose between right and wrong — blind faith and superstitions are something in which people get trapped very easily. Bad faith and false perceptions can harm society more than doing good for it. Being an educated person helps in eliminating false beliefs enabling us to pick out right from wrong. This is not just true in a religious way but also provides better opportunities to the people rather than limiting their mindset. 

The teacher of ethics — failing provides a path to success which has hurdles and difficulties. Education provides light and knowledge to successfully cross those hurdles. The quality of an educated person is that they learn to be better by working out a way that is both fair and successful. 

A confidence booster — a confident personality and character are important to thrive in this world. Establishing healthy communication while clearing doubts on any subject or topic. Education gives you the confidence to put forward the facts which can create a perfect impression in the eyes of the audience. 

A foundation for lifelong learning — education gives humility. Humility, by definition, is the act of being modest. By that, it is meant, an educated person is willing to learn new things and aspects of life. Education provides a person with experiences opening gates to better opportunities and chances to enhance life.

Teach healthy habits — healthy habits here means mannerisms which include the way a person eats, drinks, sits, stand, talk, and many other related characteristics. These are the first things that a person is taught as a part of character building, and it becomes that first thing that you are judged upon as an individual. Healthy habits also come around behavior and cleanliness, which determines your character as a healthy person who can affect your personality as a person. 

Increase memory and thinking skills — thinking skills and a good memory can impress anyone leading to healthy discussions. A healthy brain remembers the facts and facets of a particular discussion and allows you to put your point in front of the audience with clarifications. Having better conversation leaves a positive mark on the audience, and your personality is praised for its charm as a keen thinker and true speaker.

Enhances the decision-making capabilities — being educated means being able to turn your weakness into a strength. Education empowers an individual to make decisions based on past experiences and present situations. It enables the individual against wrongs and taking charge of their lives without being dependent on others. 

The importance of character education  

As said above, character education and the development of personality are merely the promotion of ethical values and understanding of the world that is necessary for the development of a human mind. Simply put, it is the act of nurturing of those values that differentiate us from being humanized robots and computer intelligence. 

Character building in simple words is the relationship between two different types of knowledge—one, the knowledge that encompasses a wide range of subjects obtained through reading and training in a particular field of studies and two, the beliefs and moral codes of an individual which influences the understanding between the right and the wrong gained through past experiences and life lessons.

Character education has become a necessary part of today’s society. One of the major reasons for that is the continuous degrading of moral values; our society has fallen into “moral crises”. Individuals are struggling to cope with the disturbing trends such as violence, racism, and xenophobia, to name a few. Character education, on the other hand, can build a better personality leading to the development of a better society. 

The role of character education in academics 

Character building and Education has a major role to play in academic studies. One of the traits that character education teaches the students is the sense of responsibility and persistence which encourages the students to learn and maintain their focus on what’s important. This drives their will to learn better and do well in their academics. 

Other than that, building characters also helps in developing a moral code for interactions with the teachers and classmates, developing a positive environment, and influencing discipline among the students. 

The psychological factors determining the character of a person

It is true to say that every individual has different perceptions and beliefs that affect the development of the personality of the person. The character development of an individual depends mainly on one’s personal motives, interests, attitudes, and intellectual capacity, i.e., one’s perception, observation, the capability to reason and imagine. 

These factors are some of the major psychological aspects that determine the reactions and perceptions of a situation and thus affect the growth and development of one’s personality and character.

Conclusion 

The character of an individual is similar to a seed that has the potential to grow into a fully grown fruitful tree with proper nurturing and support. Education is something that supports the human mind and nourishes it, developing a better personality and character, allowing us to break barriers and explore limitations.  

Cultures Build Character

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Stuart m. butler stuart m. butler senior fellow - economic studies @stuartmbutler.

October 22, 2014

In this essay from the Center on Children and Families’ Essay Series on Character and Opportunity , Stuart Butler says that we may not know exactly how to build a culture of improvement in tough neighborhoods, but unless we can, expensive public and private programs will be doomed to fail.

Why does one young woman play the lottery each week while a similarly-situated one squirrels away the same amount in her bank account? Why does one young man drop out of college after his first failing grade while his roommate persists after the same setback? Most people believe “character” influences such decisions – decisions that are strong predictors of whether someone will rise up the economic ladder or be stuck near the bottom.

The brain’s hard-wiring may have a significant influence on character development. But it is also true that the “culture” of a neighborhood play a critical role. By culture we mean the prevailing social norms, influential networks, and the behaviors expected by one’s family and friends. It’s easy to get into trouble talking about such things. When conservatives like Paul Ryan or Charles Murray use the term “virtues” to describe the personal and neighborhood attributes needed for economic mobility, critics hear that as a moral judgment about poor people. That’s why culture is the better term, because it connotes a web of influences in a neighborhood that can relentlessly shape people’s personalities and carry them along towards failure or success, whatever their underlying traits.

The culture of a neighborhood plays a large role in launching patterns of behavior that evolve into more lasting, habits – such as saving money and getting homework done, or partying and shunning work. If reinforced, habits become entrenched and the core of what we call character.

Neighborhood culture can shape an individual’s character in at least three ways. The social norms of the community can be helpful or harmful to the development of habits that evolve into character. Second, the influence of one’s immediate friends and peers seems often to be even especially potent. We see this in many critical areas, such as education. Being brought up in a tough neighborhood often means that a student who hands in homework regularly and wants to excel will face a daunting social price . Even students in more upwardly mobile neighborhoods can be held back by their friends, whose social impact  seems to be even greater than the prevailing norm. Similarly, health-related behaviors that have long-term social and economic consequences, such as smoking, drug use or obesity, appear to be heavily influenced by the norms of a person’s friends and social networks . Still, we have to be  cautious about blaming friends for an individual’s character formation – after all, to a significant degree one chooses one’s own friends.

Beyond just friends, associations and social institutions are a third cultural influence. Gangs are an example, often enforcing behavior patterns as the price of protection. On the other hand, the peer pressure of tightly knit  school sports teams or religious  institutions can be a strong and positive cultural factor in building character.

The relationship between neighborhood culture and an individual’s character is powerful, though of course not deterministic. But for younger people, whose patterns of behavior are still malleable, daily life in a poor neighborhood is characterized by a constant struggle for dominance between different these cultural pressures. Yale University’s  Elijah Anderson describes this as the “Code of the Streets”, with locals referring to “street” or “decent” behavior standards that profoundly affect such work habits, school and family. And Harvard’s Robert Putnam explains that if the dominant social culture undervalues work, family stability and education it can serve to condemn young people with innate potential to a low-achieving social class .

So, is it possible to create a neighborhood culture with norms and social networks that will help build positive behavior patterns and good life choices? One approach is simply to take people out of neighborhoods that pull them down and permit or encourage them to move to communities with a more positive culture. That implies strategies such as providing housing vouchers or school choice to enable families to live or be educated in communities with positive social norms and networks. Such an approach may work well for families who already have a commitment to work and study and want their children to live in a community that reinforces those behaviors, and that’s good. But for other families the evidence of several studies  suggests it is hard to overcome the effects of being brought up in a discouraging community culture simply by enabling families to move to better neighborhoods.

A more lasting and broader approach is to tackle the culture within low-income communities. That is no easy task, of course, and one where the ability of government to alter social norms may be quite limited. Still, there are some ways government at different levels may be able to assist from the sidelines.

One is to reduce regulatory obstacles to innovative neighborhood-based efforts to tackle social problems. For instance, some groups using ex-offenders as mentors appear to have achieved  remarkable success at reducing widespread violence in neighborhoods. But often they face license barriers or inadequate assistance from local government.

Another is to try to actively seed stronger institutions within communities. But that has proved hard for government to do. Federal initiatives such as Promise Neighborhoods and Promise Zones  may yet emulate the success of the Harlem Children’s Zone. But it  always seems to be a challenge for government efforts to fund and lead efforts that partner creative local efforts rather than impose a less successful cookie-cutter approach.

The most effective strategies for building positive social institutions come from organizations with roots in the community. For instance the Harlem Children’s Zone has attracted wide attention for bringing together schools, social services and housing with remarkable results , although the nature and degree of its impact is not fully understood and sometimes questioned . Meanwhile school-based initiatives that see the school as the anchor for a range of health and social services also seem promising, as do other local efforts to build social capital . Some promising initiatives even create new networks to build a reinforcing culture among households in different neighborhoods . And religious institutions have a long track record of helping to improve the culture of neighborhoods, by praising some behaviors and stigmatizing others.

We may not know exactly how to build a culture of improvement in tough neighborhoods. But one thing is certain. Unless we can, expensive public and private programs will be doomed to fail.

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Writing a Character Analysis Essay | Step-by-Step Guide

I’m also going to give you a ton of examples.

This post is split into four parts for easy navigation:

• What is a Character Analysis Essay?
• What is the best Format to Use?
• 11 Character Analysis Example Ideas
• Template, Checklist and Outline for Your own Piece

In this post, I’m going to explain to you clearly and in a step-by-step way how to conduct a character analysis.

1. What is a Character Analysis Essay?

Let’s get you started with some really simple details about what a character analysis is:

• A Quick Definition: A character analysis essay zooms-in on a character in a book, movie or even real life. It provides what we sometimes call a ‘sketch’ of a character.
• The Purpose of a Character Analysis: The purpose of a character analysis is to reveal interesting details about the character that might contain a broader moral message about the human condition. For example, Atticus Finch is not just a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. Rather, he provides us with a moral message about the importance of doing what you believe is right even though you know you will likely fail.

2. What is the best Character Analysis Essay Format?

Character analysis essays do not have just one format.

However, let me offer some advice that might act as a character analysis essay outline or ‘checklist’ of possible things you could discuss:

1. Start with the Simple Details.

You can start a character analysis by providing a simple, clear description of who your character is. Look at some basic identity traits such as:

• Race (if relevant)
• Social class (if relevant)
• Protagonist or Antagonist? A protagonist is the character who is our central character in the plot; the antagonist is often the protagonist’s opponent or challenger.
• Major or minor character?

2. What are the character’s distinctive personality features?

Your character might have some really clearly identifiable character traits. It’s best to highlight in your character analysis the exact traits that this character possesses. Some common character traits include:

I recommend you take a moment to write down what you think the top 3 to 5 words are that you’d use to explain your character’s personality traits. These will be important to discuss throughout your character analysis.

Sometimes a character may start out with some personality traits, but change over the course of the text. This is quite common; and one clear example of this is Lady Macbeth she deteriorates from a cutthroat power player to a guilt ridden shell of a person roaming the halls of the castle. This dramatic character change is something that makes her very interesting, and is worthy of discussion!

3. What are the character’s key relationships?

Does your character have a close relationship with a certain person in the storyline?

You might want to discuss the character’s relationships as a part of your character analysis. These relationships may reveal some key personality traits of your character.

For example, in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Horatio is the loyal offsider to Hamlet. Through his actions in staying by Hamlet through thick and thin, we learn that he is a deeply loyal character.

Examining the character’s relationships with their friends and foes therefore is very useful for digging deeper into who this character actually is, and what personality traits they have when they are put to the test within the narrative.

4. What are the character’s motivations?

Another thing you might want to examine are the character’s motivations . What do they desire most in the world? Some common motivations for characters in stories are:

• A simple life
• To serve others

This list really could be endless, but I hope the above examples give you a bit of an idea of the sorts of traits to look out for. By mentioning and examining the motivations of the character, we will come closer and closer to learning exactly what moral message this character might be able to tell us.

5. What are the character’s key conflicts?

Stories tend to have a beginning, a complication, and a resolution.

