Character development in the early years : virtue of care through children's perspectives

Abstract

This study focuses on exploring children’s character development in the early years, with the emphasis placed on the virtue of care through children’s perspectives. It aims to address the following research question: What are young children’s understandings of what characterizes the virtue of care and its importance?<br><br>15 five to six-year-olds participated in the study. Children-participants were recruited from two childcare centres in Singapore, through purposive sampling. Data was collected through qualitative methods, via a draw and talk strategy. Children were invited to draw and talk about what care meant to them, and to engage in semi-structured conversations with the researcher.<br><br>Overall findings suggested that the young children who participated had knowledge and understanding towards caring for others. They had varying perceptions of care and viewed care as a constellation of virtues and/or prosocial behaviors. The children displayed early caring behaviors and most perceived it as important due to self-interests and some out of genuine concern. These results give rise to strong implications for schools and families in fostering and nurturing caring children from a young age, and some of these implications are discussed.