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Character Education: “The test is here now”
What is Character? II. Impacts of Character Development III. Implementation: How do we do this? 11 Principles IV. Pathways to Promises! V. Question/Answer session I.
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What a person is like on the inside, how he/she responds to life. Good character refers to positive, admirable ethical traits (i.e. respect, trustworthiness, caring, etc.) Character vs. Reputation
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Impacts of Character Development Four major questions need to be addressed when focusing on character development: 1. What is good character? 2. What causes or prevents good character? 3. How can good character be measured ? 4. How can good character best be developed?
Impacting Moral & Character Development 1. What is good character? Personal • honest and truthful • responsible • self-discipline • courageous • integrity
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Impacting Moral & Character Development 1. What is good character? Social • benevolent • compassionate • courteous • trustworthy
Impacts of Character Development 2. What causes or prevents good character? 1. Early childhood experiences 2. Modeling by important adults & older youth 3. Peer influence 4. Physical and social environment 5. Media/technology 6. Content taught in the schools, churches, etc. 7. Specific situations and roles
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Impacts of Character Development 3. How can character be measured ? • Cognitive knowledge • Age appropriate cognitive development • Values expressed • Commitments expressed • Personal and social behavior student discipline; pregnancy rates of teenage girls; academic effort
Impacts of Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Effective communication and shared values among families, schools, religious organizations, business organizations, and other community groups
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Impacts of Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 1. Lead by adults who exercise their authority toward students in a firm, sensitive, and imaginative manner, and who are committed to both academics and character development;
Impacts of Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 2. staffed by dedicated faculty who make vigorous demands on students and each other;
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Impacts of Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 3. structured so that students are surrounded by a variety of opportunities for them to practice;
Impacting Moral & Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 4. managed to provide students--both individually and collectively--with many forms of recognition for good conduct;
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Impacting Moral & Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 5. oriented toward maintaining systems of symbols, slogans, ceremonies, and songs that heighten students’ collective identities;
Impacting Moral & Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 6. dedicated to maintaining student discipline, via clear, widely disseminated discipline codes that are vigorously enforced and backed up with vital consequences;
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Impacting Moral & Character Development 4. How can good character best be developed? Schools effectively impacting morals and character are: 7. committed to academic instruction and appropriate academic rigor;
Character Counts! Lickona Model Second Step Community of Caring FISH! For Schools PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) System/School Designed Programs
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Fewer discipline problems Lower drop-out rates Higher school attendance Enhanced academic performance Greater teacher vitality
30% overall — admitted stealing from a store within the past year.
A substantial majority (64 percent) cheated on a test during the past year (38 percent did so two or more times), up from 60 percent and 35 percent, respectively, in 2006.
Despite these high levels of dishonesty, 93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character and 77 percent said that when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know.
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Help create a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment.
Supports academic development.
Enable students to be successful as citizens, in the workplace, in relationships, and with academic curriculum.
The common denominator that helps students be successful in all school-wide goals. Character Education is not an “extra” on your plate.
True character is shown by: Our normal and consistent attitudes and behavior How we treat people who can’t help or hurt us
Ridgewood Elementary School example…
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At all levels, students who have experienced quality character education outperform comparison groups, not only on measures of social behavior, but also on measures of academic performance.-Journal of Research in Character Education (2003)
Well-implemented Comprehensive, multi-faceted Promote student bonding to school Administrative leadership Integrated character and academic education Staff development and training…application! Direct teaching of relevant personal and social skills Parental involvement Student reflection on social and moral issues Adults modeling good character
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Good character is not formed automatically; it is developed over time through a sustained process of teaching, modeling, learning, and experience.
Service-Learning engages young people in responsible and challenging actions for the common good.
Service-Learning provides structured opportunities to reflect critically on the service experience.
Centers on the role of the community and the importance of developing effective student-community relationship Encourages reflection on actions and personal responsibility Cares about students, communities, and society Promotes community involvement Uses interactive teaching strategies, involving students in exciting classroom activities Promotes critical thinking Believes the school/community/family must work together Integrates understanding, commitment to action, and action Believes that values, character development, and citizenship education are outcomes
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Putting your team together 2) Needs assessment/school climate 3) Training/consultation/resources 4) Creating a vision/plan for your school 5) Involving ALL school stakeholders (Create buy-in) 6) Lesson integration (seamless) 7) Evaluate the program 8) Maintenance/accelerating momentum 1)
Good character education must be direct and explicit. What you allow you condone. School staff must model character—have actions match words. Based on trusting, caring relationships. Staff must see their students’ character development as their professional responsibility. Must engage students on how things ought to be, as opposed to how they are. Connect students to service, helping them grow empathy by getting involved in the world. Expect high ethical standards in your classroom. Provides students opportunities to practice good character Model and teach students how to make ethical decisions.
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The KEY to a successful school Character Education program is to follow the “The 11 Principles of Effective Character Education”
Each principle outlines criteria that should be considered when developing an effective program.
“The 11 Principles of Effective Character Education” offer the primary guidance for successful implementation and outcomes.
http://www.character.org/nsoc-application/
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Principle 1: Promotes core ethical values. Principle 2: Defines “character” comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior. Principle 3: Uses a comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approach.
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Principle 4: Creates a caring school community.
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Principle 5: Provides opportunities for moral action (service learning).
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Principle 6: Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that meets the needs of all learners (performance character).
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Principle 7: Fosters students’ self-motivation.
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Principle 8: Engages the school staff as a learning and moral community.
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Principle 9: Fosters shared moral leadership and long-range support.
10. Principle
10: Engages families and community members as partners.
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Assessment should guide the process! 11.
Principle 11: Evaluates the character education initiative.
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Goals of the program Encourage literacy Demonstrate critical thinking Learn, apply and explain the concepts of leadership Encourage entrepreneurship
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