The complication involves conflicts and challenges that need to be overcome. For Edmund in Narnia, it’s cowardice. For Romeo and Juliet, it’s the conflict between love and family loyalty. Here’s some other common conflicts for characters:

• Whether to stay loyal to a friend;
• To overcome obstacles to love;
• To seek a way out of a challenging situation;
• To escape war or poverty;
• To persevere through imprisonment;
• To overcome personal fear

Again, this list is endless.

Knowing the character’s core conflict gets us even closer to knowing the moral that the character is trying to teach us.

For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the challenge of Romeo and Juliet being together despite their families’ objections teaches us something. Personally, I believe it teaches us the importance of letting go of old grudges in order to let love bloom.

This moral lesson was taught to us through conflict: namely, the conflict that Romeo and Juliet were right in the center of.

6. What are the character’s epiphanies?

Sometimes a character has an epiphany. This often happens towards the end of the story and helps the character overcome the challenge or conflict that we discussed in the point above.

Here’s an example of an epiphany:

• In the Lion King, Simba runs away from his tribe to live in exile. After a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala, he has an epiphany that he has a duty to his tribe. This leads him back home to fight Scar and return freedom to Pride Rock.

Not all characters have an epiphany. But, if they do, I strongly encourage you to write about it in your character analysis.

7. Examine the moral message the character teaches us.

Finally, conclude by examining the moral message behind the character. Nearly every character has something to teach the reader. Authors put a lot of thought into creating complex characters with whom we can relate. We relate to the character and say “wow, they taught me a lesson about something!”

The lesson might be something like:

• Money doesn’t buy happiness;
• Loyalty to family comes above all else;
• Love gives life meaning;
• Honesty is always the best policy

This is the core of your character analysis essay. If you can pick out exactly what moral message the character teaches you, you’ll be well on your way to writing a strong character analysis.

Below I’m going to give you some examples to help you out. I know it can be hard to really get your head around a character, so sometimes the best thing is to look at some samples!

3. Here’s 13 Example Character Analysis Essay Ideas.

Most times when we create a character analysis, we’re exploring the deeper moral stories / aspects of humanity. Here’s some example ideas. I’ve tried to outline in less than a paragraph exactly what your key point will be about each character:

• Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird: A character who teaches us a lesson about standing up for what’s right, even if you know you’re likely to lose.
• Huckleberry Finn from Huckleberry Finn: A character who reveals our inner desire for freedom from the elements of society that constrain us.
• Dudley from Harry Potter: A character whose personality tells us a cautionary tale of the perils of middle-class narcissism, parents’ desire to wrap their children in cotton wool, and the lack of discipline we perceive in contemporary childhoods.
• Jack from Lord of the Flies: A character who represents the innate desire for power that seems to lurk not too far from the surface of the human condition. When social structures are stripped away, he quickly reverts to violence and superstition to assert control over his peers.
• Lady Macbeth from Macbeth: Lady Macbeth teaches us a valuable lesson about the perils of contravening our own morality. She starts out a cutthroat killer but is increasingly consumed by the guilt of her own actions. While we may be able to escape full punishment from outside forces, it is the inner guilt that might eat us away to our last.
• The Boy who Cried Wolf: The boy who cried wolf is a character whose fatal flaw is his desire for attention and adulation. His repeated attempts at gaining the attention of others leads the townspeople to no longer take him seriously, which causes him harm when he actually needs the villagers to take him seriously to save his life. He teaches us the virtue of honest and humility.
• Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby: Nick shows us all the inner conflict between the trappings of wealth, glamor and spectacle; and the desire for simplicity, honesty and community. He is drawn by the dazzling world of East Egg, New York, but by the end of the novel sees live in East Egg as shallow and lacking the moral depth of his former life in small town Minnesota.
• Alice from Alice in Wonderland: In many ways, Alice represents the child within all of us. She is a character of goodwill to all and who looks upon the world (or, rather, Wonderland) with awe. Travelling with a cadre of flawed characters, she learns with them the importance of seeking strength from within.
• The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: Like many Shakespearian characters, the nurse’s role is both as loyal confidante to a central character and comic relief. Shakespeare uses minor characters to regale his crowd and sustain viewer interest between scenes.
• Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Lucy represents a surprising character whose youthfulness and small stature make her an underrated character by all around her. Nonetheless, she possesses within the bravery and loyalty necessary to carry out the quest for Aslan. Lucy represents the goodness in children and, by extension, all of mankind.
• Anne in Anne of Green Gables: Anne occupies the typical literary role of young girls in many classical novels: she represents innocence and wonder, and her contraventions of rules are seen through a prism of childhood innocence. This frames Anne not as a deviant but as a precious soul.
• Simba from The Lion King: Simba’s story follows his struggle with growing up, embracing his destiny and duty to his family, or fleeing towards freedom and a ‘no worries’ lifestyle. Simba flees Pride Rock and goes through an existential crisis with his existentialist friends Timon and Pumba. When he runs into an old childhood friend, he realizes how shallow his new carefree life has become and reflects upon his obligation to his community back home.
• Woody from Toy Story: Woody starts out Andy’s favorite toy, but when Andy gets a new flashier toy, Woody’s status amongst the toys falls apart. Woody’s key character challenge is to learn to be humble and inclusive living within the group. By the end of the movie, Woody realizes his duty to love and serve Andy is more important than his own status within the group.

4. Here’s an Example Template for your own Character Analysis Essay

Feel free to use this brainstorming template to get you started with your character analysis essay. I recommend filling out as many of these key points as you can, but remember sometimes you might have to skip some of these points if they’re not relevant to your character.

Once you’ve brainstormed the ideas in Table 1, follow the character analysis essay outline in Table 2 to stay on track for your character analysis essay. Do remember though that each assignment will be different and you should adjust it based on your teacher’s requirements.

Here’s Table 1, which is a brainstorming template for your character analysis essay:

And here’s Table 2, which is an example character analysis essay outline. This is for a 1500 word character analysis essay. Change the word count according to how long your essay should be:

Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay

Character analyses can be really tough. You need to know your character really well. You might even need to re-read (or watch) your book or movie a few times over to get to know the character really well.

I recommend when you re-read or re-watch the text before you write your character analysis, have the checklist I provided above handy and take notes. Then, use the essay outline I provided above to put all of those notes together into a clear and thorough final character analysis essay.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Animism Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 10 Magical Thinking Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Social-Emotional Learning (Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?

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Build Character to Build Nation (Part 1)

Introduction.

Human existence is going through a crisis. The excessive emphasis on material gains, power and positions, and over-dependence on scientific and mechanical ways of life have led to depreciation of humanity to its lowest levels ever. Moral and spiritual values are constantly being undermined. Conflicting ideas, manners and habits are pervading the atmosphere. Education alone can show us the way out of this turmoil, Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) often emphasized.

But for that to happen, education must first become truly holistic and rooted in the higher values. Education must be able to inculcate and develop ethics, ideals and values in the students so that they can conduct their life consciously and conscientiously. With just minimal intervention, the students should be able to decide what is right or wrong, what is good or evil and what is just or unjust, and act accordingly. Education therefore must help students to develop the courage to execute the right.

Swamiji laid stress on education for character development. He emphasised the need for a ‘life-building, man-making, character-making, nation-building’ education, and he prepared the scheme of this education in the light of his overall philosophy of Vedanta. He always believed that the development of a nation is not possible without real education.

Education is the process by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased and intellect is sharpened; and all of these provide immense strength to an individual. His ‘man-making’ education aims at producing a conscious population which is necessary for national development. He said that ultimately it is education that can provide solutions to all social, political and global problems. So he emphasized on awakening the individual to his or her spiritual self, which, he said, is the very purpose of education.

This essay, presented in two parts, expounds on Swami Vivekananda’s views on character development and also briefly discusses the basic themes of his philosophy of man-making education in the light of practical Vedanta.

Swamiji’s Educational Philosophy

Swami Vivekananda was probably among the first Indian thinkers to give a psychological and spiritual orientation to education and nation-building. His ideas and thoughts on education have been influenced by his philosophy of life, drawn from Vedanta.

According to Swamiji, the true and lasting foundation of nation-building should not be economics or politics but education. Also, this education should be ‘man-making’ education, with a predominant emphasis on building character, will-power and the power of concentration. Man-making, as he very often explained, means a harmonious development of the body, mind and soul. A true system of education must sincerely take care of an integral and harmonious growth of various parts within us.

It is disappointing that for a couple of centuries now, the modern system of education, in India and elsewhere, has, to a great extent, ignored the overall growth of personality.

As a result, most of us, even after extensive formal education, walk around with shrouded personalities, and are very often engaged in work that has no correspondence with our real genius and with our inner delight of existence. And thus we live in deep suffering, separated from ourselves. We need an education which helps in the blossoming of an all-encompassing personality; encourages perfection and integration of personal traits; develops character and intelligence, mental and spiritual powers; and instills self-confidence and self-reliance.

In Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy of education we find a reconciliation of the principles of education with that of the principles of Yoga.

Sri Aurobindo quotes Swami Vivekananda when he says that Yoga “may be regarded as a means of compressing one’s evolution into a single life or a few years or even a few months of bodily existence.” ( CWSA, Vol. 23, p. 6 )

Education too, in its deeper sense, is a rapid psychological progress towards perfection, a search for knowledge and values. It is also an uncovering, cultivating and perfecting the layers of human faculties and qualities. It is a process of the discovery of the self (as described in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 2.4.5 – aatmaavaa are drashtavyah, mantavyah, shrotavyah, nididhyasitavyah ), which aims at a true self-knowledge that can liberate from all kinds of bondage ( saa vidyaa yaa vimuktaye , Vishnu Purana, 1.19.41).

Education in this sense is a search for that knowledge which would fulfill one, not only individually but also as a harmonious member of the universe.

A true system of education aims at bringing perfection that lies within every evolving soul. This is what Swami Vivekananda professed. This idea of bringing forth the ‘perfection within’ was the keynote of Swami Vivekananda’s thought on education (Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda [CWSV], 1989, 4:358). Here the question arises – what is meant by perfection? Is perfection an end by itself? Does it mean skilfulness or excellence?

What is Perfection?

Perfection in a higher sense is to grow conscious of and realize the soul’s own ever-perfect nature. The soul, the real essence within everyone, is perfect, but its ever-perfect nature is veiled by the imperfections and impurities of the faculties through which it can grow to its entirety. Which are these faculties that guide a soul to perfection?

The three major faculties are body, mind and intellect, which need to be honed and their full potentialities realized before they can work on a person’s soul. It is by strengthening and sharpening these endowments that the capacity to learn and absorb knowledge is possible. This is what, according to Swami Vivekananda, a true education does.

However, the modern system of education hardly pays any attention to the training of inner faculties and development of the senses. A closer look at the present system of education reveals that everyone is busy cutting trees with blunt instruments, chiselling away to create perfect ‘trophies.’ As a result, this system of education makes humans work and behave like machines.

True, holistic education must make the man a man, not a machine. Swamiji wanted education to be life-building, man-making and character-making (CWSV, 1989, 3:302; as also found in the Vedic dictum, manurbhava janaya divyam janam, Rigveda, 10.53.6). The purpose of this education is not just individual development but also the development of the nation.

What is Character?

Character-building is the perpetual challenge confronting everyone, individually and collectively. The word ‘character’ started appearing in various Western and European literature and self-improvement manuals and guides around the 17th century CE. It became more popular and peaked around the 19th century CE (Susman, 1984).

Susman writes that during the 1800s, character was a keyword in the vocabulary of Englishmen and Americans, and men were spoken of as having strong or weak character, good or bad character, a great deal of character or no character at all. Young people were admonished to cultivate real character, high character, and noble character, and they were told that character was the most priceless thing one could ever attain.

