The Roles of the Families in Posof in Character Education for Their Children

Abstract

This study emphasizes the importance of the family’s role in child education; based on the idea that the child’s character is shaped in the family environment, it focuses on how this process works. The aim of the study is to examine the character education that families in the Posof district of Ardahan give to their children. Character consists of virtuous behaviors shaped by environmental factors. Character education aims to ensure the social adaptation of individuals by encouraging ethical values. Since character education has similarities with values education, it is stated that it is an important tool in maintaining social peace. In the study, the duties of family members in character education in Posof culture and the effect of folk culture in this process were examined. The opinions and experiences of individuals raised in Posof were utilized with the qualitative research method. Participants selected with criterion sampling shared their opinions to understand the effect of family and folklore in character education. The roles of family members in children’s character education in Posof culture were examined. Based on the participants’ perceptions of the concepts of “characterful” and “characterless”, it was analyzed how everyone in the family contributed to the child’s character development. The mother is at the forefront of the formation of the child’s self-confidence and moral values, while the father is a critical figure in the transmission of discipline and cultural values. The grandfather is effective in preserving cultural values, caring for the children and developing a sense of responsibility, while the grandmother teaches truth and moral values through fairy tales and traditions. The elder brothers and sisters guide and protect their younger siblings. Relatives guide children in learning social norms and acquiring values such as respect and trust. This distribution of duties shows that family members play complementary roles in the character education of children in the Posof culture.