Building Strong Relationships Among Students

Shared values are the core beliefs and principles that guide our behavior in relationships and decision-making processes. Sharing values can create a shared sense of purpose and direction in a relationship, contributing to a feeling of being on the same page as others and in organizations. These values address how we should treat others and the principles we hold for our own conduct. Shared values can provide a set of guidelines to help establish respect in relationships, resolve conflicts, and make important decisions together. I have blogged about core values before, and in this blog specifically address what they are in relationships.

Teaching Students About Shared Values

Teaching students about shared values can create a classroom where each one is respected and trusted. It builds a sense of camaraderie of friendship and loyalty that supports working in groups. It enables students to experience what it is like to work as a team in an organization. It facilitates interactions in the classroom that can build long-term relationships with fellow students.

According to the website, Calm, shared values in relationships are important because:

• Shared values can be guiding principles for the relationship.
• Agreeing on what matters most can simplify resolving disputes
• Understanding and agreeing on values to help nurture deep respect between partners
• Shared values can lead to stronger support and encouragement.
• Greater opportunity for compatibility and longevity of a relationship
• Feeling better equipped to plan a future together, make joint decisions, and support each other through life's changes and challenges
• A deeper emotional connection between partners
• A sense of being understood and belonging, which can build a strong and enduring relationship.

I have been teaching ethics for over 30 years and always start off with core values. I want to be sure all students are on the same page. I walk into class on the first day and ask students to name the core values by which they lead their lives. Typically, most say the same thing, but I never get all the values. Indeed, there are some that students never mention such as responsibility and accountability. I’ve often wondered why this is the case. I’ve concluded that there is a sense of entitlement that students have. They do not [clearly] see what it is they will be held accountable for whether in relationships or classroom performance.

This leads to a discussion of ten shared values that, I believe, provide a starting point for discussing what values are and can lead to broader discussions of shared values, especially in organizations. The list is as follows.

Defining Shared Values

Honesty.

Being truthful and fully disclosing information that others in your relationships need for decision making.                                                                                                                                             

Integrity.

Acting in accordance with ethical principles and not compromising shared values.     

Objectivity.

Avoiding relationships that create a conflict of interests and impair decision making. 

Responsibility & Accountability.

Accepting the consequences of your actions and decisions.  

Trustworthiness.

Being reliable and dependable in relationships; owning your behavior.                                     

Confidentiality.

Protecting personal information of others and not compromising loyalty.                           

Respect/Inclusivity.

Valuing different viewpoints and unconscious biases towards others.                                                 

Fairness/Justice.

Making judgments that respect the rights of others, treating them equally and with respect.                                                                                                                                                                                                Transparency.

Promoting open and honest communication, which builds trust and creates an ethical environment.  

Empathy & Compassion.  

Understanding the needs of others and being willing to take action to enhance interpersonal relationships.

There are, no doubt, additional core values not mentioned. This is just a starting list. Some of you may agree, others disagree. No matter. Try discussing these and other values important to you as an educator and see whether it helps students learn about philosophical reasoning methods, which is a natural follow-up in class discussion of what ethics are.

Posted by Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on February 26, 2025. You can sign up for his newsletter and learn more about his activities at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/.