In the beginning of the 20th century, however, Susman found that the ideal of character began to be replaced by that of personality and the connotation of ‘character’ kept changing. In the course of time, character was defined not in terms of cultivation of virtues, but in terms of people’s hobbies, dress, and material possessions, etc.

This shift from ‘character’ to ‘personality’ was a shift from achievement to performance.

A person who performed well was considered to be a man with good personality irrespective of whether he carried any higher virtues or soul values. Further, the notion of character was split into good and bad, personality into famous and infamous, so that in a culture of personality one could be famous without having done anything to earn it.

The words most associated with character in the 19th century were ‘citizenship, duty, democracy, work, building, golden deeds, outdoor life, conquest, honour, reputation, morals, manners, integrity, and above all, manhood’, while the words most associated with personality in the 20th were ‘fascinating, stunning, attractive, magnetic, glowing, masterful, creative, dominant, and forceful’. This was mostly the idea about character and personality in the West during 19th and 20th centuries.

But the word ‘character’ has a different connotation for the visionaries of India.

Character is understood as an accumulation of habits. Repeated habits form character. Repetition—repeated thinking of a thought or performing of an action— creates what we call character. It is an outcome of experience, thoughts, actions, reactions and responses to life’s events. According to Swamiji, a human character is nothing but the aggregate of an individual’s tendencies, the sum total of his or her bent of mind. A well-known maxim about character-building says: Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap your character. And sow character and reap your destiny.

As per the Vedantic tradition, we are what our thoughts have made us [1] . While speaking on Karmayoga, and especially about the samskaras or ‘inherent tendencies’ in the Vedantic perspective, Swamiji explains:

Every work that we do, every movement of the body, every thought that we think, leaves such an impression on the mind-stuff, and even when such impressions are not obvious on the surface, they are sufficiently strong to work beneath the surface, subconsciously. What we are every moment is determined by the sum total of these impressions on the mind. What I am just at this moment is the effect of the sum total of all the impressions of my past life. This is really what is meant by character; each man’s character is determined by the sum total of these impressions. If good impressions prevail, the character becomes good; if bad, it becomes bad. (CWSV, 1989, 1:27)

In other words, if the sum total of these impressions is negative, it creates a negative character; and if it is positive, it creates the positive character. The aim of education is to build positive character in humans, made of uplifting qualities such as courage, compassion, kindness, etc.

Is it Really Possible to Change One’s Character?

One important question arises whether character is inherited or subject to change. It is necessary to have clarity on this issue as it is essential to the whole process of character-building. According to Swamiji, the nature of a person at birth does have a role to play. He once said, “One child is born of a divine nature, another of a human, others of lower character” (CWSV, 1989, 9:325).

While parentage and formative period of one’s life do cast an influence on one’s character, every human being has an opportunity to change himself. He has a choice and can transform himself for better or for worse. This has been the teaching of all spiritual and religious scriptures. If past actions have played a role in making our present character, it naturally follows that our future character will be determined by what we do now. Everyone has the potential to change himself.

The first step towards this change is that one must be convinced that one can change and that change is required.

Without this conviction the very process of changing oneself would not take place. Further, once this conviction is there, one must will to change and be strong in one’s conviction till the change takes place. At the foundation of character-building is this will-power which needs to be trained.

In addition, one should become the master of oneself instead of becoming a slave to senses and mind or thoughts. This is an inner training wherein the buddhi or the intelligence has to be strengthened and re-educated. It has to learn to control the senses and the mind, and not be controlled by them. Character-building is at the very core of self-development. Swami Vivekananda says:

He who has succeeded in attaching or detaching his mind to or from the centres at will has succeeded in Pratyahara, which means, ‘gathering towards,’ checking the outgoing powers of the mind, freeing it from the thraldom of the senses. When we can do this, we shall really possess character; then alone we shall have taken a long step towards freedom; before that we are mere machines. (CWSV, 1989, 1:140)

This freedom, according to Swamiji, is the only condition for growth (CWSV, 1989, 5:18). In the process of evolution, the child must experience a free and natural growth and that is the condition for a genuine development. Since education is a creative process, and since creativity and compulsion cannot go together, freedom has to be a very important instrument in education.

But this freedom should not lead the child to become a svecchaachaarin or hypocrite. This demands inculcation of discipline. Without discipline it is impossible to realize anything. How do we then bring a synthesis between freedom and discipline?

The ideal condition is obtained when discipline becomes the choice of a child, and discipline is transformed into self-discipline. And it is then that the real character of an individual is formed. Discipline cannot be imposed artificially. Nor does it emerge spontaneously except in a few rare cases. We have to nurture it. This nurturing is the process of building character. In this nurturing, one has to take care of one’s svabhava and svadharma (one’s innate nature and own law of being). Nothing must be done as a compulsion.

How to Build Character?

According to Swami Vivekananda, character is shaped by karma. In his insightful words:

Karma in its effect on character is the most tremendous power that man has to deal with. Man, as it were, is a centre, and is attracting all the powers of the universe, towards himself. Good and bad, misery and happiness, all are running towards him and clinging round him, and out of them he fashions the mighty stream of tendencies called character and throws it outwards. (CWSV, 1989, 1:26)

Therefore, one has to take care of one’s karma in order to build a good character, for which one has to avoid all that can create bad impressions and imbibe those values that can build good character.

Swamiji explains:

If a man continuously hears bad words, thinks bad thoughts, does bad actions, his mind will be full of bad impressions; and they will influence his thought and work without his being conscious of the fact. In fact, these bad impressions are always working, and their resultant must be evil, and that man will be a bad man; he cannot help it. The sum total of these impressions in him will create the strong motive power for doing bad actions. He will be like a machine in the hands of the impressions, and they will force him to do evil. Similarly, if a man thinks good thoughts and does good works, the sum total of these impressions will be good; and they, in a similar manner will force him to do good even in spite of himself. When a man has done so much good work and thought so many good thoughts there is an irresistible tendency in him to do good, in spite of himself and even if he wishes to do evil, his mind, as the sum total of his tendencies, will not allow him to do so; the tendencies will turn him back; he is completely under the influence of the good tendencies. When such is the case, a man’s good character is said to be established. (CWSV, 1989, 1:46)

By character Swamiji also meant strengthening of the will (CWSV, 1989, 2:286).

A well-trained will-power to be straightforward, fearless and honest, coupled with sincerity to act and even to fight nobly and courageously in order to embody in one’s own life and in the life of the society all that is true and all that can foster solidarity and unity leads to an uplift in humanity as a whole.

The will-power plays a great part in character-building. The will is strengthened through repeated practices ( abhyaasa ). Repetition brings out the potential muscles. It is a process that works inside-out, a process of manifesting the perfection that is already within. Moreover, the will-power becomes feeble when an individual yields to every little tendency, inclination and fancy he has; but when he fights against every little desire, propensity and penchant, he learns to fight with himself, and in this way he develops will-power.

If a person’s weaknesses and inability to counter his faults grow stronger than his will-power, he experiences in his life several enemies existing in his own self, and he finds it difficult to combat them.

This is because inclinations, fancies and tendencies, when powerful, do not let will-power work against them. By practicing self-denial (or vairaagya , a sense of non-attachment) along with self-control and self-discipline, in time an individual attains a power which may be called ‘mastery over oneself.’

Training the will means training or controlling the senses, desires and the mind, and not be controlled by them. It is most necessary that one should learn how to face the world—the world where one experiences sorrows and troubles, pleasures and pains. It is very difficult for one to hide from the world, and at the same time a prudent person is not meant to show all he feels or to show at every moment what he feels.

An uncontrolled person, like a machine, reacts and responds to every outer influence and inner impulse; and in this way loses the gift that he or she has received in the human spirit, senses and sensibilities.

According to Swamiji, character formation requires traits such as purity, thirst for knowledge, hard work, perseverance, faith, humanity, submission and veneration. Character development, in the first place, refers to the existence of a heroic will. One must instill in oneself this heroic determination and spirit, to become free from all fears and all that weakens the spirit.

Swami Vivekananda always inspired the youths to emerge as heroes. He used to encourage and exhort the youth by saying, “Be a hero. Always say, ‘I have no fear. Tell this to everyone—’Have no fear.’ (CWSV, 1989, Vol. 7, p.136).

We find this same truth expressed in the Bhgavad Gita, (Chapter 2, verse 3):

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते। क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप॥

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyate, kṣudraṁ hṛdayadaurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣṭha paraṁtapa.

“Fall not from the virility of the fighter and the hero, O Partha! it is not  fitting in thee. Shake off this paltry fainthearted-ness and arise, O  scourge of thine enemy!”

Along with being heroic and strong, one also needs to inculcate wisdom. One has to have the knowledge—the knowledge of oneself and of the world. It is by knowing oneself that one can develop love and compassion for others. Developing compassion and universal love is another important aspect of character development.

Swamiji points out:

“Religions of the world have become lifeless mockeries. What the world wants is character. The world is in need for those whose life is one burning love, selfless. That love will make every word feel like thunderbolt.” (CWSV, 1989, 7:305)

A man of character has to be a man of action, of competence, of chiselled skill, of untiring labour and of love for one and all. Great work requires great and persistent effort for a long time. Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles. But one needs to persist despite of numerous failures. A well-developed character is an integrated and harmoniously developed personality.

Continued in Part 2 …

[1] BrihadAranyaka Upanishad, 4.4.5  – ‘As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is so is your destiny.’ yo yathaakaamo bhavati tatkraturbhavati. yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kriyate. yatkarma kriyate tadabhisampadyate.

Cover image: Swami Vivekananda, circa 1900. Photo available in public domain.

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What is the Role of Education in Character Building? Highlight Major Pitfalls in Pakistan’s Education System.

• Areeba Fatima
• December 27, 2023
• Daily Write-Ups , Education in Pakistan , Featured , Opinions

The following article, “What is the Role of Education in Character Building? Highlight Major Pitfalls in Pakistan’s Education System.” , is written by Areeba Fatima , a student of Sir Syed Kazim Ali . Moreover, the article is written on the same pattern, taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. Sir Kazim has uploaded his students’ solved past paper questions so other thousands of aspirants can understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.

1-Introduction 

2-Understanding the term character building and education system

3-What is the role of education system in character building?

• ✓ Nurturing intellectual virtues  
• Evidence:  As Martin Luther King Jr. has aptly said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and critically. Intelligence plus character is the goal of true education.” 
• ✓ Strengthening moral ethics
• Evidence:  As Jerry Springer has rightly said, “We are all born as empty vessels, which moral values can shape.”
• ✓ Fostering civic virtues
• Evidence:  According to John Adams, the famous US president, “A free society requires, for its very survival, a citizenry devoted in large part to moral and civic virtue.”
• ✓ Boosting performance values 
• Evidence:  According to Confucius, “Education breeds confidence, confidence breeds hope, and hope breeds peace.”

4-What are the major pitfalls in Pakistan’s education system?

• ✓ Outdated and irrelevant curriculum
• Evidence:   According to our founding father, Quaid e Azam, the world is progressing so rapidly that without requisite advancements in education, we shall not only lag behind others but may be wiped out altogether.
• ✓ Lack of pedagogical skills
• Evidence:  According to the survey conducted by the Alif Ailaan Organization, over 40 per cent of teachers received no training in Pakistan.
• ✓ Ineffective education policies
• Evidence:  According to multiple pieces of research, there is a massive contradiction in policies the government launched and steps to achieve its results. Due to poor monitoring and inappropriate management, the applied policies did not give the desired results.
• ✓ Lack of career counselling 
• Evidence:  According to multiple surveys, more than 90% of students in Pakistan don’t know where the boat of their lives is going due to the lack of career counselling. 

