Thomas Lickona, Ph.D.

Dr. Thomas Lickona is a developmental psychologist and Professor of Education at the State University of New York at Cortland, where he has done award-winning work in teacher education and currently directs the Center for the Fourth and Fifth Rs (Respect and Responsibility). He has also been a visiting professor at Boston and Harvard Universities.

A past president of the Association for Moral Education, Dr. Lickona now serves on the advisory councils of the Character Education Partnership, Character Counts Coalition and Medical Institute for Sexual Health.

Dr. Lickona is a frequent consultant to schools on character education and a frequent speaker at conferences for teachers, parents, religious educators, and other groups concerned about the moral development of young people. He has lectured across the United States and in Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Ireland, and Latin America on the subject of teaching moral values in the school and in the home.

Dr. Lickona holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the State University of New York at Albany and has done research on the growth of children’s moral reasoning. He has been named a State University of New York Faculty Exchange Scholar and the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the State University of New York at Albany.

His publications include a graduate text, Moral Development and Behavior (1976); a popular book for parents, Raising Good Children (1983); a book describing his 12-point character education program, Educating for Character: How Our Schools Can Teach Respect and Responsibility (1991); and a collection of essays by various authors, Character Development in Schools and Beyond (1992). Educating for Character has been praised as “the definitive work in the field” and was named winner of a 1992 Christopher Award for “affirming the highest values of the human spirit.” Another work, co-authored with his wife, Judith, and William Boudreau, M.D., is a book for young people, Sex, Love and You, on the benefits of saving sex for marriage (Ave Maria Press, 1994). His most recent books are Character MattersHow to Help Our Children Develop Good Judgment, Integrity, and Other Essential Virtues (2004) and Character Quotations (2004), co-authored with Dr. Matthew Davidson. Dr. Lickona’s recent work includes directing a two year study of high school character education, and co-authoring with Dr. Matthew Davidson, Smart and Good High Schools: Developing Excellence and Ethics for Success in School, Work, and Beyond (2005).

Dr. Lickona’s work has been featured in the New York Times Magazine article cover story, “Teaching Johnny to be Good” (April 30, 1995); in two videos, “Character Education: Restoring Respect and Responsibility in our Schools” and “Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education” (National Professional Resources); and in a four-part video training series on character education (Quality Educational Media, Inc.) In October, 2001, the Character Education Partnership presented Dr. Lickona with the “Sandy” Award for lifetime achievement in character education.

Dr. Lickona has also been a guest on numerous radio and TV talk shows, including The Larry King Live Radio Show, Good Morning America, and Focus on the Family.

Dr. Lickona and his wife have two sons and eleven grandchildren and live in Cortland, New York.

Tom Lickona, Ph.D.
Center for the 4th and 5th Rs
SUNY Cortland
P.O. Box 2000
Cortland, NY 13045
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