At each level, individuals pass through a set of stages that impact their moral development. This theory can be very informative and helpful to a teacher in understanding why students follow the rules and what motivates them to make their decisions. An important concept taught early in school is why we follow the rules and how to follow them. Kohlberg believes that “goodness comes from within,” but there are many ways teachers can promote this learning in their classroom. Children's feelings of goodness can be fostered by encouragement from adults as well as their peers. This can be applied by rewarding acts of kindness, using literature to show examples, and providing multiple opportunities for social experiences such as role-taking and group work. Students gain knowledge and understanding by listening and communicating with their peers about moral issues. Teachers must model the virtues of understanding and patience, while also being able to relate to different perspectives as students move through these different stages. They should have a proactive plan in place to deal with problems such as cheating and lying and adjust these plans based on students' development or age. During the early stages of moral development, a student is not able to understand why cheating is not acceptable. This theory can help teachers understand why children “break down”