KOHLBERG'S IDEAS AT WORK IN THE CLASSROOM

Level 1: Preconventional

Personal Reward Orientation

• Elementary school examples

1. Two elementary school students were found arguing:

Student 1: "She called me a jerk!"

Student 2: "Well, he pulled my hair!"

• A student offers to be last in line when going to the cafeteria so shecan be first in line when going out for recess.

• High school examples

1. A middle school student refrains from arguing with her classmate soshe is able to participate in group work later in the period.
2. A group of high school students involved in a cooperative learning activityget upset because one of their group members is repeatedly absent and did not doany work.
3. A high school teacher has the rule: "Homework in late will receivefive points off for each day it is received after the due date". Onestudent hands in homework four days late with a story about how her boyfriendleft her. The teacher takes 20 points off her paper. A second student missesseveral days of school due to an illness, and hands in the same homework fourdays late. The teacher gives him full credit. The class protests, saying it isunfair for him to change the rules in the middle of the school year

This tutorial contains examples from theConventional andPostconventional stages ofMoral Development as well.