Values Help to Guide Ethical and Moral Behaviours
We believe that education should generate good human beings rather than data on a spreadsheet. Learning is a matrix of skills, attitudes and behaviours, and values are a guide that positively directs them all.
A good person is made, not born. Just as students learn mathematics and languages, opportunities are also offered at Ming-De to learn about such values as respect, empathy, equality, solidarity and critical thinking. Without these and other ethical principles that define us as human beings, it will be difficult to build a better world.
Values were once a headlining act in Australian Education. Now, they are barely the supporting band. Relegated to mentions in the General Capabilities, values have become little more than words on a page. We are here to change that.
Values help to guide ethical and moral behaviours. They are woven into every decision we make and apply to all aspects of our curriculum from Prep to Year 6 to create a holistic and balanced approach to learning.
Ming-De International School Values Education aims to support and guide students to be the best person they can be by incorporating into their daily learning a focus on developing, practicing and enacting the core values of Sinology and the teachings of the Buddha:
- Love and respect our parents
- Respect teachers and elders
- Be kind to our siblings
- Be mindful and trustworthy in our daily lives
- Build strong relationships with and learn from kind and virtuous people.
Research has shown that the benefits of a values education can further support the growth of a child through to adulthood that has the capacity to:
- Build stronger and more meaningful relationships with others. They are seen as more trustworthy, dependable, and respectful, which can lead to better social connections.
- Improved decision-making through the development of a strong sense of right and wrong, which can help them make better decisions in difficult situations.
- Enhanced self-esteem. They are proud of their moral values and the way they live their lives, which can lead to greater self-esteem and confidence.
- Positive impact on parents and society. Valuing filial piety to their parents and more engaged in their communities encourages them to actively work towards making the world a better place through volunteer work, donating to charity, and advocating for social justice causes.
How Do We Do This?
The moral education for children is the foundation to establish children’s behaviour, family happiness and successful career……..
Venerable Master Chin Kung
Acknowledging the underlying ethos of the school, the tenets of Guidelines for Being a Good Person (DiZiGui), further support and provide guidance to our students through the teaching of:
- Religious and Moral Course
- Home Practice and
- Learn and Practice
- Ancient Chinese Reading, chanting, meditation and yoga
Working in partnership with our parent/carer(s), students are encouraged to practice the virtues of filial respect, interpret the stories of Morality and Ethics, and follow sages and saints as their role models and, commit to developing an active and healthy lifestyle that respects all beings and the environment around them.
