Inculcation of Values in Schools: 5 Strategies (2024)

This article throws light upon the top five strategies of inculcation of values in schools. The strategies are: 1. Incorporating Values through the Existing Curriculum 2. Value-Inculcation through Co-Curricular Activities 3. Development of Value-Consciousness through Story 4. Inculcation of Values through Discussion on Slogans 5. Inculcation of Values through Games.

Strategy # 1.Incorporating Values through the Existing Curriculum:

No wonder, values are very much important and need to be projected. But what is needed is that they have to be filtered and installed through in a way that do not become sermons or moral preaching as such. One must, therefore, note that there are varieties of activities that may be undertaken lying under each value.

Teacher as a content-expert, will decide which materials on hand may best portray the values. Teachers know what touches their students. Some of the activities are discussed, but let us make a beginning with prayer.

Prayer:

Prayer is there in almost all the schools before the regular school period starts. Prayer must be held in mother tongue in proper, calm atmosphere and may be recited by both teacher and students. At the secondary level, particularly, value-education happens effectively through those teachers, who willingly and creatively choose to incorporate values through the regular curriculum.

Geography (Social Studies):

Geography is such a subject that can easily lend to value-discussion. The teacher may stop at a critical point during teaching and either one student or a group of students may be asked to exercise choice and then, let it be pointed out that individual choice is important.

In the teaching of Geography care has to be taken to associate the learner with the nature, observation of the natural phenomenon could inspire them to realise the inherent justice, regulation and order freedom and discipline.

Literature:

All the values (listed by Government of Maharashtra for the inculcation in schools) are the characteristics of leading a good life and these can be easily achieved by making the children read good literature. In the language periods, the teacher can select the reading materials which relate to the value being explored.

The material that is included her are poems, short stories, autobiographies, philosophical writings or the current books in which the heroine or hero demonstrates the value that is in focus.The students will be asked to react to the materials they just read, to write about the value or to make-up their own poems (particularly in Std. IX and X).

Some of the values that have been stressed through good literature are:

1. Money nay be a measure of success in the material world, but one should be generous in handling it, at this is not an end in itself?

2. If everyone tries to do one’s best, competition is bound to be there, but one must try to play fair. He or she who tries to play fair, wins through in the end.

3. Evil contains the seeds of its punishment and destruction.

4. Children should work together to accomplish their goals.

5. One must give respect to one’s elders and gain their blessings.

6. It is hard work that pays arid makes the person win.

Literature, by virtue of being imaginative, is capable to promote discussion. Because, when children read, their own imaginations are formed and their imagination enforces their ideals. Literature, in all its products and forms (as history, story etc.) modify these ideals and has a lasting influence.

A poem or a novel or a drama definitely stimulates the thoughts of the readers. Developing children’s interest in reading is not a simple task. Teachers have to take lot of initiative to create a craze and love for reading in the minds of children.

Concluding, it may be said then that if reading of book is that influential, then, it may be firmly stated that the educationists, authors, teachers, evaluators, librarians and even parents must be guided in the first instance by what will interest the most and by what best represents the values.

There are still many other activities or many other varieties of methods and modalities that can be used, and students should be asked to:

1. Reflect on effects of each positive value.

2. Experience values through play, cooperative games and songs.

3. Study different subject areas and apply respective values to those areas.

4. Experience values artistically through drama, dance, songs—verbally or in written form through debate, discussion, essay, story writing, etc.

There are still few more activities for the inculcation of values is by participation of students in cultural activities like drama, debate, story­telling, story-writing, essays, poetry recitation, celebration of national songs, organisation of sports, music, games. Let us talk about drama now.

Drama:

Drama is a wonderful medium to incorporate values. Therefore, the teacher has to select those plays that have to do with the pertaining of values. Students have to be encouraged to select their favourite songs and this would need to be done locally because of the diversity of languages — Marathi, Urdu, Kannada, Tamil, Gujarati….etc. and also on the availability of the material.

The age level of students is also to be taken into consideration. Through drama-activity, students very easily become acclimatized to “acting out” certain situations, taking various roles and looking as solution.

