Values and Standards
Which Path Do You Take?
Social
Personal
Barracks
Personal Social
Lesson #1: Look in the Mirror
Play the song: “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5vz6iwV38U
**These lessons will be taught by a leadership team that will have a training, delivery, and debriefing components.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify common social stereotypes
2. Explain how different types of loyalties co-exist
3. Articulate personal values and discuss strategies for
maintaining those values
Environment: Have the groups move the desks into small groups to encourage collaboration. The last few minutes of the class will be devoted to putting the room back in order.
Divide the class into groups of five to six and assign each group one of the following questions:
1. Ask the cadets the following: Outside The Citadel, list examples of stereotypes for these groups of people, for example: Northerners/Southerners; Gay/Straight; Fat/Skinny; Handicapped; Middle Easterners
2. After the lesson, show photos of highly respected individuals who fit into these categories and discuss the dangers of stereotyping.
3. Ask each group to answer the following questions:
A. Define what Loyalty is considered to be at The Citadel: Should loyalty be to a cadet’s company, to their classmates, to the College, or to themselves? On a scale of 1-4, with 4 being the best, rank order these four forms of loyalty.
B. How does a person maintain his/her identity while at the same time living within a culture that may differ in some aspects from their own? Discuss all possibilities. Is it normal to feel conflicted?
Social Personal
Lesson #2: Make the Right Call
Song: “Right Now” by Van Halen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He0p5I0b8j8
Objectives:
1. Define Ethics
2. Identify and articulate the definition of an Ethical Dilemma and Moral
Temptation
3. Provide an example of an Ethical Dilemma and a Moral Temptation
Environment: Have the groups move the desks into small groups to encourage collaboration. The last few minutes of the class will be devoted to putting the room back in order.
Divide the class into groups of five to six and assign each group one of the following questions:
1. Definitions: Appoint a scribe, and ask the group to come up with a basic definition of Ethics in 60 seconds. Next, have a representative from each group put their group’s definition on the board. Then put Kidder’s definition and make comparisons on the board: “Ethics is the study of standards of right and wrong behavior.” (Kidder)
2. Do the same thing for the difference between an Ethical Dilemma and a Moral Temptation. Give them two minutes.
3. We want the cadets to know the difference between the two definitions: A temptation is when you know something is wrong, but you do it anyway. “A decision about right versus wrong which is based clearly on the core values that each person possesses.” (Kidder) An Ethical Dilemma is “a choice between two rights—a tough decision that occurs when two core values come into conflict.” (Kidder)
4. In the same groups, each group must come up with an Ethical Dilemma and a Moral Temptation and present it to the class.
Barracks Personal
Lesson #3: It’s a Wonderful Life in the Barracks
Song: “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns and Roses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_45YMjnIIk
Objectives:
1. Identify situations in the barracks that may influence individual behavior and explain why?
2. Identify possible coping skills that will help cadets maintain personal values.
3. Define Honor, Duty, and Respect
Divide the class into groups of five to six and ask them to answering the following questions:
1. How does life in the barracks influence cadet values?
2. How do Honor, Duty, and Respect function in the barracks? Give an example of how they function and how they malfunction for each core value.
3. How does the culture of a cadet company and knob year change a cadet’s personal image? List the positives and negatives.
4. Does a cadet become more empowered after joining a company? How does a cadet maintain her/his personal core values?
Each group briefs the class on their responses and the class discusses.
Lesson #4: Knob Year Reflection
Song: Time of Your Life by Green Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bTdLi0YUVM
Learning Objectives:
1. Analyze the connection between individual and community values
2. Articulate your role in making ethical decisions
3. Recognize your influential ability to shape your company culture
Rewrite the questions from lesson #1and collect the papers. After the papers have been collected, as a class, debrief the changes that occur during Knob year in loyalty, culture, image, and stereotypes.
1