Title: Altruism | Learning to Give
Headings: 
Altruism
Explores the concept of action motivated by regard for others.

Content: At one end of the spectrum would be activity motivated by selfishness at the expense of the interests of others, and at the opposite end would be activity motivated by altruism at the expense of one's own self-interest. Most activity could be placed between the two ends, because the motivations behind most activities are a mix of self-interest and a regard for others. For example, the student may decide to participate in sports, because she wants to earn a scholarship in an effort to relieve her parents the burden of her college tuition. Conversely, a student may participate in voluntary service, because he wants to be a competitive applicant for college acceptance. These simple examples exhibit the challenges of describing activity as self-interested or altruistic. Relation to K-12 Curriculum
Altruism in the Teaching Profession
Teachers have a ready-made laboratory surrounding them every day that is helpful in understanding the concept of altruism. Altruism and its motives seem to permeate the teaching profession itself. There are countless reports of teachers making significant sacrifices for the interest of their students. There are stories about teachers working after-school hours to tutor struggling students, providing advice or even comfort to students in challenging situations, and willing to do these things despite a low standard wage. Norma Mateer addresses the question of how large a role altruism plays in the lives of teachers.