Talking It Over : A Workbook for Character Development

Talking it Over is a book written for parents, for teachers, and for guidance counselors, intended as a tool for character development. It emphasizes building supportive climates that promote ethical development, while stressing listening, dialogue, and problem solving. In particular, it places an emphasis on adults working with children to define their beliefs, set goals, and articulate objectives. Parents and educational professionals will view this book as a tool that will help them engage children in conversations about ideas that matter. The book contains sets of worksheets, definitions, and guideposts so that parents and educators may assess and evaluate the procedures discussed. Proper use of this book will allow the child to become less parent-dependent and more independent and peer-oriented in their thinking.

Joseph P. Hester is a retired curriculum specialist for the Catawba County School System in Newton, North Carolina. He has taught and worked in the public schools for 26 years. Before that, he was a college professor, teaching history, religion, and philosophy for over a decade. He has trained teachers throughout the United States and Canada specializing in integrating thinking processes, problem solving, and the teaching of ethics in the curriculum of the public schools.