Abstract:

Examining children’s constructs of two basic moral values - good and evil partners - teachers -
was prompted by real concern by the authors of this study over the present situation in which the youngest generation of children and young people grow up. They have to face increasing intensity of brutality, of racial, nationalistic or religious intolerance among people and the threat of terrorism. New forms of egocentrism, narcissism, unwillingness to tolerance or respect for others have become an unpleasant surprise to civilizations living in the 20th and 21st century, with a direct impact on children and youth and their education process.

As moral values are considered to be among the main factors that determine and regulate human behavior, one of the main solutions from the side of governments in the current crisis is to emphasize improvement of moral education, predominantly an effort to promote critical thinking and positive values in human relationships. Researching and describing the process of constructing moral knowledge, moral judgment and personalization of moral values significantly may affect the way of perception of the surrounding, real, events as well as assist with students' verbal expressions of their own hierarchy of values.

The authors will present results of qualitative research of moral values of good and evil of children of several age categories – young learners, tweenagers and teenagers. The projective method that was used in order to get the research data, was focused on students’ finishing a started sentence: "For me, good means … Evil means…” The authors compare their research with another research studies, especially those accomplished via theologizing and philosophising with children in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other countries. They will indicate overlapping and potential differences when comparing statements of children from various nationalities and various religious backgrounds.

Keywords:

Moral values, constructivism, children, young people, development.