5- Suggestions to improve Pakistan’s education system 

• ✓To timely implement effective education policies and make them free of political intervention 
• ✓To ensure the uniformity of education through a single national curriculum 
• ✓To introduce a modern and relevant curriculum and its evaluation on an annual basis

6-Critical analysis 

7-Conclusion 

Answer to the Question

1-introduction.

Education, the kindling flame, is indispensable in developing humankind’s character from darkness to light and in the evolution of thoughts from ashes to the phoenix. Moreover, education serves as a lubricant fueling society’s intellectual virtues, moral ethics, and civil virtues, cultivating mutually beneficial individuals with social traits. Besides, enlightened education also breeds critical thinking, integrity, transparency, and rational judgment, central to character building. However, Pakistan’s education system has drastically failed in the enculturation of masses within the established social values, moral codes, economic principles and political traits, ultimately leading to inclusive development. There are many flaws in Pakistan’s education system, like the lack of pedagogical skills and ineffective education policies, owing to which it has been in shambles for years. Further, outdated and irrelevant curricula and the lack of career counselling have put the country into hot waters. Nonetheless, to cure the ills of Pakistan’s education system, various concerted and sustained efforts are required to achieve the desired results. Thus, Pakistan should revamp its education policies and update its curriculum annually to have its say among nations. 

2-Understanding the terms character building and education system

Moving ahead, character building is a cognitive learning process adapting core ethical norms, intellectual virtues, and civic values. It also fosters critical thinking and decision-making abilities and encourages students to engage in meaningful dialogues and debates. Similarly, the education system includes all institutions and opportunities for formal education. In a broader context, the system consists of all institutions, public and private sector, profit and non-profit, onsite and virtual, and the ones that are directly involved in financing, managing, operating, and regulating such institutions.

3-The role of education in character building

Furthermore, education encultures masses with cognitive, social, and moral values necessary for the betterment of society and enables them to meet the demanding dynamics of life. A few ways education can help in character building are given below.

Nurturing intellectual values

First, the role of education in the generation and expansion of intellectual human capital cannot be overemphasized. It breeds creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity, nurturing the intelligent minds of youth who are the tangible assets of a nation. At the same time, it also fosters the growth of latent abilities to unlock personal talents and the quest for understanding.  As Martin Luther King Jr. aptly said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and critically. Intelligence plus character is the goal of true education.”  Moreover, proper education, which makes a citizen develop cognitive abilities, is the best tool for intellectual development. Thus, quality education is considered a means to harness the intellectual virtues of a nation in all its facets.  

Strengthening moral ethics

Moving forward, education, a multipurpose process, decide the fate and future of the moral development of a nation. To illustrate, education also reaps the seeds of ethical values and norms, such as honesty, compassion, respect, and accountability. It is an undeniable fact that education helps a nation to discern between right and wrong and to differentiate between fact and myth, bringing a positive change in society.  As Jerry Springer has rightly said, “We are all born as empty vessels, which moral values can shape.”  Hence, education fosters the ethical qualities and moral values that are the guiding principle of life, uplifting the all-around development of an individual.

Fostering civic virtues

Going down the ladder, education plays a crucial role in promoting civil values, which can play a vital role in shaping the future of society and preparing students to navigate challenging civic quandaries. By fostering a sense of community awareness, responsible citizenship, and social welfare in youth, education further enhances the establishment of a democratic society.  According to John Adams, the famous US president, “A free society requires, for its very survival, a citizenry devoted in large part to moral and civic virtue.”  Education also helps cultivate future leaders who lead with civic participation and a sense of social responsibility and prioritize the greater good through imparting civic ideals. Hence, civic values’ role in generating a better citizenry cannot be overstated.

Boosting performance values

Last but not least, education boosts the performance values of students, which can create a utopic impression in the eyes of the audience. A confident personality, motivational nature, and phlegmatic character are essential to thrive in the contemporary world.  In this regard,   Confucius’s argument is well supported by the evidence that education breeds confidence, confidence breeds hope, and hope generates peace.  Hence, it shows that education is the ultimate source of confidence and motivation, allowing youth to break barriers and explore limitations.  

4-Significant pitfalls in Pakistan’s education system

Sadly, there are a plethora of challenges to Pakistan’s education system which impede its successful administration. However, a few of them are given hereunder. 

Outdated and irrelevant curriculum

Listing the first one is the outdated curriculum has been the bone of contention in developing Pakistan’s education system, making it unable to meet the current demands. It is an old curriculum that compels the learners to memorize specific facts and figures without considering the reality of education.  According to our founding father, Quaid e Azam, “The world is progressing so rapidly that without requisite advancements in teaching, we not only lag behind others but may be wiped out altogether.”  Undoubtedly, Pakistan’s present educational curriculum does not meet these modern standards of education and research. In summary, it does not promote the interest of the learner in practical work, research, and scientific knowledge. 

Lack of pedagogical skills

Likewise, the teaching process of Pakistan’s education system is currently in shambles as teachers are suffering from a lack of pedagogical skills. These skills enable teachers to instruct students, manage their classrooms, and strengthen collaborative learning. The most critical requirement of Pakistan’s education system is to improve the quality of teachers’ training, which is essential to enhance students’ outcomes.  According to the survey conducted by the Alif Ailaan Organization, over 40 per cent of teachers received no training in Pakistan.  It shows that there are no proper training institutes in Pakistan, and most existing institutes are closed due to the lack of funds. Hence, it is the need of the hour to bring about much-needed improvements in the teachers’ pedagogy training.

Ineffective education policies

Similarly, Pakistan has had several education policies since its inception. Still, due to political interventions, lack of collaboration, corruption, and ambiguous objectives, policies could not be implemented in true letter and spirit. Moreover, the policies are not based on the needs and challenges of each province and district, and they have also ignored the development of teachers, leading to alienation between the teachers and the education system.  According to multiple research studies, there is a massive contradiction in the government’s policies and the steps taken to achieve its results. Due to poor monitoring and inappropriate management, the applied policies did not give the desired results . Therefore, many ineffective education policies have drastically failed to take the country out of social, political, economic, and development quagmire.

Lack of career counselling 

Another flaw of Pakistan’s education system is the absence of career counselling at the school and college levels. Moreover, due to the lack of career counselling, most students make the wrong decisions after graduation and fail.  According to multiple surveys, more than 90% of students in Pakistan don’t know where the boat of their lives is going due to the lack of career counselling.  At the same time, the unemployment rate is increasing in the country as youth are unaware of job opportunities and demands. Hence, the main reason behind the prevailing depression in Pakistani youth lies in the roots of career unawareness.

5-Suggestions to improve Pakistan’s education system 

However, to revamp Pakistan’s education system, multi-pronged strategies are required, which can put the country back on the road to development. Some of them are discussed below.

To timely implement effective education policies and make them free of political intervention

First, education policies should be implemented promptly, free of political interference. It will allow the system to function smoothly and without any discrimination.  The glaring example is Sweden, the first country with a well-developed public education system that has worked day and night on implementing effective education policies and stands out as the 3rd best country in the world.  Therefore, Pakistan’s education policies should not remain as a potter, but practical steps should be taken to provide the right shade to these approaches.

To ensure the uniformity of education through a single national curriculum (SNC)

Moreover, by properly implementing a single national curriculum, Pakistan can reach the heights of national development and unity. A unified national curriculum can help close the divide between social classes and promote national unity.  As Mohammad Iqbal, a renowned author, has beautifully explained the situation of the education system, “The system of education in Pakistan is not based on uniform principles, and only the unified national curriculum can help ameliorate the situation.”  In summary, SNC can upgrade Pakistan on social, political, and economic grounds as it offers equal prospects to all stakeholders of society. To sum up, a single national curriculum can become a positive step in Pakistan’s education system and, in turn, promote national development. 

To introduce a modern and relevant curriculum and its evaluation on an annual basis

Furthermore, the curriculum should be kept relevant and updated, and it should be evaluated on an annual basis to meet the changing demands. Therefore, a vast survey should be conducted, and the curriculum goals should be redefined. Further, the curriculum should be changed according to the recommendations of the education’s researchers, teachers, and students. Hence, the curriculum should cater to the psyche and needs of the society and country, making it flourish nationally and internationally.

6-Critical Analysis

Character development, as per the prompt critical analysis, is a vital skill for students of all ages. Among all the character development traits, moral codes and civic values dare to change society’s track. However, Pakistan’s education system promotes a herd mentality that ends up producing only factual literature. Thus, it is high time to adopt tangible measures, revamp education policies and ensure quality education for all. 

7-Conclusion   

In conclusion, education is a tool that sharpens character development by fueling intellectual virtues, moral ethics, development values, and civic virtues. It also nurtures the social traits and personality development of an individual. Nonetheless, Pakistan’s education system has drastically failed to promote its citizens’ moral codes, social values, economic principles, and political will. The significant flaws of Pakistan’s education system are the lack of pedagogical skills, outdated curriculum, and ineffective education policies. However, the menace can be curbed by implementing and updating a single national curriculum annually.  

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School education is the key to developing character, building social and life skills

It is school education that shapes a child and develops their character. a good school education is the key to building social and life skills..

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School education is something that builds up the edifice of an individual’s life, shapes one's life, defines one’s character, morality, ideology, principles, life skills and everything that is required to lead a life besides decorating one's career.

How does school education build character?

Producing students with good grades is not enough for helping them lead a fruitful life. This is why more focus needs to be given on preparing students with morals, ethics, soft skills.

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The Discipline of Building Character

• Joseph L. Badaracco

Character is forged at those defining moments when a manager must choose between right and right.

The Idea in Brief

We’ve all experienced times when our professional responsibilities conflict with our values: A budget crisis forces us to dismiss a valued employee, for example. Or, a new MBA must choose between playing the role of a token minority or earning a coveted spot on a consulting team.

During these defining moments , we must choose between right and—right. Unlike other ethical decisions, where the options are clearly right and wrong, defining moments ask us to choose between two ideals. They force us to balance our idealism with the messy reality of our jobs. They determine whether we’ll uphold our values—or merely pay them lip service.

Resolving defining moments requires skills not listed on most job descriptions—probing self-inquiry, in particular. These skills enable us to craft an authentic identity based on our own, rather than others’, understanding of what’s right. Managers who brave the process renew their sense of purpose—and transform their values into shrewd, politically astute action.

The Idea in Practice

The workplace presents three increasingly complex types of defining moments—for individuals, managers, and executives. For each type, probing questions can clarify core values, helping us decide what to do.

1. Who Am I? Defining Moments for Individuals

This type of defining moment asks us to clarify our personal identity while grappling with two equally valid perspectives. Questions include:

What feelings and intuitions are conflicting? Example: 

When Steve Lewis, an African-American, realized his boss wanted him to attend a company presentation as “a token black,” two of his values clashed: He wanted to earn his professional advancement but also wanted to “be a team player.”

Which conflicting values mean the most to me? Example: 

Remembering his parents’ dignified, effective response to prejudice, Lewis felt deeply moved. He decided his race was a more vital part of his moral identity than his professional role.

How will I implement my personal understanding of what is right? Example: 

Lewis decided to attend the presentation—but as a participant rather than a “showpiece.” He successfully delivered part of the presentation, demonstrating he was a team player and would not be treated as a token. His ethically informed decision also advanced his career.

