1. Introduction to Ethical Literacy®
July 9, 2009
Don Proffit
Ethical Literacy® Coach
Copyright © 2009 by the Institute for Global Ethics. Certain materials and
methodologies described in these pages are the proprietary intellectual property of the
Institute for Global Ethics. They are provided expressly for use within this workshop
offered by the Institute on the indicated date, and may not be further copied,
excerpted, used, or distributed outside the participant group at the workshop without
the express written permission of the Institute for Global Ethics.

2. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
redistribute www.globalethics.org
The Institute for Global Ethics
est.1990
• A non partisan, non sectarian, non profit
promoting ethical behavior in individuals,
institutions and nations through public
discourse, practical action and research.
• Serving for profits, non profits and
schools
• Offices in Maine, New York and London
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3. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
redistribute www.globalethics.org
Ethics concepts for today’s world
• Technology leverages the need for ethics:
the scale and sophistication of modern
systems
• Obedience to the Unenforceable: Lord
Moulton, 1920’s. Deterioration of self
regulation in today’s society
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4. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
redistribute www.globalethics.org
Our approach
• Based on concepts, not personalities or
content
• Socratic: “how to think, not what to think”
• No formulas, lots of tools
• Grappling with gray areas instead of
reducing the world to black and white
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5. Wisdom
Freedom
Responsibility
Integrity*
Honesty
Truth Trustworthy Respect
Integrity*
Shared Values Inclusiveness
Worldwide Unity
Compassion Fairness
Love Kindness Justice Equality
Humility
Loyalty
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6. Schools of Integrity Findings
1. Cross-cutting dimension: Attention to values
and ethics permeate these learning
environments at both the adult and the
student level. If we want students to be truly
good people, the climate of their learning
environment—the “how we do things around
here” of their school’s organizational culture
—must clearly stem from and telegraph a
platform of shared ethical values.
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7. Schools of Integrity Findings
2. Driver and connector: Across participating
schools, higher-order thinking skills are
emphasized and deliberately linked to the
moral realm. Values and ethics undergird
critical thought by connecting “the personal”
to the more academic topics and concepts.
3. Fueling relationships: The perceptions and
opinions students volunteer will only be
authentic in an environment where they feel
trusted and can really speak their minds.
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8. Schools of Integrity Findings
4. Culture of open feedback: For adults to build
these strong, successful relationships with
students, the same high levels of trust must
permeate faculty relationships.
5. Trustees as keepers of the moral compass: If
there is a source from which trust most
effectively evolves in a school, it may be from
the body bearing the name.
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9. Schools of Integrity Findings
6. Tone at the top: The most important
conduit for trust is the head of school.
Students, faculty, trustees, and parents
frequently refer to this important
leadership feature. Throughout these
cultures the ethical actions, decisions,
and communication of the school head
are noticed and appreciated.
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10. Schools of Integrity Findings
7. Tolerance for ambiguity: Heads and other
adults model and live “trust:” they trust their
collaboration and processes, they trust that
they’ll sometimes get stuck and that they’ll
constantly have doubts, and they trust their
ability to think things and see things through.
8. Professional development from the ranks:
Teachers trust their professional judgment
and share it, just as they expect students to
contribute their very best perceptions,
opinions, and understanding.
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11. Schools of Integrity Findings
9. Authentic student input: Teachers welcome
serious student input in a variety of aspects of
these school communities. They trust their
students’ ability to make good decisions.
10. Growth, not punishment: Disciplinary
approaches are the most consistent area of
student input across these schools. Students
are trusted to provide effective feedback and
consequences that educate, rather than
punish, fellow students who have broken the
rules.
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12. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
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Schools of Integrity Findings
Individual Thinking:
Rate your school context for each
of the ten findings
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13. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
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The Ethical Literacy Community
• An expanding network of schools dedicated
to building school cultures of integrity.
Each school works on building its culture.
All schools are connected to each other
through shared resources and new ideas,
and our annual conference.
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14. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
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Ethical Literacy
3-Phase Process:
1. Readiness
2. Training
3. Coaching
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15. A quick story …
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16. Copyright © Institute for Global
Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
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Right-versus-Right
Paradigms
• truth vs. loyalty
• individual vs. community
• short-term vs. long-term
• justice vs. mercy
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Ethics, 2009. Please do not copy or
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Q/A :
The Ethical Literacy® Initiative
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18. Thank you!
proffitprojects@mac.com