One must note that in all there are 3 important approaches for inculcation of values:

Teaching of values through suggestion

Teaching of values through participation and

Teaching of values through examples.

The best example of teaching of values through participation is drama- activity. In fact, the spirit of values is ingrained in all the activities of the students under the able guidance of their teachers. In many cases, students discover values’ with the help of their teachers.

Hence, students must be inspired to play a drama. Dramatization has to be used with the purpose of exposing the particular traits in the character and appealing upon their appreciation. Activities that have been discussed so far, should have cultural, social and national impact on the impressionable and tender minds at their formative stage.

Participation in the varied activities, quoted so far, will give the students fresh and first-hand experiences which will be helpful in extending not only the mental horizon of the pupils but also broadening their hearts, deepening the sense of duty, social obligation, nationalism, internationalism and humanism.

Participation of students in school assembly, curricular and co-curricular activities, celebrations of national and religious festivals, work experiences, team games and sports, social service camps, can help them in inculcating the values of co-operation, mutual regards, honesty, integrity, discipline and social responsibility.

Science:

The subject of science can be very neatly tackled by the science teachers for the inculcation of values among the students particularly of Std. V and Std. VI. Certain striking facts like extraordinary phenomena of intelligence in animals and birds has to be brought out by the teacher.

As the students enter into higher standards (classes) the quality of sensitivity, silencing the mind and intense search for truth have to be specifically told to the students.

Development of the concept of value- consciousness should be made to precede steadily right from Std. I. Values like maintaining punctuality, cleanliness and orderliness may be made clear to students while teaching the subject of science particularly while teaching a topic like ‘Human Body’. Accordingly, good habits like doing exercises and playing on the playground regularly, will be developed in the students.

Strategy # 2. Value-Inculcation through Co-Curricular Activities:

The prime purpose of education is to develop all dimensions of the human intellect so that our students can help make our country a more democratic cohesive, socially responsible, culturally rich, ecologically sustainable and internationally competitive nation. All such things can be achieved in a true sense of the term if there is a proper inculcation of values in schools.

It can be done through curricular subjects, but the inculcation of values can also be done through conducting various co-curricular activities. The task for the implementation of values into existing curricular is to assist teachers in making explicit values into their daily classroom programmes. A plan of action is required which links the rhetoric to existing practice.

Value must be experienced in social interaction and reinforced by curriculum content and process. Students need an opportunity to explore the relationship between personal meaning and the shared values of society and this can be well done through different approaches inclusive of few narrative approaches using story-telling, story- writing, debate, discussion, role-playing, etc.

Before going into details regarding Co-curricular activities, it must be noted that the co-curricular activities must focus on value-inculcation rather than on winning prizes.

In this regard, let us have a look at the following table:

Activity:

1. Visit and observe nearby planetarium.

2. Take pupils to nearby forests and make them observe different types of tress and animals.

3. Make a visit to the fields producing different food crops.

4. Encourage stamp collection.

5. Arrange seminars, debates and workshops.

6. Writing diary.

7. Special assembly in schools.

8. Stories

9. Celebrating national festivals of different religions.

10. Prayer and meditation.

11. Shramadan.

12. Annual excursions.

13. Competition in sports and games.

14. Cultural programmes

15. Silence.

Value:

1. Quest for knowledge, spirit of enquiry, scientific temper.

2. Love towards nature responsibility and protection of environment.

3. Food value.

4. Curiosity can develop the value of collecting new and old items.

5. Participation, encouraging the communication skill, etc.

6. Self-control

7. Cooperation, time consciousness’ good manner, national consciousness, obedience, regularity and sincerity.

8. Anti-unsociability, equality, faithfulness, gentle manners, justice, kindness, non­violence, and responsibility.

9. Unit of diversity.

10. Devotion to God, self-discipline, self- realisation and control of senses.

11. Hard work, gratitude, service, friendship and dutifulness.

12. Sharing of ideas, cordiality, love towards nature and creativity.

13. Sportsmanship, team spirit and tolerance.

14. Cultural and moral values

15. Control of speech.

Strategy # 3. Development of Value-Consciousness through Story:

The teacher may either tell the story or may ask the students to develop the story by giving them certain points. Through interacting with story, students are given the opportunity to reason about the cause and effect of actions, and to consider moral choices.