2. Who Are We? Defining Moments for Work Groups

As managers advance in an organization, their defining moments grow more complex. In addition to their own beliefs, managers must consider their work group’s values. Questions include:

What other strong, persuasive interpretations of the situation’s ethics exist, besides mine? This question prevents you from imposing your understanding of what is right. Example: 

Peter Adario’s new account manager, Kathryn McNeil, was highly qualified and competent. But as a single mother, she was also struggling to keep up with her work. Her supervisor, Lisa Walters (who reported to Adario), complained. The situation pitted Adario’s belief in work/family balance against his duty to the department’s bottom line. But before he could act, Walters went over his head to fire McNeil. If Adario had realized earlier that he and Walters saw McNeil’s situation through different lenses, he might have prevented the firing.

What point of view is most likely to win the contest of interpretations and influence others? Based on company culture and goals, group norms, and political jockeying, whose point of view would prevail in your organization? Example: 

By asking this question, Adario might have seen the McNeil issue within a larger work/family context. During these fast-paced, demanding times, employees with children struggled to keep up. Those without family demands resented working longer hours to compensate. Their viewpoint would likely prevail.

What can I do to help my interpretation win? This question enables you to plan for the resolution of defining moments before they arise. Example: 

Instead of waiting for the work/family issue to catch him and his group by surprise, Adario could have anticipated the problem and defined an organizational culture that valued both family and work. But Walters preempted him and filled the vacuum his inaction had created.

3. Who Is the Company? Defining Moments for Executives

Executives running companies face even more complex defining moments that test them, their work groups, and their entire firm. They must choose actions that protect all stakeholders’ interests.

Have I done all I can to secure my position and the strength and stability of my organization? Example: 

In deciding whether to market RU-486, the “French abortion pill,” Roussel Uclaf CEO Eduoard Sakiz faced a defining moment. Antiabortion groups, pro-choice groups, shareholders, and France’s government (part owner of the company) were all fomenting international controversy over the drug. Though Sakiz believed in making abortion safer, he also had a responsibility to protect employees’ jobs and security. He knew he’d need to secure his own position in the firm in order to bring RU-486 to market.

Have I thought creatively and boldly about my organization’s role in society and its relationship to shareholders? Example: 

Sakiz decided to define RU-486’s role in a daring way: supporting a core group of stakeholders (women seeking non-surgical abortions, and their physicians) through astute political activism. This path resonated with his own core values and the desires of the majority of employees and stakeholders. Sakiz needed to find a way to introduce the drug to the market. But how?

What combination of shrewdness, creativity, and tenacity will make my vision a reality? Carefully assess your opponents and allies, asking “Should I play the lion (coming out roaring) or the fox (taking an indirect approach)?” Example: 

Deciding to play the fox, Sakiz announced that Roussel Uclaf would suspend distribution of RU-486. When women’s groups, family-planning advocates, and physicians expressed outrage—and the French government threatened to transfer the RU-486 patent to another company—Sakiz reversed his decision.

By calling out to his allies indirectly, Sakiz sparked a series of events that helped achieve his ends—without appearing to lead the way himself. Results? He secured his future in the company; protected employees and the bottom line by deflecting the controversy away from the company; and established Roussel Uclaf as a technological and social leader.

We have all experienced, at one time or another, situations in which our professional responsibilities unexpectedly come into conflict with our deepest values. A budget crisis forces us to dismiss a loyal, hardworking employee. Our daughter has a piano recital on the same afternoon that our biggest client is scheduled to visit our office. At these times, we are caught in a conflict between right and right. And no matter which option we choose, we feel like we’ve come up short.

• Joseph L. Badaracco is the John Shad Professor of Business Ethics at Harvard Business School, where he has taught courses on leadership, strategy, corporate responsibility, and management. His books on these subjects include New York Times bestseller Leading Quietly , Defining Moments , and his latest book, Step Back: How to Bring the Art of Reflection into Your Busy Life (HBR Press, 2020).

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Essay on Role of Teacher in Society

Students are often asked to write an essay on Role of Teacher in Society in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Role of Teacher in Society

Introduction.

Teachers play a significant role in society. They are the ones who shape the minds of future generations.

Knowledge Providers

Teachers impart knowledge and skills to students. They guide them in understanding complex concepts.

Role Models

Teachers act as role models, inspiring students to strive for greatness and to be responsible citizens.

Moral Guides

They also instill moral values in students, teaching them right from wrong.

In conclusion, teachers are crucial for societal development. They nurture young minds and prepare them for the future.

250 Words Essay on Role of Teacher in Society

The pivotal role of teachers.

Teachers are the cornerstone of society. They shape future generations, instilling values, knowledge, and skills that prepare students for life beyond the classroom. Their role extends far beyond the academic sphere, molding the character, attitude, and social awareness of their students.

Teachers as Knowledge Transmitters

Primarily, teachers serve as the conduit of knowledge. They interpret and simplify complex concepts, making them accessible to students. In this era of information overload, they guide students to distinguish between credible and misleading information.

Teachers as Character Builders

Beyond academics, teachers play a crucial role in character building. They instill values such as honesty, respect, and empathy, which are fundamental to a harmonious society. They also help students understand the importance of civic responsibilities, thereby nurturing responsible citizens.

Teachers as Change Agents

Teachers are catalysts for social change. They encourage critical thinking, fostering students’ ability to question, analyze, and challenge societal norms. This promotes innovation and progress, driving societal development.

Teachers as Lifelong Mentors

Teachers often become lifelong mentors, providing guidance and support throughout their students’ lives. They inspire students to pursue their passions, overcome challenges, and reach their full potential.

In conclusion, the role of teachers in society is multifaceted and profound. They are not merely educators, but also character builders, change agents, and lifelong mentors. Their influence extends beyond the confines of the classroom, shaping the future of society.

500 Words Essay on Role of Teacher in Society

The pivotal role of teachers in society.

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping society, as they are the individuals responsible for educating future generations. Their impact extends beyond the classroom, influencing the social, economic, and cultural fabric of communities.

The Social Architect

Teachers are social architects. They are responsible for creating an environment conducive to learning, fostering social skills, and nurturing emotional intelligence in students. Teachers instill values such as respect, empathy, and cooperation, which are essential for a harmonious society. They also help students understand and respect diversity, promoting inclusivity and reducing prejudice and discrimination.

Economic Catalysts

Teachers also act as economic catalysts. They equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for their future careers, thus contributing to economic development. By fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, teachers prepare students for the evolving job market. They also inspire students to become entrepreneurs, leading to job creation and economic growth.

Cultural Preservation and Progression

Teachers play a significant role in cultural preservation and progression. They pass on cultural heritage to younger generations, promoting a sense of identity and continuity. At the same time, they encourage students to question and challenge traditional norms and values, fostering societal progression.

Agents of Change

Teachers are agents of change. They have the power to influence students’ perspectives and attitudes towards societal issues. Through education, they can raise awareness about environmental sustainability, human rights, and social justice, empowering students to become active citizens and leaders.

Life-long Learning Promoters

Teachers are promoters of lifelong learning. They cultivate a love for learning in students, encouraging them to continuously seek knowledge and personal growth. This not only benefits individuals but also contributes to societal development, as educated citizens are more likely to make informed decisions and contribute positively to society.

In conclusion, the role of teachers in society is multifaceted and profound. They shape the minds of future generations, influence societal norms and values, contribute to economic development, and promote lifelong learning. As such, they are indispensable to societal progress and development. Recognizing and appreciating their role is essential for ensuring a prosperous and harmonious society.

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Vivekananda’s Teachings on Character-Building

Vivekananda propounded ‘man-making education’ which involves the harmonious development of the body, mind and soul.

Human existence is going through a crisis. The tremendous emphasis on material gain and power, and the overt dependence on science and technology, are fast resulting in the devaluation of humanity. Moral and spiritual values are being undermined. The fundamental principles of civilisation are being ignored. Conflicts of ideas, manners and habits pervade the atmosphere. In this situation, the way out, as Vivekananda emphasised is ‘education’. We need to first rework our system of education to make it more holistic and value-based. There has to be an education through which ethics, ideals and values can be developed among students so that they can conduct their life consciously and conscientiously. With the right education, they should be able to decide what is right or wrong, what is good or evil and what is justice or injustice.

Vivekananda was of the opinion that it was not sufficient to be able to distinguish between what is right and wrong, but that we also needed to develop the courage to execute ‘the right’. He stressed a ‘spiritual’ education, by which he meant education that can build good character.  More than this, we need ‘life-building, man-making …[and] nation-building’ education.  For this Vivekananda prepared an outline of an educational system in accordance with fundamental principles that he thought were critical to achieving this end. Without a proper education, he did not believe it would be possible to develop the nation. Education was needed to strengthen the mind, sharpened the intellect and provide the strength to stand on one’s own feet. With these strengths, he believed education could provide solutions to all social, political and global problems.

My purpose in this chapter is to explain Vivekananda’s basic philosophy of ‘man-making education’ and the central role of character-building in that process.

Vivekananda’s educational philosophy

Vivekananda was probably among the first Indian thinkers to give a psychological and spiritual orientation to education and nation-building. His ideas about education were based on Vedantic doctrine. According to Vivekananda education, like Yoga in its deeper sense, is a rapid psychological process towards perfection. ‘Manifesting the perfection already within man’ was the keynote in Vivekananda’s approach to education ( CW , 1989, Vol. 4, p.358; Vol.3, p.224). This is rooted in the Vedantic idea of growing conscious of the ever-perfect nature of the Self and discovering the Self.  The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (2.4.5)[*] says:

atma vaa are drashtavyah , mantavyah , shrotavyah , nididhyasitavyah.

This means that the Self alone has to be seen, thought, heard and contemplated on. Education therefore must aim at true self-knowledge which can liberate humanity from all kinds of bondage:

sa vidya ya vimuktaye. 

True knowledge alone can liberate ( Vishnu Purana , 1.19.41)[†].

According to Vivekananda, the lasting foundation for nation-building was not economics or politics but education. In Vivekananda’s words:

It is a man-making religion that we want. It is man-making theories that we want. It is man-making education all round that we want. And here is the test of truth — anything that makes you weak physically, intellectually, and spiritually, reject as poison; there is no life in it, it cannot be true. Truth is strengthening. Truth is purity, truth is all-knowledge; truth must be strengthening, must be enlightening, must be invigorating.” ( CW , 1989, Vol.3, pp.224-225)

In other words, ‘man-making education’ involves the harmonious development of the body, mind and soul. For this to be achieved, education had to involve the integration of the different aspects of our personalities. However, the modern system of education in India and elsewhere, has largely ignored the development of personality. As a result, most of us emerge from the formal educational process with semi-formed personalities. The work we engage in often bears no correspondence with our real genius.  Thus we live in deep suffering, separated from ourselves. What we need is an educational process that helps us develop rounded personalities with strong mental and spiritual powers.  Education should instil us not only with intelligence but also self-confidence and self-reliance.  Vivekananda’s teachings on this reflect contemporary understandings of how a successful educational process should be evaluated.  In this sense, he was many decades ahead of his time. For Vivekananda, the principles of education matched and reinforced the principles of yoga. He said:

Yoga may be regarded as a means of compressing one’s evolution into a single life or a few months or even a few hours of bodily existence’ (Vivekananda cited by Aurobindo, 1999, Vol.23, pp. 23:6).

Such a compression made perfection accessible to all human beings for it did not require any special isolation from everyday life. The perfection of which Vivekananda spoke was veiled by the imperfections and impurities of the three faculties that constituted an individual: the body, mind and intellect. These needed to be honed for their full potential to be realised. That honing process was the true purpose of education, according to Vivekananda. For him the educational system needed to realise the Vedic dictum ‘ manurbhavajanayadivyamjanam ’ – Be a man and create a Divine population ( CW , 1989, Vol.3, p.302; Kashyap and Sadagopan (Eds.), 1998, 10.53.6).

