In recent years, moral decline highlights the limitations of academically oriented education systems, creating a critical gap between moral understanding and the actual behaviour among children. This study explores Jing Si Aphorisms, conceptualised as a humanistic value oriented pedagogical approach in living moral philosophy rooted in Humanistic Buddhism, articulates ethical principles that bridge spirituality in daily practice. Exploring its role in bridging this gap in the broader multicultural setting of Malaysia, Tzu Chi's early childhood and family-school primary programs engage participants from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.This study employs qualitative approach, integrating Lickona’s Knowing-Feeling-Doing and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological microsystem framework, analysing holistic character formation in Jing Si Aphorism teaching across both educational and familial settings. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi structured interviews in Tzu Chi Da Ai Kindergarten and Parent-Child Bonding Classes in Malaysia. The findings indicates that Jing Si Aphorism education internalised value through consistent routines and reflective activities, contributing to positive behavioral development in moral awareness and emotional sensitivity. Crucially, consistent reinforcement between school practices and parental reinforcement serve as a key microsystem sustaining value internalisation of gratitude, filial piety, compassion, highlights an ethical practice continuity across interconnected social environments, within a culturally responsive adaptation in implementing value-based education within plural societies. This study contributes to a contextualized humanistic education model that integrates value-based pedagogy, family engagement and ecological perspectives. This offers insight on a culturally grounded transferable framework, in spiritually informed pedagogies, addressing contemporary moral development in early childhood and primary education multicultural societies.

Authors:
Chua Soo Sien, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Florence Kuek Chee Wee, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Ching Thing Ho, University of Malaya, Malaysia

About the Presenter(s)
Chua Soo Sien is a doctoral researcher at the University of Malaya in the Department of Chinese Studies,focuses heavily on the intersection of humanistic education and traditional values, character development.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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