Examining values through story response allows students to explore issues, which may be problematic or contemptuous, without necessarily taking emotional burdens involve upon themselves.

Story provides a distancing effect while still allowing the issues to be confronted. Students may use the world of story as a mirror for their own life experiences. Students may be asked to relate issues to their own life experience and speculate as to how they might handle or have handled in a different manner.

Although a story implies the author’s intentions, interpretation is an individual experience. Students need to be encouraged to identify their own experiences with others in order to make more informal personal decisions.

Through interaction with story, students can consider characters’ actions, perspectives and motives and make judgements about them. They may then relate the story to experiences in their own lives so that they can begin to understand the influences on the decisions they make.

Approach through story (for the inculcation of value) paves the way for thinking skills approach because story response stimulates students to discuss issues at a deep level.

Sample questions may include:

a. What is the purpose of the story? Theme, moral, perspective, etc.

b. What choices did the character/s have?

c. What situations helped/hindered the character/s in their choices?

d. What circ*mstances were beyond the control of the character/s?

e. List the range of consequences for their various choices available to the characters.

f. Make judgements about these actions and consequences.

g. Think of a similar situation that you know about or have been in —

1. What did you do?

2. Would you do the same thing again?

3. Why?/Why not?

4. Did your decision benefit you?

5. Did your decision affect any one else? How?

What stops/helps you to make decisions which benefit others/ yourself?

Do you need any external stimulus (reward or punishment) to help you make decisions?

Particularly for Std. I and II stories may be taken up for the development of the themes like — (i) the ideal of truth, (ii) aspiration for perfection etc. For such themes, the teacher may narrate the stories of Raja Harish Chandra or of Mahatma Gandhi or any other that is concerned with the theme.

The children of this tender age can be helped to understand the sayings like ‘To speak the truth, whatever the consequences’ or ‘where truth alone prevails, beauty and goodness pervade’.

The, special exhibitions based on such stories may also he arranged on the said themes. In the end, the teacher may recommend certain exercises to the pupils and ask them to practice.

As the students enter into higher classes, the development of value- consciousness can be done through a study of the:

A. Stories of Bodhisatva from the “Jatakas”.

B. Parables from Bible.

C. Questions put to Yudhishtira on the bank of the lake and his answers.

D. Message received by Prophet Muhammad from the Angel.

E. Account of Rabindranath Tagore’s experience of his opening to poetic inspiration.

F. “Powers of the Mind” from Swami Vivekananda.

In the same manner, the stories based on the values like Dignity of Labour, Equality of Sex, Punctuality, etc. may be taken up by the teacher for the inculcation of values. If a ready story is not available even in the books like. Supplementary Readers, the teacher may create (write) his or her own story and then cyclostyle the same for further activity.

Making Use of Role Play:

This co-curricular Role-Play Activity can be taken up for all the classes right from Std. V to X. Role-playing is not only interest-building but also a very powerful technique in which the students act out problems of human relations and analyse the enactment with the help of other role players and observers. Role-playing helps the pupils to get insights into their own problems as well as feelings, and it caters to the whole person as a learner.

Steps in the Role-Playing Process:

The steps in the role playing process are:

1. Defining the Problem:

The teacher here selects such a problem that is valid, meaningful and important to the group, and is concerned with human relations.

2. Establishing a Situation:

After guessing the desired learning outcome, the teacher establishes a situation. It means this step is dependent on the desired learning outcome.

3. Casting of Characters:

The teacher now selects only those pupils who can play the role well.

4. Briefing and Warming Up the Characters:

The teacher helps the selected students to keep in mind the problem.

5. Acting:

Students play their roles with action and dialogue.

6. Cutting:

If it is found out by the teacher that the selected scene is getting longer, the role-play is cut short.

7. Discussion and Analysis:

Now, the original problem under study is thrown to the students and reactions of the actors (behaviour aspect) as well as observers is discussed and analysed.

8. Summing Up:

At this step, the teacher pins down whatever that has been learnt and helps the students to come to practical conclusion.