The contrast between Vivekananda’s vision and the modern educational system is stark: it is as if we are busy cutting trees with blunt instruments, chiselling away hoping to create perfect ‘trophies’. But the end product of our labours is that humans work and behave more like machines. The existing, conventional educational system is counterproductive to the wellbeing of individuals, the nation and humankind in general.

What is character?

The word ‘character’ first appeared in Western and European literature and self-improvement manuals around the 17th century CE. It became more popular and peaked around the 19th century CE. Susman writes that during the 1800s, ‘character was a key word in the vocabulary of Englishmen and Americans’, and men were spoken of as having strong or weak character, good or bad character, a great deal of character or no character at all (Susman, 1984 p. 273).Young people were told to cultivate real character, high character and noble character.  Character was the most priceless thing they would ever have. In the beginning of the 20th century, however, Susman found that the ideal of character began to be replaced by that of personality and the connotations of the word ‘character’ kept changing. In the course of time, character was defined not in terms of the cultivation of virtues, but in terms of people’s hobbies, dress, and material possessions, etc. This shift from ‘character’ to ‘personality’ was a shift from achievement to performance. A person who performed well was considered to be a man with a good personality irrespective of whether he held any high values or had any virtues. Further, it thus happened that while the notion of character was split into good and bad, personality was divided into the two dominant categories of, namely famous and infamous. The majority of people, however, did not rate a mention at all – presumably, they were without ‘personality’. In this culture of personality, you could become famous without having done anything to earn it. The words most associated with character in the 19th century were ‘citizenship, duty, democracy, work, building, golden deeds, outdoor life, conquest, honour, reputation, morals, manners, integrity, and above all, manhood’. By contrast, the words most associated with personality in the 20 th century were ‘fascinating, stunning, attractive, magnetic, glowing, masterful, creative, dominant, and forceful’ (Susman, 1984, p.277).

These western notions of character and personality are far removed from conceptions expressed by Indian visionaries. Vivekananda, for example, saw human character as an aggregate of an individual’s tendencies. In this he echoed the Vedantic tradition: we are what our thoughts have made us. While speaking on Karma Yoga [‡] and especially about the Samskaras or ‘inherent tendencies’ within an individual, Swamiji explained what he meant by character:

Every work that we do, every movement of the body, every thought that we think, leaves such an impression on the mind-stuff, and even when such impressions are not obvious on the surface, they are sufficiently strong to work beneath the surface, subconsciously. What we are every moment is determined by the sum total of these impressions on the mind. What I am just at this moment is the effect of the sum total of all the impressions of my past life. This is really what is meant by character; each man’s character is determined by the sum total of these impressions. If good impressions prevail, the character becomes good; if bad, it becomes bad. (CW, 1989, Vol. 9, p.193)

If the sum total of these impressions is negative, then a person has a negative character; if the impressions are positive, then a positive character emerges. The aim of education is to build individuals into positive characters who exemplify uplifting qualities such as courage, compassion, kindness and other good values. Birth and upbringing play a role in character formation. In Vivekananda’s words: ‘One child is born of a divine nature, another of a human, others of lower character’ ( CW, 1989, Vol. 9, p. 327).

Despite these influences, every human being has an opportunity to change themselves. One has a choice to transform oneself for better or for worse. The first step towards change is the personal conviction that change is necessary. After that, the person must have the will to change and be strong in their conviction till the change takes place. The foundation of character-building is this willpower, which needs to be trained so that one becomes the master of oneself instead of becoming a slave to senses, the mind or thoughts. This is inner training wherein the buddhi or the intelligence has to be strengthened and re-educated. Character-building is at the very core of this self-development.  According to Vivekananda the pre-requisites for the growth of character is freedom from attachment:

He who has succeeded in attaching or detaching his mind to or from the centres at will has succeeded in Pratyahara, which means, ‘gathering towards,’ checking the outgoing powers of the mind, freeing it from the thraldom of the senses. When we can do this, we shall really possess character; then alone we shall have taken a long step towards freedom; before that, we are mere machines (CW, 1989, Vol.1, pp.173-174).

The freedom of which Vivekananda speaks demands the inculcation of discipline. Yet at first sight, discipline and freedom appear to be opposing forces. Such contradictions are reconciled by self-discipline which also has to be nurtured. This nurturing is the process of building character. In nurturing nothing must be done as a result of compulsion: rather one takes into account an individual’s svabhava (innate nature) and svadharma ( own law of being ) .

The role of karma in building character?

According to Vivekananda, character is shaped by karma which he described as follows:

Karma in its effect on character is the most tremendous power that man has to deal with. Man, as it were, is a centre, and is attracting all the powers of the universe, towards himself… Good and bad, misery and happiness, all are running towards him and clinging round him, and out of them he fashions the mighty stream of tendencies called character and throws it outwards (CW, 1989, Vol. 1, pp.29-30).

Vivekananda had a dualistic view of karma – the good vs the bad.  But, he was not fatalistic.  The kind of karma acquired by any individual was a matter of choice: to build a good character required one to imbibe the positive values that can build good character:

If a man continuously hears bad words, thinks bad thoughts, does bad actions, his mind will be full of bad impressions; and they will influence his thought and work without his being conscious of the fact. In fact, these bad impressions are always working, and their resultant must be evil, and that man will be a bad man; he cannot help it. The sum total of these impressions in him will create the strong motive power for doing bad actions. He will be like a machine in the hands of the impressions, and they will force him to do evil. Similarly, if a man thinks good thoughts and does good works, the sum total of these impressions will be good; and they, in a similar manner will force him to do good even in spite of himself. When a man has done so much good work and thought so many good thoughts there is an irresistible tendency in him to do good, in spite of himself and even if he wishes to do evil, his mind, as the sum total of his tendencies, will not allow him to do so; the tendencies will turn him back; he is completely under the influence of the good tendencies. When such is the case, a man’s good character is said to be established (CW, 1989, Vol.1, p.54).

The character-building process depended on the strengthening of an individual’s will ( CW , 1989, Vol. 2, p.357)-  to be straightforward, fearless and honest, coupled with a sincerity to act and even to fight courageously.  In this way, one’s own life and the life of society could uphold all that is true, foster unity and uplift humanity.

Everyone’s willpower could grow through repeated practice ( abhyaasa ). Repetition ‘brings out’ the potential of the muscles and brain.  It involved a process of bringing the best to the front:  ‘manifesting the perfection already in man’ ( CW , 1989, Vol. 4, p.358). Yet, willpower could become enfeebled when an individual yields to every inclination and fancy that occurs to him.  But such weakness could be fought and one’s faults could be countered by confronting the several enemies that exist within one’s own self.  Self-denial ( vairaagya, or non-attachment) could be achieved through self-control and self-discipline so that over time, any determined individual could attain the power which enabled them to have ‘mastery over oneself’.

In building character it is necessary that one should learn to face the world, despite its many sorrows, troubles, pleasures and pains. It is very difficult to hide from these experiences. At the same time, a wise person is not meant to show all that they feels at every moment. The ordinary person, who is not mindful of these principles, is like a machine:  he reacts to every external influence and inner impulse.  As a result, he very often cannot follow the music of life.

According to Vivekananda, character formation required traits such as purity, a thirst for knowledge, hard work, perseverance, faith, humanity, submission and veneration. He sought to inspire youth to become heroes by developing these traits and setting aside fear.  Fear, said Vivekananda, was death, sin, hell, imprisonment and led to false choices. At the root of the world’s negativity was fear.  ‘Face the monster’ was the lesson that Vivekananda sought to convey. All the hardships of life could be defeated if we stood our ground courageously.  Such courage was a sign of a person’s mental and physical health. Vivekananda exhorted the youth by saying:

Be a hero. Always say, ‘I have no fear.’ Tell this to everyone—

Have no fear ( CW , 1989, Vol. 7, p.136).

A strong, positive and fearless person was also one who had compassion and love for his fellow human beings. In Vivekananda’s words:

Religions of the world have become lifeless mockeries. What the world wants is character. The world is in need of those whose life is one burning love,selfless. That love will make every word tell like thunderbolt ( CW , 1989, Vol. 7, p.501).

Such love was more important than fame or money and without it character building was not possible:  ‘it is character that cleaves its way through adamantine walls of difficulties’  ( CW , 1989, Vol. 4, p.298). A man of character has to be a man of action, competent, skilled, someone who exerts untiring labour and of love for one and all. Character is built through a thousand stumbles. In his own words, a well-developed character took the form of an integrated and harmonious person:

…what we want is to see the man who is harmoniously developed…great in heart, great in mind, [great in deed]….We want the man whose heart feels intensely the miseries and sorrows of the world…..And [we want] the man who not only can feel but can find the meanings of things, who delves deeply into the heart of nature and understanding. [We want] the man who will not even stop there, [but] who wants to work out [the feeling and meaning by actual deeds]. Such a combination of head, heart, and hand is what we want. Ultimately what is needed is a perfect sincerity, holiness, gigantic intellect and an all-conquering will (CW, 1989, Vol. 6, p.49).

How education can promote character development

Independent self-learning within the context of a holistic educational system would lead to character development. A child should be encouraged to exercise his free will and develop at a pace suited to his needs.  These inner motivations needed to be accompanied by the educational institutions and teachers promoting the right values that would lead to the development of good character. The right values have already been discussed in the previous section of this chapter but they also included the power to observe beauty, forgiveness, and the persistent search for perfection (Joshi, 1997, pp. 41-61)

For Vivekananda, the teacher played a critical role as the guide and role model in inspiring students to place a high value on character development:

No one was ever really taught by another; each of us has to teach himself. The external teacher offers only the suggestion which rouses the internal teacher to work to understand things ( CW , 1989, Vol.1, p.93).

The aim of education was to develop a balanced and well-rounded personality – ‘a combination of head, heart and hand’. Above all, education was a process of gaining self-knowledge by reflection and self-control.  This teaching by Vivekananda was the essence of his practical Vedanta:

You know but little of that which is within you. For behind you is the ocean of infinite power and blessedness. ‘This Atman is first to be heard of.’ Hear day and night that you are that Soul. Repeat it to yourselves day and night till it enters into your very veins, till it tingles in every drop of blood, till it is in your flesh and bone. (CW, 1989, Vol. 2, p.302)

It was this self-knowledge and self-confidence that released the enormous powers of the individual and enabled one to realise the integrated nature of the universe. Faith in yourself means ‘…faith in all because you are all. The love for yourself means love for all, love for animals, love for everything because you are all one’ ( CW , 1989, Vol. 2, p.301).

Vivekananda’s worldview required mankind to focus on its inward motivations and development. Education played a critical role in this ‘man-making’ process. The inside spirit and personality of a man had to be polished not the outward appearances which were illusionary and deceptive:

The ideal of all education, all training, should be this man-making. But instead of that, we are always trying to polish up the outside. What use is polishing up the outside when there is no inside? The end and aim of all training are to make the man grow. The man who influences, who throws his magic, as it were, upon his fellow-beings, is a dynamo of power, and when that man is ready, he can do anything and everything he likes; that personality put upon anything will make it work (CW, 1989, Vol. 2, p.15).

For Vivekananda, it was through the rigours of character-building that the light of spirituality could shine.

Vivekananda’s teachings demonstrate a deep insight into the needs of modern man and the times in which we live. His focus on an educational system based on character building and encouraging all individuals to develop their inner spirit of goodwill and confidence speaks to the pressures of modern living. The educational system should not think of individuals are mere resources needed by economic systems.  The true function of any educational system is to take care of developing balanced, integrated personalities. Such character building was the true foundation of individual happiness and social order for it made it possible to achieve an equilibrium between the motivations of individuals and society.

