Workshop 10: Courage Part of Virtue Ethics: An Ethical Development Program for High School Youth In This Section Introduction From Virtue Ethics I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. — Atticus Finch, in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird This... Workshop-at-a-Glance From Virtue Ethics Activity Minutes Opening 10 Activity 1: What Is Courage? 10 Activity 2: Story — The Farmer on the Hill 15 Activity 3: Whistle a Happy Tune 15 Activity 4: Dilemma 15 Activity 5: Practice 20 Faith in Action: UU Profiles in Courage Closing 5 Alternate Activity 1: Real Life Challenges Alternate... Spiritual Preparation From Virtue Ethics Few incidents from our past return to haunt us like the times we wish we had acted more courageously. Do you have a memory of a time that you let someone else down, and perhaps disappointed yourself even more? We all make mistakes. Carrying around guilt from those mistakes is not useful.... Opening From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle Group covenant (Workshop 1) Optional: Bicycle Rack newsprint sheet (Workshop 1) Optional: Alternate Activity 1, Real Life Challenges Preparation for Activity R... Activity 1: What Is Courage? From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Post two sheets of newsprint, one labeled “Courage: Up Side,” the other labeled “Courage: Down Side.” Description of Activity Participants identify positive and negative aspects of the... Activity 2: Story - The Farmer on the Hill From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Story, “The Farmer on the Hill” Preparation for Activity Read the story so you can present it effectively. Optional: Copy the story for all participants. Description of Activity Say this story is a wisdom tale about courage, from Japan. Tell or... Activity 3: Whistle a Happy Tune From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Songs about courage, and music player(s) Optional: A computer with Internet access Preparation for Activity Obtain recordings of songs that inspire bravery and courage, and appropriate music players.... Activity 4: Dilemma From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Courage Dilemmas Preparation for Activity Adapt the Leader Resource to include the dilemmas you plan to use in this activity. Make copies-for yourself, (optional) for volunteer role-players, and, if you wish, for all participants. Activity 5: Practice From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Participants’ journals, and writing instruments Participants’ clipboards with anklets (Workshop 1, Activity 3, Practice) Beads, and waterproof markers and/or other decorations Extra clipboards and string/hemp, and... Closing From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle Taking It Home Preparation for Activity Adapt the Taking It Home section and copy for all participants. Optional: Print the closing quotation (below) for a volunteer to read. Description of... Leader Reflection and Planning From Virtue Ethics Reflect on the workshop with your co-leader. Which activities did the group enjoy the most? If guilty feelings arose, were they dealt with in a healthy way? There are only two workshops left. What evidence do you see that workshops are having a positive effect on the group? How are the anklets... Faith In Action: UU Profiles in Courage From Virtue Ethics Materials for Activity For gathering interviews: Notepads and pens/pencils, cameras, and/or audio/video recording equipment For presenting interviews: Bulletin board display materials such as writing/drawing paper, construction paper, color markers, and tape/push pins, and/or audio/video playback... Alternate Activity 1: Real Life Challenges From Virtue Ethics Materials for Activity "Bicycle Rack" newsprint sheet from Opening Description of Activity Youth discuss ethical challenges they have faced. If someone shared an experience in check-in or during any workshop activities that the group would like to explore further, do so now. This could be... Alternate Activity 2: I Wish I Had the Courage To… From Virtue Ethics Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Sticky notes (all one color) and pens/pencils Preparation for Activity Tape two sheets of newsprint together the long way, to make a banner. Across the middle, write: “I wish I had the courage to…” Post the banner... Taking It Home: Courage From Virtue Ethics I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. — Atticus Finch, in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird IN TODAY'S... The Farmer on the Hill From Virtue Ethics A wisdom tale from Japan. On the top of the hill lived the village curmudgeon. No one knew why the farmer was so ornery, yet he never seemed to have a kind word to say. No one knew why he was so inhospitable, yet he would not even open his door to visitors.... Leader Resource 1: Courage Dilemmas From Virtue Ethics Dilemma 1 Eboo Patel, founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, tells a story about a time he wishes he had acted with more courage. In high school, his friend, who was Jewish, suffered a period of persecution. Bullies drew swastikas around the school and verbally harassed the friend and other Jewish... Find Out More From Virtue Ethics J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, gave a famous commencement speech on courage in 1922 that was recently republished in book form (Forgotten Books, 2010).... PREVIOUS: Find Out More UP: Virtue Ethics NEXT: Introduction Download all of Virtue Ethics (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.