Great stories to cultivate the moral imagination
Our Program
Core Virtues offers a literature-based approach to moral education for children in grades K-6. Instead of focusing on didactic lectures and classroom activities, we provide age-appropriate literature, fables, poems, biographies, and fairy tales that present powerful images of good and evil. Such stories stir the imagination, bring the virtues to life, and awaken in children the desire to gain virtue for themselves. Our program draws upon the perennial tradition of the cardinal virtues to present a cohesive framework for moral education that emphasizes the necessity of virtuous habits for a complete and happy life.
We Provide:
Recommendations for stories, biographies, and poems that cultivate the moral imagination
Resources for teachers, school leaders, and parents who wish to help children engage with great stories and grow in virtuous habits
Guidance for understanding and explaining moral action based on a traditional philosophical framework
Traditional Implementation
For over 30 years, the Core Virtues program has supported parents and educators who seek to form children's moral imagination through great stories. Hillsdale College is grateful to be a part of this history and to carry the torch forward for future generations. To honor the longstanding history of this program, the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office has created a Core Virtues traditional implementation guide, providing users with access to legacy Core Virtues content.
Legacy Content
Original...
- Virtue definitions
- Three-year cycle
- Book lists
- PDF download of the Core Virtues posters
- Links to purchase the Resource and coffee table books
In The Spotlight
