THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUES

FERDINAND F. MENESES

There is now a growing trend in many schools to re-integrate values formation and emphasize the importance of values in the curriculum.

Whether an educator teaches math, science, English or any other discipline, values come to the fore of the learning process as this the foundation of a student, be him or her in elementary, high school or college.

What are values? They are important beliefs or ideals that a person or group has on what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable. Common values are usually shared by members of a family, an organization, or a culture, about what is good or bad and about what is desirable or undesirable.

Why are values important? Values have a major influence on a person’s attitude and behavior, and serve as guidelines for making decisions in various situations.

How are values formed? They are created by upbringing, people, and the environment. School, a good working environment, gives exposure to values of excellence, vibrancy, equity, responsiveness, leadership, accountability, service, teamwork, ingenuity, nobility and greatness.

The way we see our life ultimately shapes our destiny. Our perspective on life influences how we spend our time, our money, talents, and value our relationships. Values influence our expectations, our relationships, our goals, and our priorities. Our upbringing, people, environment and life metaphors determine our values. Most important, values guide our thoughts. Our thoughts affect our feelings. Our feelings affect our actions. Our repeated behavior become our habits. Our habits reflect our character. And our character is formed by our values.

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The author is SST III (Major in Math) at Pasig National High School in the Municipality of Candaba, Pampanga