Teachers Around the World Using the
Virtues Project

Melissa Beedle, Features Editor

Look out Plato and Socrates—we “milleni-
umists” may be leaving our own mark in
time with the latest Virtues Project.
Teachers who have had problems disciplin-
ing students are finding the tools they need

 

with Linda Kavelin-Popov’s Virtues Project.

According to the Project’s website, “‘it is
an initiative focused on the practice of
virtues in everyday life. It is a global project
offering personal, professional and commu-
nity development programs and materials to
help people of all cultures live by their high-
est values.”

In layperson’s terms, the Project is a big
long list of words and ideals used to inspire
positive behaviour. For example, if a stu-
dent is having problems working in groups
or collaborating on school projects, a
Virtue, like “cooperation,” could do the
trick. The Virtues guide says cooperation is
“working together and sharing the load.
When we cooperate, we join with others to
do things that cannot be done alone. We are
willing to follow the rules, which keep
everyone safe and happy. Together we can
accomplish great things.” By showing kids
what these words mean, teachers can also
explain why it is important to behave in a
certain way. The Project’s main
goal is to provide life-skills to parents and
teachers around the world. “The Five
Strategies” of the project are supposed to
help people live more purposefully, to sup-
port parents to raise children with a moral
grounding, to inspire people in the work-
place, and to help schools and communities

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build a safe, more positive environment.

I must admit, when I first heard of the
whole Project, I was skeptical. I mean can
we really inspire virtues and morals in stu-
dents through vocabulary? Isn’t there a
name: for that—i.e., brainwashing? To me,
the Virtues sounded similar to New Age
affirmations. So I asked around and was
practically inundated with emails from
teachers everywhere—from Kamloops and
Calgary, to Portland and Phoenix. Each
teacher raved about it. Clearly, this New
Age-like method is onto something,

The project was co-founded by Kavelin-
Popov, of Saltspring Island, her husband
Dr. Dan Popov, and her brother, John
Kavelin. It was officially started in 1991 to
give teachers and parents ways of teaching
morals at school and at home, while avoid-
ing any religious affiliations. Read: not
spiritual or religious, just positive.

The whole idea started when Kavelin-
Popov, Dr. Popov, and Kavelin began
exploring ways to counteract the rising vio-
lence among families and youth. The three
of them researched the world’s diverse
sacred traditions, finding more than 360
virtues at the heart of ames
all faiths about the
meaning and purpose
of life.

For example, if a
student is having emo-
tional outbursts in
class, a teacher could
them about
“detachment,” “expe-
riencing your feelings

teach

without allowing your
feelings to
you. Instead of just
reacting, with detach-

control

ment you are free to
choose how you will
act. You use thinking
and feeling together,
so you can make smart choices.”

And when a student “forgets” to do his
homework there’s always the “diligence”
virtue to show them why hard work is
important. Diligence is defined as “working
hard and doing your absolute best. You take
special care by doing things step by step.

 

Diligence helps you to get things done with
excellence and enthusiasm. Diligence leads
to success.”

Notice how each of these Virtues shows
the cause and effect of positive behaviour.
It’s not about shaming or blaming a child;
it’s about explaining the benefits of acting a
certain way. As teacher Barry Sutton of
Portland, Oregon says, “Instead of a law
telling you what not to do, the virtues help
you focus on what to do.”

The Project also encourages differences.
For example, “creativity” is all about “the
power of imagination. It is discovering your
own special talents. Dare to see things in
new ways and find different ways to solve
problems. With your creativity, you can
bring something new into the world.” So
the Project is not just a do-as-I-say method,
but a way to encourage kids to express their
own ideas too. How thought provoking.

But then again, to the average elementary
student that may sound like, um, Brady Bunch
education or Pleasantville-speak. How can
words like honesty, integrity, and compas-
sion be taught in a cool and believable way?

According to Virtues Project instructor

 

Donna Wheatcroft, “The best teaching is
done by example, and any teachers taking
the two-day courses I give leave committed
to using and integrating the Virtues into
their own lives first so they can be an exam-
ple to the students.”