RESILIENCY AND CHARACTER

DEVELOPMENTPART II

October 2009

Office of School and Youth Development

2

OBJECTIVES•INTRODUCE THE TOPIC OF CHARACTER EDUCATION

•DEMONSTRATE HOW CHARACTER EDUCATION CAN HAVE A POSITVE EFFECT ON STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES

•SHOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHARACTER EDUCATION AND A STUDENT’S SELF GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT

•PRESENT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO CHARACTER EDUCATION WHICH EXAMINES CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL WIDE STRATEGIES

•UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RESILIENCY AND CHARACTER EDUCATION

3

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION?

• BECOMING A SCHOOL OF CHARACTER, A PLACE THAT PUTS CHARACTER FIRST

• TEACHING THE VALUES OF RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY

• DEVELOPING VIRTUES THAT ENABLE US TO LEAD FUFILLING LIVES AND BUILD A BETTER WORLD

• IMPROVING THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL

• ALL OF THE ABOVE

4

WHY SHOULD SCHOOLS BE INVOLVED IN CHARACTER EDUCATION?

•THERE IS A CLEAR AND URGENT NEED

•IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO EDUCATE FOR INTELLIGENCE

•AFFIRMS BASIC HUMAN WORTH AND DIGNITY

•PROMOTES THE GOOD OF INDIVIDUAL AND THE COMMUNITY

•CHARACTER EDUCATION IS A DOABLE JOB

5

IMPROVING THE SCHOOL CULTURE Of the following school issues which two do you

think we should focus on as a school in the coming year?

__ Increasing students’ responsibility toward academic work

__ Increasing respect for teachers and other school staff

__ Increasing respect that adults show students__ Increasing peer kindness and reducing bullying

and other peer cruelty__ Increasing academic honesty__ Increasing respect and responsibility regarding

sexual attitudes and behavior__ Increasing parental involvement__ Improving language in the building__ Improving staff morale__ Building school pride

6

“ A SCHOOL COMMITTED TO CHARACTER EDUCATION PUBLICLY STANDS FOR CORE ETHICAL VALUES SUCH AS RESPECT,

RESPONSIBILITY, HONESTY, AND CARING; DEFINES THEM IN TERMS OF BEHAVIORS THAT CAN BE OBSERVED IN SCHOOL LIFE; MODELS THESE VALUES; STUDIES THEM, CELEBRATES

THEIR MANEFESTATIONS; AND HOLDS ALL SCHOOL MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE TO STANDARDS OF

CONDUCT WITH THE CORE VALUES.” – THOMAS LICKONA

7

CHARACTER HAS TWO MAJOR PARTS:

PERFORMANCE CHARACTER

AND

MORAL CHARACTER

8

A PERSON OF CHARACTER EMBODIES

BOTH

PERFORMANCE AND MORAL CHARACTER

9

PERFORMANCE CHARACTER MORAL CHARACTER

* Effort *Respect*Self-discipline

*Responsibility*Goal setting *Honesty*Work Ethic *Fairness *Determination *Resilience*Self-confidence *Compassion*Resourcefulness *Humility*Moral courage

10

PERFORMANCE CHARACTER

DOING OUR BEST!!!!

11

WHAT IS GOOD CHARACTER?COMPONENTS OF GOOD CHARACTER

MORAL KNOWING

•Moral AwarenessKnowing moral valuesPerspective–takingMoral reasoningDecision-makingSelf-knowledge

MORAL FEELING

•ConscienceSelf-esteemEmpathyLoving the goodSelf-controlHumility

MORAL ACTION

•CompetenceWillHabit

12

ONLY BY DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE CHARACTER WILL SCHOOLS:

Promote academic achievement for all students

Foster an ethic of excellence, not just higher test scores

Produce a competitive, creative workforce

13

ONLY BY DEVELOPING MORAL CHARACTER WILL SCHOOLS:

•Create safe learning environments

•Decrease discipline problems

•Reduce cheating

•Foster social AND emotional skills

•Develop ethical thinkers

•Produce public-spirited citizens

14

THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO CHARACTER EDUCATON

15

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO CHARACTER EDUCATION

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES

1. TEACHER AS CAREGIVER, MODEL, AND MENTOR (“TEACHER includes any adult in the school who interacts with kids”)

KEY IDEASChildren need to form caring attachments to adultsValues are best transmitted through these warm, caring relationships

16

2. CREATING A CARING CLASSROOM COMMUNITY

KEY IDEAS•Children need caring attachments to their peers

•Peer culture is a powerful moral teacher and influence on student behavior

•When students are part of a legitimate caring moral community in the classroom, they learn morality by living it

17

3. CHARACTER-BASED DISCIPLINEUsing rules and consequences to develop moral reasoning, self control, and a generalized respect for others

KEY IDEAS

•Discipline must be a tool to help students to develop self control and a generalized respect for others

•Rules should be established in a way that develops moral reasoning by helping students see the value behind rules

•Consequences of rule-breaking should contribute to character development, helping students understand why the rule is needed and increasing their feelings of moral obligation to reflect it

•The teacher is the central moral authority in the classroom

18

4. CREATING A DEMOCRATIC CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

A democratic classroom environment uses the class meeting to engage students in shared decision making and in taking responsibility for making the classroom the best it can be

KEY IDEAS

Creating a democratic classroom environment means involving students in developmentally appropriate ways, in shared decision making that increases their responsibility for helping make the classroom a good place to learn

A democratic classroom contributes to character because it:

1- Provides and on-going forum where students’ thoughts are valued and any need of the group can be addressed