Vivekananda’s vision of education was a noble one. The more selfless the individual the better their own welfare and that of the surrounding society. Through inspiring teachers and educational institutions that promoted positive values not only would man-building promote the inner growth of individuals but also the growth and strength of the nation and ultimately the well-being of all humanity.

CW (Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda). 1989, Vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9, Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

Aurobindo, Sri. 1999. Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, Vol.23, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.

Joshi, Kireet (Ed.). 1997. Education for character development, Delhi: Dharma Hinduja International Centre of Indic Research.

Kashyap, R. L. and Sadagopan. S (Eds.), Rigveda Samhita , (1998), Bangalore: Sri Aurobindo Kapali Sastry Institute of Vedic Culture.

Susman, Warren I. (1984), ‘ ‘Personality’ and the making of twentieth-century culture’, in Susman, Warren I. (ed.), Culture as history: The transformation of American society in the twentieth century, New York: Pantheon Books.

[*] The Brihadaranyaka Upanisad, one of the 10 principal Upanishads. The rest are: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya and Chandogya.

[†] The Vishnu Purana is one of 18 medieaval Hindu texts known as the Mahapuranas.

[‡] For a discussion of Karma Yoga see Chapters 1 and 7 in this collection.

About Author: Sampadananda Mishra

Dr. Sampadananda Mishra is working as a Professor at the Rashtram School of Public Leadership, Rishihood University, Sonipat. Dr. Mishra, an eminent scholar of Sanskrit has spoken at various conferences, seminars, and literary & religious festivals, both nationally and internationally on Indian culture, Sanskrit, Yoga and Education. In addition Dr. Mishra, as a devotee of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, is familiar with their writings and feels comfortable in delivering lectures on Philosophy and practice of Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga. He has been to the USA several times for giving lectures, conducting workshops and participating in conferences and seminars. He was one of the keynote speakers in the Waves conference that took place in Trinidad and Tobago in the year 2010. In the year (2014) Dr. Mishra was invited to the Monash university, Melbourne for giving a talk on character development and service to humanity in a seminar on Swami Vivekananda. Dr. Mishra worked as the Associate Editor of the Collected Works of Vasishtha Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni published in twelve volumes. Dr. Mishra has founded and launched the first ever 24hours Sanskrit Radio called Divyavani Sanskrit Radio and is single handedly managing the entire content since its inception in 2013. In the year 2014 Dr. Mishra founded Samskrita Balasahitya Parishad with the aim of creating, evaluating and propagating children’s literature in Sanskrit. The Govt. of India has conferred the President’s award (Maharshi Badarayna Vyasa Samman 2011) on Dr. Mishra for his outstanding contribution to Sanskrit.In the year 2014 the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India conferred the Senior Fellowship Award to Dr. Mishra for carrying out his research on the Vedic Art of Multiple Concentration. Dr. Mishra was conferred the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Bala Puraskar for 2018 for his book Shanaih Shanaih – A book of Rhyming songs in Sanskrit for children. Dr. Mishra has published several books on Sanskrit, Sri Aurobindo, Chandas etc.

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Role of Education in Character Building of a Nation (CSS Current Affairs 2015)

Table of Contents Toggle (CSS Current Affairs Paper 2015) Question: What is the role of education in character building of a nation? Highlight major pitfalls in Pakistan’s educational systems. Introduction 1. Social Importance 2. Formation of Social Personality 3. Reformation of Attitudes 4. Fosters Participant Democracy 5. Education Acts as an Integrative Force MAJOR PITFALLS IN PAKISTAN’S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS 1. Gender Discrimination 2. Quality of Education 3. The Allocation of Funds for Education Sector 4. Regional Disparity 5. Gender Discrimination 6. Lack of Technical Education 7. Untrained Teachers (CSS Current Affairs Paper 2015)

Question: What is the role of education in character building of a nation? Highlight major pitfalls in Pakistan’s educational systems.

Introduction.

Education, if looked at beyond its conventional boundaries, forms the very essence of all our actions. What we do is what we know and have learned, either through instructions or through observation and assimilation. When we are not making an effort to learn, our mind is always processing new information or trying to analyze the similarities as well as the tiny nuances within the context which makes the topic stand out or seem different. If that is the case then the mind definitely holds the potential to learn more, however, it is us who stop ourselves from expanding the horizons of our knowledge with self-doubt or other social, emotional, or economic constraints.

1. Social Importance

Education, has a great social importance specially in the modern, complex industrialised societies. Philosophers of all periods, beginning with ancient stages, devoted to it a great deal of attention. The main social objective of education is to complete the socialization process. The family gets the child, but the modern family tends to leave much undone in the socialisation process. The school and other institutions have come into being in place of family to complete the socialization process. Now, the people fell that it is “the school’s business to train the whole child even to the extent of teaching him honesty, fair play, consideration for others and a sense of right and wrong”. The school devotes much of its time and energy to the matter such as co-operation, good citizenship, doing one’s duty and upholding the law.

2. Formation of Social Personality

Individual must have personalities shaped or fashioned in ways that fit into the culture. Education, everywhere has the function of the formation of social personalities. Education helps in transmitting culture through proper molding of social personalities. In this way, it contributes to the integration, to survive and to reproduce themselves.

3. Reformation of Attitudes

Education aims at the reformation of attitudes wrongly developed by children already. For various reasons the child may have absorbed a host of attitudes, beliefs and disbeliefs, loyalties and prejudices, jealously and hatred etc. these are to be reformed. It is the function of education to see that unfounded beliefs, illogical prejudices and unreasoned loyalties are removed from the child’s mind, though the school has its own limitations in this regard, it is expected to continue its efforts in reforming the attitudes of the child.

4. Fosters Participant Democracy

Education fosters participant democracy. Participant democracy in any large and complex society depends on literacy. Literacy allows full participation of the people in democratic processes and effective voting. Literacy is a product of education. Educational system has this economic as well as political significance. Education Imparts values:

The curriculum of the school, its extracurricular activities and the informal relationships amongst students and teacher communicate social skills and values. Through various activities a school imparts values such as co-operation or atmospheric, obedience, fair play. This is also done through curriculum that is through lessons in history literature etc.

5. Education Acts as an Integrative Force

Education acts as integrative force in society by communicating value, that unite different sections of society. The family may fail to provide the child the essential knowledge of the social skills and values of the wider society. The school or the educational institutions can help the child to learn new skills and learn to interact with people of different social backgrounds.

MAJOR PITFALLS IN PAKISTAN’S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS

The educational system of the country is based on different mediums which divides the students in two segments. Mostly private schools are English medium while the Government schools are Urdu medium. Regional differences are also a major cause for a poor educational system in Pakistan.

1. Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination is very common in Pakistan. People are very conservative and they don’t want their girls to go to school and get education. Due to this, the ratio of boys and girls in primary schools is 10:4.

In Human Development Report Pakistan is placed at 136th position for having just 49.9% educated population. In addition to that, Pakistan is ranked at 113th out of 120 registered UN members according to the research conducted by UNESCO et al. Some of the very basic flaws of the education system in Pakistan contribute to the economic, ethnic and sociopolitical crisis within the country.

2. Quality of Education

Moreover, the quality of education in most of the public schools and colleges is well below par; the teachers in government schools are not well trained. People who do not get job in any other sector, they try their luck in educational system. They are not professionally trained teachers so they are unable to train a nation. Quality of teaching needs special attention in rural areas where the teachers lack in all departments.

Poverty is another factor that prohibits the parents to send their children to private school where the quality of education is high. Poor people get their children admitted to Government schools. The teachers in Government schools are not professionally trained. They even don’t take lectures and waste the precious time of the students.

3. The Allocation of Funds for Education Sector

The allocation of funds for education sector by the Government of Pakistan are very low; only 2% of the total GDP. Government should increase this rate to improve the quality of educational system.

The educational system of Pakistan is based on unequal lines. Medium of education is different in both, public and private sector. This creates a sort of disparity among people, dividing them into two segments.

4. Regional Disparity

Regional disparity is also a major cause. The schools in Baluchistan (The Largest Province of Pakistan By Area) are not that much groomed as that of Punjab (The Largest Province of Pakistan By Population). In FATA, the literacy rate is deplorable constituting 29.5% in males and 3% in females.

5. Gender Discrimination

The ratio of gender discrimination is a cause which is projecting the primary school ratio of boys & girls which is 10:4 respectively. For the last few years there has been an increase in the growth of private schools. That not only harms the quality of education but creates a gap among haves and has not.

6. Lack of Technical Education

The lack of technical education is a biggest flaw in the educational policy that has never been focused before. Therefore, less technical people mean less.

7. Untrained Teachers

The teachers in government schools are not well trained. People who do not get job in any other sector, they try their luck in educational system. They are not professionally trained teachers so they are unable to train a nation.

About the author

Shahzad Faisal Malik is the administrator of CSSTimes.pk and is responsible for managing the content, design, and overall direction of the blog. He has a strong background in Competitive Exams and is passionate and sharing information with others. Shahzad Faisal Malik has worked as a Graphic Designer/Content Creator at CSSTimes in the past. In his free time, Shahzad Faisal Malik enjoys watching Cricket, writing blogs for different websites and is always on the lookout for new and interesting content to share with the readers of this website. As the website administrator, Shahzad Faisal Malik is dedicated to providing high-quality content and fostering a welcoming and engaging community for readers. He looks forward to connecting with readers and hearing their thoughts and feedback on the website.

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Role Of Education In Character Building Essay

This essay cover topics such as “Role of education in character building. Education has for its object the formation of character. Essay on education builds our character. Moral and character building as aim of education. How does education shape our character.”

Role Of Education In Character Building CSS Essay

Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education – Martin Luther King Jr.

Role Of Education in Economic Development

Knowledge enabled man to live a life better in all aspects from all other living organisms. History shows that improvement in the living conditions of men has come through a long process of evolution. This long process of human’s intellectual development is the result of man’s continuous struggle for seeking knowledge about the world and his surrounding. Knowledge enabled man to live a peaceful and prosperous life in community by adopting some basic moral principles. These principles ensure the existence of communal form of life. Education is thus the need of soul and a peaceful, prosperous and cooperative society can only be achieved through education. In short we can say that it is education that makes us human.

The Oxford English dictionary has defined the term character as the distinctive mental and moral qualities of a person. These are those standards of a person that he keeps while performing a certain function and it distinguished him as well from all other people. Most of these qualities are developed gradually in a person with the passage of time, especially by learning from people surrounding him. This means that these qualities can be molded, either in good way or in bad way, easily by providing the required environment. This process of molding the standards of a person can be called character building.

Higher Education is An Agent Of Change

Today man considered the exploration of his surrounding and universe as his primary objective and to make efforts for the utilization of every power and resource that present in them to make humans’ life more comfortable is what man regularly works for. But this was not always the case, as we know that in the beginning, when human’s life was in its evolutionary phase, man was not aware of his skills and capabilities. It is knowledge that revealed on him his status in the world and made him capable of new inventions and discoveries and led him to the present day development.

Education develops the character of thorough observation in people. It compelled a person to minutely observe a phenomenon before establishing an opinion about it. It is because of this reason we see that in ancient Greek, only Plato, Socrates and Aristotle were able to develop an opinion about a certain phenomenon without having an advance technology for study and observation such as microscope and telescope.

