In a social studies class, the teacher engages the students in a debate about the state's right to relocate homeowners to build a much needed highway. The homeowners are offered a financial settlement, but they are forced to move against their will. What kind of reasoning can the teacher expect from her 11-year-old students about the problem of relocating individuals and families for the

Question

betterment of the state?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Very young children would not understand the complexities of this civic issue and they may only reason "but the homeowners are not renters—they own their house." Around age 8 children begin to think about moral issues and moral dilemmas differently. They now can consider the needs of other individuals. They also understand that fair distribution of resources may depend on the specific needs of an individual or a larger group. In the example of needing to relocate families, children may rely upon their new benevolent thinking skills and reason about the good of society, even though relocating individuals from their homes may not seem right or fair. By age 11, children in class do not rely solely on concrete thinking. They may reason that the family received money to relocate, and the payment makes the relocation fair. Others may argue that it cannot be considered fair when families are forced to leave their homes. They would like use perspective-taking to convey their points.