(CZ) K problematice mravního vědomí mládeže
(EN) The Problem of the Moral Consciousness of School Children

One of the factors influencing the formation of moral consciousness of schoolchildren are models and ideals. The study brings the results of the first stage of a research carried out in the last four forms of the Basic Nine-Year, involving 344 pupils (11—15 years old). The author was trying to find what models these pupils chose, where their sources were, what the reason for their choice was, in what way the formation of a generalized form of ideal was being accomplished, to what extent the models and ideals were functional and what obstacles stood in the way of their realization. The research has shown that the decisive factor of the choice, as far as the type of the model is concerned, is the general level of the child’s thinking and feeling. Among the 12-year-olds it was literary heroes that predominated in their choice of models (36 per cent), among the oldest pupils the share of models chosen from their nearest environment increases fourfold, the strongest group (40 per cent) being represented by those pupils who are no longer satisfied with only one single model. The type of model is connected with the appraisal of qualities. The younger pupils appreciate bravery and courage most often, while the oldest ones appreciate qualities of volition and those related to work. The research has brought interesting results as regards the development of the concept of ≫ideal≪. The key stages of the development of the ideal are deduced from the research material and the author comes to the conclusion that among the pupils of this age it is the model that predominates and only a small percentage of the oldest pupils arrive at a generalized form of an ideal. In connection with the development of the ideal the author has also been trying to find out to what extent the structure arrived at is functional. The obstacles mentioned by the pupils are partly of a fictious nature, partly real ones with roots either in the objective or in the subjective world. The article ends with conclusions drawn from the research for educational work.