Education Produce Thinkers Not Followers

In the beginning when man was totally at the mercy of nature, he used to call every material thing that possessed some kind of superpower, as god and worshiped it. Water for-example has the power of sinking and destruction, thus it was god and people worshiped it. Similarly fire, sun, moon and every other similar thing were the gods of men in the past. But when man started seeking knowledge and began to control one natural power after another, he realized that all these things cannot be god as they have no value more than this that these things and their power should be utilized for the welfare of mankind. This thinking helped him in the realization of his true, one God. Today, with each passing day, science proves every saying of the Holy Quran which strengthens the faith of human beings in the existence of One, True and Real God, that is Allah Almighty.

Self-confidence is very important especially for students when they are taking part in a competition. The lack of confidence not only results in failures but it also destroys the personality of the person. Education not only instills the element of confidence in students but it also teaches them how to face challenges bravely and wisely and how to stand stills in troubled situation?

The show of tolerance and patience especially in troubled circumstances, not only shows how emotionally strong the person is but it also enabled the man to handle the situation wisely. The qualities of tolerance and patience can be easily developed in a person by instilling in him the principles of both these characteristics.

Education also develops the element of responsibility in students. People, filled with the sentiment of responsibility are not only considered as an asset for the state but such people could also be very useful especially in influencing other people with their responsible behavior. Education instills in students the element of responsibility by revealing on them the different benefits of responsible behavior.

Truthfulness and trustworthiness are the building blocks of a pious character. For the smooth functioning of the society, it is necessary that the inhabitants of the society should be truthful and trustworthy towards each other especially in the performance of our day-to-day activities. Both these characteristics are also developed in students in schools and colleges.

Another very useful characteristic that education develops in students is justness. This quality asks for students to always side what is true, right and just. This characteristic enabled students to struggle not only for their own rights but to help others as well in their quest for justice.

To work voluntarily for the development of society and to respect all humans without making any discriminations among them on any basis, are the two other most useful characteristics that education develops in knowledge seekers. As for most scholars, selfishness is the defining character of humans’ nature, the promotion of volunteerism in people especially in students is what, one of the main objectives of educationalists. Similarly respect for all human beings not only removes hatred from the society but it also promotes unanimity in the society.

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Carefulness is another quality that education develops in students. This quality too asks for students that they should not behave selfishly in the fulfillment of their basic needs such as food shelter and clothes. It teaches them that people should also take care of the needs of others especially those who cannot fulfill their needs themselves. Similarly it also demands from students that they should take care of the feelings of others.

The characteristic of the avoidance of the use of vulgar language and immoral habits and the habit of promise keeping are also developed in students in schools and colleges. With the development of the character of responsibility, education also develops the quality of promise keeping in students.

Education also teaches students law-abiding behavior. It not only promotes the sentiment of strictly following the law but also urged students to compel others to become law-abiding. The law abidance character of citizens is very useful for the development of the state as a whole.

Education also develops the character of extreme patriotism in students. In schools and colleges, students are taught the importance of freedom and various ways through which the independence of the state can be strengthen and protected.

As we know that the characters of a person are largely influenced by his surroundings. If a person has good company of friends and colleagues, it is obvious that good characters will developed in him eventually. As students in educational institutions are surrounded by people with good moral behavior and standards, they adopt those qualities automatically. Similarly in class, children are taught the principles of good character, so it is obvious that students will ultimately adopt good qualities and will develop good characters in themselves.

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The Important Role of Sport in Character Building Essay

Introduction.

Sport is an important part of modern life, whether it is experienced directly or as an observer. It is common for educational systems to encourage interest in sports because it puts personal and psychological resilience under pressure. However, the question of whether sport actually helps develop character still raises disputes. After all, many competitions presuppose artificial scenarios not compatible with real life. It is reasonable to suggest that the use of physical force in sports teaches a different moral lesson. Exploration of the positive and negative influences of sport on reasoning is essential in ascertaining the importance of a positive environment for character building.

On the one hand, sport does not build character because of the artificial nature of the competition environment. This argument is espoused by Bredemeier and Shields (2009) who accentuated the transformation that athletes had to undergo in order to reach the mental state necessary for performing in a competition. Regardless of how decent a person in day-to-day life is, they have to assume a different attitude to compete and win. The necessity to overcome one’s emotional and moral barriers is not consistent with the overall moral principles, which regulate behavior in all circumstances.

Furthermore, moral reasoning induced by sport transfers to the daily perception of the world. This is evidenced by Bredemeier and Shields (2009) who reference research findings that “nonathletes had significantly more mature moral reasoning than did the basketball players” (p. 3). This revelation can be explained if the consistency of morality is considered – the more frequent a person’s moral reasoning is, the stronger their convictions are. As athletes have to intentionally assume a different outlook, their overall morality suffers as it is not as consistent.

On the other hand, sport helps build character due to the release of energy. As people are influenced by their energy levels and emotions, they have to release accumulated tension. Those who are not able to manage it properly, are at higher risk of engaging in illegal and immoral behavior. Sport provides the release of energy, which lowers tension, thus making inappropriate behaviors less likely. Furthermore, an athlete who is used to moral transformations is also aware of the necessity to assume a normal mental state after the competition is over.

Moreover, there is evidence that participation in sports does make people less violent. The systematic review by Jugl et al. (2021) has discovered that participation in sports is statistically related to reduced recidivism, better anger control, psychological well-being, and collaborative behavior. It proves that sport itself does not necessarily lead to weaker moral reasoning. When participation in competitions is combined with team playing, sport becomes an effective precursor to moral reasoning. Team-based games provide athletes with a social environment fostering trust, cooperation, and other values, which are essential for the development of strong and moral character.

In conclusion, sport does contribute to character building as long as it is supported by a positive environment. There is statistical data, indicating both the improvement in behavior caused by sport, as well as the deterioration of moral reasoning of athletes in comparison to non-athletes. The subsequent implication is that the environment determines the morality of individuals. If surrounding people encourage careful transformation of moral reasoning in and out of a competition setting, the person’s character will be stronger and more resilient compared with a less considerate social environment.

Bredemeier, B. L., & Shields, D. L. (2009). Moral reasoning in the context of sport . Web.

Jugl, I., Bender, D., & Lösel, F. (2021). Do sports programs prevent crime and reduce reoffending? A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of sports programs . Journal of Quantitative Criminology , 1-52. Web.

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IvyPanda . "The Important Role of Sport in Character Building." December 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-important-role-of-sport-in-character-building/.

Building Character Through Sport

by NDFAuthors

• Jan 16, 2015

The great player and coach John Wooden once said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” So what does it really mean that sport builds character? No one in the world provokes this question more than legendary athletes, with less of understanding of what lurks beneath the surface.

One was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Another one was accused of headbutting a referee and racism. And then there’s the eccentric rebounder, who checked into an alcohol-rehabilitation center after he sang “Happy Birthday” to the North Korean leader and suffered an angry meltdown during a CNN interview.

Coaches are movies. Players are snapshots – Frank Deford.

They are all famous sports characters that, indeed, do more than just win. The great player and coach John Wooden once said:

The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.

So what does it really mean that sport builds character? No one in the world provokes this question more than legendary athletes, with less of an understanding of what lurks beneath the surface. Centuries worth of scientific thought, social psychology and behavioral neuroscience have attempted to answer this fundamental question. Yet, the diversity of views and opinions is so grand that it has made the answer remarkably elusive. Today we make an effort to understand the relation between sports participation and children’s character development, looking at this complex issue from the perspective that all sports provide opportunities to pursue excellence of character under the right conditions – through mutual encouragement, challenge, and support. Athletic history brims with embodied examples of why the secret of athletic genius is doggedness rather than “god”-given talent, from the case of a world champion boxer Muhammad Ali to the former world number one female tennis player Martina Navratilova to the greatest male track and field athlete Carl Lewis. We now know that their level of athletic excellence takes enormous courage, dedication, fairness, honesty, leadership, respect, and that the impetus to reboot from autopilot is crucial to reaching such level. But, while not every champion of character may necessarily become an Olympian, they can be the best they can be. And it takes a brilliant scholar of the psychology of character to empirically prove these champions. In her excellent NPR’s TED Radio Hour with Guy Raz   “Is Having Grit The Key To Success?” , Angela Lee Duckworth challenges us to reconsider the character trait that appears to be the most essential for children to attain their goals: hard work and perseverance.

Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority ,   Vince Lombardi scoffed.

However, one of Duckworth’s most important points for the character development through sport has to do with her advice to parents and educators about cultivating children’s character – she points to Carol   Dweck ‘s (2007) seminal insights about “growth” vs. “fixed” mindsets as the key. While a “fixed mindset” assumes that our character is static and can’t be changed, a “growth mindset,” on the other hand, thrives on challenge and sees failure as a heartening springboard for growth. The consequences of believing that character can be developed rather than being immutably engrained traits makes the character development through sport extremely relevant, since through sports children learn that failure is not a permanent condition. While victory may increase their self-esteem, defeat, despite eventual negative effect on children’s confidence, may teach them how to overcome deficiencies and grow. Additionally, Dweck’s idea emphasizes the role of coaches, parents, other role models as well as of the media. As John Wooden captured this:

Character has always been important. But with changes in society today, it needs more reinforcement than ever before.

It is well established that cognitive, social and emotional skills are shaped early in life (Currie & Almond, 2011). Moreover, physically active children develop better social-emotional skills tied to academic success and well-being. Felfe, Lechner and Steinmayr (2011) found that children participating in sports have fewer emotional and peer problems and that they feel more comfortable in school. Moreover, participating in sport might increase child’s perspective-taking ability, which involves understanding a situation from multiple points of view (Coakley, 1984; Martens, 1976). For example, understanding the sport setting from one’s own as well as the opponent’s perspective, allows a youth athlete to take advantage of strategic openings. In addition, in order to understand one’s role on a team, it is important for a child to understand and coordinate with the roles of the teammates. And while sports determine child’s ability against teammates and opponents, comparison against peers is also linked to higher self-esteem (Horn and Weiss, 1991). As I grew older, I came to believe that my character had been affected simply because I grew up playing volleyball. I’m quite sure I would’ve been a somewhat different person – and a different sort of writer, as well – had I spent more time playing video games as a child. And the older I get, the more I realize I am a snapshot of a movie . Certainly, I would not have been the me I am, had I not been influenced by coaches from Slovenia, Serbia, and the United States. Nor would have, without their coaches, Michael Phelps been a 22-time Olympic medalist in swimming, Luis Suarez the first non-European to win the PFA Player of the Year Award, or Dennis Rodman  a five-time NBA champion. However, victory doesn’t happen without character, which, under the television lights, remains our own responsibility.

Or as   Anaïs Nin  illustrates the intricate interplay between the formative role of parenting and the plasticity of our personality:

We cannot always place responsibility outside of ourselves, on parents, nations, the world, society, race, religion.

Neither victory nor violent incident happens on its own. There’s Phelps that has been banned from the USA Swimming team. And there’s Phelps that established the Foundation, and who inspires children to live healthy and active lives. There’s Suarez that headbutted an official. And there’s Suarez that walked onto the pitch before a game, holding his young daughter’s hand and cradling his sleeping son. There’s Rodman that sang “Happy Birthday” to Kim Jong-un. And there’s Rodman that choke during an emotional speech at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, giving a look at what’s underneath all the tattoos and outrageous outfits.. In order to promote the principles of good character through sport and to avoid its negative effects, there is a set of measures and initiatives that should be adopted by the supervising coaches, parents, as well as other role models and media. More specifically, these should address: (1) integration of empathy into the goals of a physical education, (2) dialogue, (3) team-building exercises, (4) positive reinforcement, (5) self-improvement rather than self-comparison, (6) inclusion rather than an exclusive dynamic, (7) frequent encouragement and corrective coaches feedback, and (8) youth empowerment. Complement these recommendations with   Craig Clifford’s Coaching for Character: Reclaiming the Principles of Sportsmanship .

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