The Formation of Identity: The importance of ideals

In the formation and composition of what might be termed personal identity a key but often neglected aspect is ideal identity. While comprising aspirations rather than realities, it makes a major contribution to the definition of self-identity. It does this as a result of: (a) clarifying what kind of person the individual wishes to be; and (b) an interrogation of how she sets about achieving her ideal identity, intimating what kind of person she is at a particular moment by virtue of the way in which she strives to achieve her ideal. The article argues for a re-appraisal of the notion of ideals in education and for its reinstatement as a significant feature of education. Indeed, we argue, children cannot avoid ideals--they are presented to them everyday from a wide variety of sources. But these sources or the ideals that they promote are not necessarily good for the child's well-being or for her fellow citizens. Consequently, teachers as moral agents have an important role in assisting children to acquire ideals that do meet such a criterion of goodness in addition to helping them reflect critically on the range of ideals they may encounter in their communities and society.