2- Creates a support structure that calls forth students’ best moral selves

3- Mobilizes peer culture on the side of virtue

4- The chief means of creating a democratic classroom environment is the class meeting

19

5. TEACHING CHARACTER THROUGH CURRICULUM

Teaching character through curriculum uses the ethically rich content of academic subjects as vehicles for values teaching

KEY IDEAS

•Character education is not a separate subject; it can be taught through any subject

•The purpose of the curriculum is to help students develop a sense of what is good and worth striving for

20

6. COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Fosters students ability to work with and appreciate others

KEY IDEAS

•The instructional process is an important means of character development

•Cooperative learning is an especially effective character-building process because it gives students regular practice in developing important virtues at the same time they are learning academic material

•Cooperative learning builds community in the classroom

21

7. THE CONSCIENCE OF CRAFT

The conscience of craft develops students’ sense of academic responsibility and the habit of doing their work well.

KEY IDEAS

•Character affects the lives of others through the quality of the work we do.

•One of the most important “voices” of conscience, therefore, is the conscience of craft, the voice that says: “Do a good job.”

•A student’s schoolwork affords the opportunity to develop work-related character traits that have lifelong importance:

> Self-discipline> Persistence> Dependability> Diligence> Academic responsibility

22

8. ENCOURAGING ETHICAL REFLECTION

Developing the cognitive side of character through reading, research, writing, and discussion

KEY IDEAS

•Encourage ethical reflection means helping students develop the cognitive side of character

•Children’s moral thinking develops through a series of stages

23

9. TEACHING CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Teaching students how to solve conflicts fairly, without intimidation or violence

KEY IDEAS

•Teaching conflict resolution skills is important for the maintenance of a good moral community

•Without conflict resolution skills, students will be morally handicapped in their interpersonal relations now and later in life

•Conflict resolution skills are among the most important competencies constituting the action side of character

24

SCHOOLWIDE STRATEGIES1. CREATING A POSITIVE MORAL CULTURE IN

THE SCHOOL

Developing a caring school community that promotes the core virtues

KEY IDEAS

•Each school is a community with a moral culture

•The moral culture of the school is defined by its operative values

•The school’s moral culture is important because> It has a powerful effect on the moral behavior of the members of

the school community> It affects the character development of the members of the school

25

2. FOSTERING CARING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Caring beyond the classroom is using role models to inspire altruistic behavior and providing opportunities for school and community service

KEY IDEAS

•Character Education should extend students caring beyond the classroom into larger spheres

•Students can develop their awareness of the needs of others, their desire to help, and the skills and habits of helping through: (a) exposure to inspiring role models, and (b) opportunities for service in their schools, families, and communities

•Service opportunities with the power to transform character are those that involve children in face-to-face helping relationships

26

3. PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AS PARTNERS IN CHARACTER EDUCATION

Parents and community as partners:

Helping parents and the whole community join the schools in a cooperative effort to build good character

KEY IDEAS

•Parents are a child’s first and most important moral teachers. Schools must do everything it can to support parents in this role

•Parents should also support the school’s effort to teach good values and character

•The school-parent partnership in character education has enhanced impact when the wider community also supports and promotes the core virtues

27

CHARACTER EDUCATION = BUILDING RESILIENCE

•Character and resiliency are not done through one program or specific curriculum

•Character education and resiliency go to the root of the symptom

•Resiliency is one of many virtues that is an integral part of character education

•Home, school, and community are areas that can foster these efforts

•Lifelong process that has quality relationships at it core

28

PROVIDE CARING AND SUPPORT

Children develop sound character when they experience adults modeling caring, honesty, respect, responsibility courage and empathy

SET AND COMMUNICATE HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Working hard and experiencing the feeling of accomplishment is character building.

It is also self-esteem building when children see that they are responsible for their own success

PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION

Children need chances to do something important, to contribute in some way

INCREASE PRO-SOCIAL BONDING

Children develop positive character traits when they appreciate and understand one another

SET CLEAR AND CONSISTENT BOUNDARIES

Character is built when adults model the behaviors they expect students to have and offer logical consequences for occasions when students overstep the boundaries set forth by caring adults

29

MAKE YOUR SCHOOL A SCHOOL OF CHARACTER

•CREATE A TOUCHSTONE OR CREED THAT EXPRESSES THE SHARED VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY

•HAVE A CHARACTER-BASED MOTTO

•FORM LEADERSHIP GROUPS

•DEVELOP A KNOWLEDGE BASE

•INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF CHARACTER EDUCATION TO THE ENTIRE STAFF

•CONSIDER “WHAT SORT OF PERSONS DO WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BECOME?”

•PROMOTE THE SCHOOL’S ESSENTIAL VALUES

30

•CONSIDER “WHAT WILL CHARACTER EDUCATION MEAN FOR ME?”

•CONSIDER “WHAT WILL CHARACTER EDUCATION LOOK LIKE IF WE DO IT SCHOOLWIDE?’

•ANALYZE THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL

•CHOOSE TWO PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVING THE SCHOOL CULTURE

•ASK “SHOULD WE COMMIT TO BECOMING A SCHOOL OF CHARACTER?’

•PLAN A QUALITY CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM

•CHOOSE AN ORGANIZING STRATEGY FOR PROMOTING THE VIRTUES

•MAKE ASSESSMENT PART OF THE PLAN

•BUILD A STRONG ADULT COMMUNITY

•MAKE TIME FOR CHARACTER

31

The Good News

Values Education is making a positive difference in the moral

attitudes and behavior of students, with the result that it’s easier for teachers to teach and students to learn