Knowledge and Educational Strategies of Parents and Teachers of Elementary School Students Regarding Moral Virtues: An Exploratory Qualitative Study in Arequipa

Abstract

The present research, following saint Thomas Aquinas theory, is based on the assumption that an education based on moral virtues would help people achieve a greater development. Therefore, the goal of this study was to find out what parents and teachers know about moral virtues and how they can be taught, both at home and at school. The research design was qualitative, the sample included ten mothers, ten fathers and ten teachers from basic education. Two techniques were used to collect the data: a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The findings are presented in eleven distinct categories, each of which is categorized according to topics that are expected, which correspond to the theory proposed by saint Thomas Aquinas, and emerging, which are those that differ from the selected theory. This research concludes that the interviewees have a general and, in some cases, ambiguous idea of ​​the virtues and their education according to the theory of saint Thomas; additionally, they present some criteria according to positive psychology and moral education based on values.