Character Education, the Love of Learning, and the Five Virtues

A lot has been said about character education. Schools and parents need to work together to teach good character. Here is a link to a nice article from the Mercury News in San Jose, "For success in schools, teach character first, then content," by Robert Freeman, March 3, 2008.

One thing missed in contemporary efforts to teach character in the schools is identifying the love of learning as a virtue. This is a Confucian virtue, which helps explain why the Chinese are so successful in scholarship.

Here is how James Legge translated Book XVII, Chapter VIII, of the Analects of Confucius:

1. The Master said, 'Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?' Yu replied, 'I have not.'
2. 'Sit down, and I will tell them to you.
3. 'There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;-- the
beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct.'

Obviously, newer translations read more smoothly, but you can see that the love of learning is important in Confucianism, yet missing from the lists of virtues used to teach character.

This link will lead you to the Six Pillars of Character. See how the Six Pillars compare to the Five Virtues of Confucianism.
Confucius -> 6 Pillars
---------------------------
Respectfulness -> Respect
Generosity -> Fairness
Sincerity -> Trustworthiness
Earnestness -> Responsibility
Kindness -> Caring

The 6 Pillars of Character includes Citizenship, but that is such a big deal to Confucians that they have lists of relationships and principles relating the individual to society.

The love of learning was not in Confucius' short list of virtues, but he spoke often about learning. To better understand the importance of learning in the Confucian tradition, contrast how the Christian Bible starts to how the Analects of Confucius starts.

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Analect 1:1 "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application?"

If our children are to become successful students, it would help to inculcate the love of learning.

Robert