VALUE
Value
Value literally means something that has a price , something precious , dear and worthwhile ; hence something one is ready to suffer and sacrifice for . In other words values are a set of principles or standards of behaviour . In the words of John Dewey , " the value means primarily to prize , to esteem , to appraise and to estimate . It means the act of achieving something , holding it and also the act of passing judgement upon the nature and amounts of values as compared with something else ."
Values are principles that allow us to guide our behavior to fulfill ourselves as individuals . They are fundamental beliefs that help us prefer , accept and choose one thing over another or a behavior over another . They provide a guideline to formulate goals and objectives , whether personal or collective . They reflect our keenest interests , feelings and convictions .
Values are regarded desirable , important and held in high esteem by a particular society in which a person lives . Thus values give meaning and strength to a person ' s character by occupying a central place in his life . Values reflect one ' s personal attitudes and judgements , decisions and choices , behaviour and relationships , dreams and vision . They influence our thoughts , feelings and actions . They guide us to do the right things . Values are the guiding principles of life which are conducive to all round development . They give direction and firmness to life and bring joy , satisfaction and peace to life . Values are like the rails that keep a train on the track and help it move smoothly , quickly and with direction . They bring quality to life .
From the above discussion , a broad and simple working concept of value could be evolved . Any human activity , thought or idea , feeling , sentiment or emotion , which could promote selfdevelopment of the individual in all its dimensions , could be said to constitute a value . The other complementary function of a value is it should also contribute to the welfare of the larger social unit such as the family , the community and the nation of which the individual is a member .
VALUE EDUCATION
Value education means inculcating in the children a sense of humanism , a deep concern for the well-being of others and the nation . This can be accomplished only when we instill in the children a deep feeling of commitment to values that would build this country and bring back to the people pride in work that brings order , security and assured progress . Through value education we like to develop the social , moral , aesthetic and spiritual sides of a person which are often undermined in formal education . Value education teaches us to preserve whatever is good and worthwhile in what we have inherited from our culture . It helps us to accept respect the attitude and behaviour of those who differ from us . Value education does not mean value imposition or indoctrination .
Value education has the capacity to transform a diseased mind into a very young , fresh , innocent , healthy natural and attentive mind . The transformed mind is capable of higher sensitivity and a heightened level of perception . This leads to fulfillment of the evolutionary role in man and in life .
NEED FOR VALUE EDUCATION
‣ Values allow the individuals to interact harmoniously with others
‣ Values guide our behaviors ; they are part of our identity as individuals
‣ They show us how to behave and how not to behave when we ’ re faced with desires or impulses , whether we ’ re alone or with others .
‣ They are like a compass that helps us behave consistently , regardless of the situation
‣ Values guide our actions and determine for us what ’ s good or bad
Dr . George Varghese , Asst . Professor , MTTC Pathanapuram