Making Use of Slides or Filmstrips:

Just like role-play, slide and film strips are also effective media for value-inculcation. In fact, its effectiveness is completely dependent on the tactfulness of the teacher.

Steps inthe Usage of Filmstrips or Slides:

The steps in the entire procedure of inculcating values though filmstrips or slides is as follows:

1. Review of filmstrips/slides:

Before entering his or her class, the teacher uses the filmstrips or slides on a projector just to get familiar with the equipment that is going to be used in the class.

2. Script writing:

Usually a commentary on the filmstrips or slides is prepared by the teacher in the form of a script.

3. Questions based on slides/filmstrips:

The teacher writes few motivating questions on the board which becomes helpful for students to actively participate in the discussion.

4. Turning on the Projector:

The teacher now starts the projector (which is already kept ready) and tells pupils to watch carefully. The teacher not only starts commenting, but if need be, certain slides are kept for a long time by the teacher.

5. Follow-up activity:

The teacher now activates the class by leading pupils to answer to the questions already written on the board. Main emphasis here is to elicit from the pupils about what they have learnt from Slides/Filmstrips.

6. Goal-Setting:

Here, pupils try to reflect what they saw and what changes have taken place in their minds. In fact, the teacher gets a feedback here for all the efforts put forth by him or her so far.

In the same manner, the inculcation of values is done by making use of the posters, Bulletin, Board, etc.

Strategy # 4. Inculcation of Values through Discussion on Slogans:

The main purpose or objective here is to help students analyse a slogan and then apply it to one’s own life by finding out the hidden values in the slogan. The Slogans are either written on the blackboard by the teacher or a slip with at least five slogans printed is distributed among the students.

Each slogan is taken for discussion one by one and students are asked to analyse each other’s responses. Students are also asked to express their views as well as feelings and then are given encouragement for having dialogue in groups. The groups may be either of 10 students or at the most of 12 students.

The students then are asked to find out a subtle difference in between the slogans distributed among them.

Then, they are also asked for a few questions as given below:

Would you like to bring about any change in the given slogan?

Out of the five slogans, arrange them priority-wise.

What hidden values you could get from these slogans?

How will you try to apply the hidden values from the slogan in your day-to-day life?

Lastly, the teacher leads the students to pray (prayer) and then asks them to disperse.

Strategy # 5. Inculcation of Values through Games:

From the various types of curricular activities, games is another approach for the inculcation of values. The main purpose or objective here is to help students focus their attention on the values they cherish and also disclose the same to each other. The techniques made use of are Housie Games, Brainstorming and Discussion.

Now, before starting for the Housie Game, the students start with the prayer. Thereafter, the teacher explains the students about the Value Housie Game and then distributes the slips of Value Housie Game in the class. In all, 25 values are selected by the teacher and are written in each square of the slip distributed (instead of making use of numbers).

After having distributed Value Housie Game slips to all the students in the Class, the teacher instructs as follows:

“I hope each one of you is having a Value Housie Game Slip. Now I am going to call out the value. If you happen to find that value in one of the squares of your slip, put a cross (X) over the same. Suppose if all the squares of top-row has been filled out from your Value Housie Game Slip, then you are the winner. Then some amongst you may complete the middle row or a bottom row. Hence, when all the five squares of any row have been ticked/crossed by you, please stand up and announce.”

The teacher is having 40 values, and after having declared the name of the winner, the teacher tells the students to read carefully all the 25 values from the squares of the slip of Value Housie Game Slip.

The teacher now instructs them to make a list of these values in a priority-wise manner:

Viz.

1.

2.

3.

4.

The students arrange the values as per the importance given to each value by them. Thus, the most important comes on the top of the list and the least important goes to the bottom of the list. The teacher now leads them for group discussion. Each group consists of 10 or 12 students. Here, in the group discussion, each student is made to tell as to why a particular value is at the top by him or her. Students thus reason.

Few questions as given below is then asked by the teacher:

a. Did you like the game?

b. Why?

c. Which other game would you like to play this Value Housie Game? (Imagination, Creativity)

d. What exactly have you learnt from this Value Housie Game?

e. What changes would you like to bring about in this game?

The entire game then gets over with a prayer.