International Conference on Character Education Yogyakarta University Nov. 9, 2011 Bernice Lerner, Ed.D.

How might we deliberately go about helping our students to develop good habits/make wise choices/internalize virtue?

By raising awareness

By inspiring understanding

By encouraging positive action

By fostering reflection

Courage Ofr. Corage, curage - heart, spirit L. Cor - heart

Courage The attitude or response of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult, or painful instead of withdrawing from it Quality of being fearless or brave; valor Mind; purpose; disposition; spirit; temper - Webster ’ s New World Dictionary of the American Language, 1966.

What is the emotion we feel when faced with a dangerous, difficult, or painful situation?

. What is fearful is not the same for every person

Things that are fearful differ in magnitude and degree

The emotion of fear overcomes us when we... fear what we should not. fear as we should not. fear when we should not.

“ The [person]… who faces and who fears the right things, from the right motive, in the right way, and who feels confidence under the corresponding conditions, is brave… ” -Aristotle

The Coward Lacks confidence Displays excessive fear in difficult/painful situations

The Rash Person Is boastful, a pretender to courage. Displays inappropriate fearlessness

Guo You Bu Ji “ The excess is as bad as the deficiency ”

“ To see what is right and not do it, that is cowardice. ” - Confucius

The Brave Person Is collected beforehand, and excited in the moment of action. Is motivated by a sense of honour. Will have fears, but will face them as he or she ought.

“Heroism is the dazzling and glorious concentration of courage.” -Henri Frederic Amiel

“ Courage, as a virtue… presupposes some form of selflessness, altruism, or generosity. ” - André Comte-Sponville

Courage is... the precondition of all other virtues will at its most determined, and, in the face of danger or suffering, at its most necessary. resistant to intellectualism - André Comte-Sponville

Courage Look-Alikes vs. True Courage The courage of the citizen-soldier who is not motivated by penalties or prizes, but by an internal sense of what is right. The courage of the person who faces death with knowledge of the facts, i.e., that the odds are against him/her.

The courage of the passionate person.

The courage of the person who does not have time to prepare a response, who responds bravely to alarms. The courage of the person who stands by his/her convictions, no matter the consequences.

How does one become courageous? “ … the virtues we get by first exercising them….we become brave by doing brave acts. ” - Aristotle

“ The bravest thing you can do when you are not brave is to profess courage and act accordingly. ” - Corra May White Harris ( )

“ If a man has any greatness in him, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of his daily work. ” - Beryl Markham, West With the Night

Sophie Scholl and the White Rose The power of a life

Sophie Scholl

Robert and Magdalene Scholl Inge, b Hans, b Elisabeth, b Sophie, b Werner, b. 1922

Forchtenberg, Germany

Ulm, Germany

State Work Duty, Krauchenwies camp

Hans Scholl Became disillusioned with The Hitler Youth Intellectual Soldier Medical student Founder of “ The White Rose ”

Alexander Schmorell (Schurik) In medical school to please his physician father Artist & musician Cherished his Russian ancestry (on mother ’ s side) Lost his mother in infancy

Christopher Probst Soldier Medical student Married, 3 children Came from a family of Bavarian scholars

Willi Graf Soldier Medical student Devout Catholic Joined W.R. late Got supplies Traveled to recruit support

Professor Kurt Huber Popular professor of philosophy Carefully concealed biting remarks against Hitler Contributed to 5th leaflet Drafted 6th leaflet

Jurgen Wittenstein Medical student Introduced Alex and Hans Survived. Now a retired doctor and professor living in Santa Barbara, CA

The University of Munich