10 Hard Steps To Character Education

Francis Howell Middle SchoolAmy Johnston, Principal

Missouri School of Character, 2007National School of Character, 2008

CHARACTER EDUCATION…..

starts with a vision and happens with a

plan!

The HARD Questions…..

How do we get from the vision to the plan?

What do I do with people who aren’t interested?

What will it change?Don’t we already have enough to do?

Who do we involve? Who will foot the bill?

What about parents?Will I get trained in how to teach character?

Why do we need it?

The Easy Answers

Sorry, there aren’t any!

So why “go there”?

Character Education helps improve

Staff Attitudes Student Relationships

+ Parent Understanding YOUR SCHOOL!

What if

Instead of asking,

“How do we raise test scores?” we ask, “What would it take to create schools where every child feels safe, loved and celebrated?”

DetentionTotal Number of Incidents

2005 – 7312006 – 5102007 – 4402008 – 2342009 - 226

In School Suspension Total Number of Days

2005 – 762006 – 732007 – 702008 - 692009 - 44

Out of School Suspension Total Number of Incidents

2005 – 37 2006 – 36 2007 – 40 2008 - 23 2009 - 17

Comparative District Discipline Data

5 Years, total incidents

ISAP OSSFHMS 278 136School A 811 479School B 1122 464School C 1256 401School D 1085 491

372

336

262

176

177

311

397

367

281

261

257

329

363

384

298

445

425

345

239

248

98105927347

1323 1617 1631 1702 415

Comparison of Suspension in Middle Schools

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

Total number of F’s

2004 – 4902005 – 2672006 – 1682007 – 662008 - 892009 - 111

8th Grade MAP Results

Math CA

State 44.4 48.6District 56.6 55.3FHMS 61.8 59.2FHSD 59.8 59.7Middle 55.3 56.4Schools 54.3 52.4

52.6 48.1

7th Grade MAP Results

MATH CAState 46 49.5District 52.8 52.5FHMS 67.6 60.1FHSD 59.6 56Middle 56.8 51.5Schools 56.3 48.3

51.7 47.1

6th Grade MAP Results

MATH CAState 51.2 47.7District 60.2 47.2FHMS *77.3 59.4FHSD 58.9 48.1Middle 58.5 44.6Schools 56.2 44.6

51.3 38.1* 4th in the state!

Data is the icing on the cake.

The real reason, the only reason,

to “go there” is for the people in your building.

Everyday our students come to us with two questions:

Will I be accepted?

Can I do the work?

And many of us ask the same

questions!

Character Education is not

A program A set of values A word of the month Incentives and awards Another thing on the plate

IT IS THE

Character education is not about what you do.

It is about who you are and how you treat others.

Character Education’s 11 Principles

Character Education Partnershipwww.character.org

Consider allowing these principles guide you in your steps!

Character education

creates a

caring school community.

Principle 4

School Climate

The true story about a school’s character, not a “program”.

Assemblies The building Rules, rewards and penalties Hidden curriculum Consistent behavior expectations

The children we most don’t want are the children who need us most.

Step 1/Year 1 Be a Leader!

Know what you want and share the leadership and long range support of character education.

Principle #9

Many have a vision for how things should be.

That’s called dreaming.

Leaders have a plan to make their vision clear.

That’s called doing.

The Principal

MUST understand

and believe

in character education!

Study Character Education

Read! LEARN!

Go to L.A.C.E.!

Attend workshops!

Visit schools who are living it!

Make it a priority

Do you want to deliberately change the culture of your school?

Is your goal to intentionally teach character every day?

Step 2 / Year 2 Staff, ALL aboard!

Share responsibility for character education.

Principle 8

Build Community First

Camaraderie among staff is the foundation of a positive school climate.

Improving staff relationships

BOYB Collaboration Book studies

Informal gatherings Plan Time

Meetings

Ask the staff…

Do we need character education?What do we hope to accomplish?

Begin by answering these questions AS A STAFF!

Study Kids. Study Character.Lessons from the Classroom / Life’s Greatest Lessons Hal Urban

Why Do They Act That Way? David Walsh

Educating for Character Tom Lickona

An Ethic of Excellence Ron Berger

Odd Girl Out – Rachel Simmons

Don’t Laugh at Me – Jodi Blanco

Expect Resistance

It is not my job to teach character!

I already have enough to do!

We don’t have the time or the money!

Understand Fear

Character education is often resisted because it starts in the mirror, and

we all fear “Character Crown” slippage!

When a person’s actions are disrespectful, it is not enough to change habits;

you have to go deeper. You have to go to the heart

of the problem - which is

a problem of the heart.

HOW you teach

matters more thanWHAT

WHERE WHO and even

WHY you

teach!

So, how do you teach?

With Passion or apathy? Humor or sarcasm? Humility or arrogance? Persistence or frustration? Understanding or resentment? Real relationships or rigid rules?

Effective teachers motive students!

It is disrespectful and irresponsible to bore students to death with lectures and worksheets!

Write S.M.A.R.T. Character Goals!

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Results-Oriented

Time Bound

Agree on what you want!

Non-threatening data

When there is trust among professionals,

the vision and mission are clear,

data is used to improve,

not blame.

Start the war!What is the difference between teaching and learning?

What percent of our students fail? Why?

How is late work handled? Why?

What does collaboration look like?

Does our discipline teach or punish?

Do we model good character?

Step 3 /Year 3 Discuss your core!

Define, discuss, identify and promote core ethical values (CEV) as the basis of good character.

Principle 1

Brainstorm Together

List ideal characteristics values your parents passed on, non-negotiables in your household, values you look for in a friend,

co-worker, neighbor, boss best and worst interaction

experiences

5 Steps to School CEVs

1. Agree on 3 – 5 as small teams2. Agree on 3 – 5 as a a faculty3. Survey parents4. Survey students5. Agree on 3 – 5 that best represent

your entire school community.

RespectfulSomeone who shows consideration for others

Unacceptable Anywhere – 1

Unacceptable@ FHMS - 2

CommonCourtesy - 3

Above andBeyond -4

Self Foul Language

DemeaningWords

Kind Words EncouragingWords

InappropriatePhysicalcontact

Unnecessary Physicalcontact

Keeping hands to self

Respectingpersonalspace

Property DestroyingProperty

DamagingProperty

Using things w/o causing damage

Leaving things better

Classroom Interrupting Ignoring a speaker

Listening Actively listening

Others Being intentionally hurtful

Isolation /subtlety hurtful

Golden Rule PlatinumRule

Step 4

Make Character Education

intentional proactive

effectivePrinciple 3

“What you do on the first days of school will determine your success or failure for the rest of the year.”

Harry and Rosemary Wong

“Most of the work of integrating character into the curriculum is done in the first two weeks of school.”

Hal Urban,

Lessons From the Classroom20 Things Great Teachers Do

FHMS JAIL WORDS

Caution, this slide is rated PG-13!All CUSS Words +

Screwed, Butt, Pissed, Stupid, Idiot, Dip, Retarded, Dork, Dumb, Dumb Blonde, Loser, Nerd, Fat, Chubster, Fart, Crap, Sucks, Kill, Gay, Fag, Queer, Homo, Shut-Up, I Hate You, This is Lame

Make Time for Character

Character Connection 20 minutes a day 15 - 17 students Mixed grade levels

CCC Activities

Class meetings Community Service Fund Raisers Appreciation Activities Celebrations Moral Dilemmas

Step 5

Teaching character includes

thinking feeling

behaving

Principle 2

Schools committed to character development look at everything that goes on in school.

Social interactions Hidden curriculumAcademic curriculum

Extracurricular programs

Hidden Curriculum

says more about the school’s beliefs and values than anything in print.

Instructional practices, relationships and expectations can create or destroy a sense of respect, belonging and cooperation.

“What we accept we teach.” Hal Urban

Student/staff relationships

Students need to KNOW that

peers will not make fun of them and

teachers will not humiliate them.

“Be kind because

everyone you meet is fighting a battle.”

Plato

Step 6

Provide students with opportunities for moral action.

Principle 5

Doing “the good” now

Research indicates that civic engagement during high school predicts engagement up to three decades later.

Defining Moral Action

Students face opportunities for moral action every day.

Cheat or not to cheatShow respect or disrespectHelp themselves or help others

We must help students learn fromthese experiences.

Service Learning

Service involves helping the community address real needs.

Activities are integrated into the curriculum.

Provides opportunities to use new skills.

Fosters a sense of caring for others.

Community Service

What are the needs of your community?How can your school help meet those needs?

Step 7

Offer a meaningful, challenging curriculum respect all learners, develop their character, help them succeed.

Principle 6

Do students Believe in themselves?

Students become competent

by taking advantage of repeated opportunities to

develop new skills and to polish existing ones.

De-emphasize competition

When students feel supported and cared for by their peers, they are more apt to feel safe in taking on academic challenges.

Students who can’t or won’t learn

When character education is part of a school’s culture,

“What will you do for the students who aren’t learning?” is answered with compassion and concern

instead of resentment and

frustration.

Step 8

Strive to foster students’ self-motivation.

Principle 7

Do they BELIEVE they have a place in school?

When schools do not meet students’ need to belong, they are more likely to feel alienated and to engage in at-risk behaviors.

Student Voice and Choice

When students have a say, they become much more invested in academic work and in helping maintain a positive school climate.

Rules – Relationships = Rebellion

Rules + Relationships=Respect

“Moral behavior is based on relationships, not rules.”

David Walsh

Step 9

Engage families and community members as partners in the character-building effort.

Principle 10

Why Involve Parents?

From birth to age 18, children spend only about 9% of their time in school.

The single best predictor of student success is the level of parental involvement in their children’s education.

“Children are in crisis because families are in crisis.”

David Hamburg

President of the Carnegie Corporation

PIT Crew

Parent Involvement TeamAdopt-A-TeamBook StudiesStudent RewardsData Base of VolunteersSummer Survival SeriesInvolvement in improvement goals

www.partnershipschools.org

Step 10

Evaluate the school’s character, the staff’s functioning as character educators, and how well students manifest good character.

Principle 11

So Why “Go There”?

You have tremendous influence in the lives of your students.

You have countless opportunities to shape lives and design futures.

Deliberately teach good character;

deliberately change your school!