Character Education

Why is it important and what can YOU do?

Caitlin Foster EDU 615, University of New England October 2011

The Facts
School bullying and cyber bullying statistics show 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, and physically. 1 out of 4 kids are bullied. Statistics show that in one month 1 out of 4 kids will be abused by another youth. Each day 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied. 30% of US students are involved in moderate or frequent bullying as bullies, victims, or both. Recent bully statistics admit that half of all bullying incidents go unreported. Cyber bullying indicates even less are reported.

What can teachers do to help?

Recognize we are character educators. Incorporate character education into the classroom and school community. Act as caregivers and mentors, setting a positive example supporting prosocial behavior and correcting any negative actions.

Character Education
Character Education (CE) is the deliberate effort to help people (children) understand, care about, and act upon core ethical values (Elkind & Sweet, 2004). Character Education strives to create schools that foster ethical, responsible, and caring children by modeling and teaching good character.

Why Character Education?

Best said by Martin Luther King, Jr: We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. Youth in todays society are bombarded with negative inuences. We must be intentional in developing positive moral character in our children. Schools must partner with parents in creating a learning environment that fosters positive character development. We must equip young children with the tools they need to handle situations that may challenge their character.

Elements Needed for Effective, Comprehensive Character Education

1. Promotes core and ethical values. 2. Teaches student to understand, care about, and act upon these values. 3. Encompasses all aspects of the school culture. 4. Fosters a caring school community. 5. Offer opportunities for moral action. 6. Supports academic achievement. 7. Develops intrinsic motivation. 8. Includes whole staff involvement. 9. Requires positive leadership of staff and students. 10. Involves parents and community members. 11. Assesses results and strives to improve. (Character Education Partnership)

Where do we start?
The entire school community must be involved--character education should be infused within the academic and social realms of our schools. Build a caring community within the school. Students, teachers, and administrators always follow (and model) the Golden Rule. Children must watch, discuss, and practice examples of positive moral character (ex. empathy, honesty, caring, etc.) Look at your current curriculum. Chances are your current teaching is lled with opportunities to engage students in discussions about character and values. Consider service learning--reaching academic goals through community service.

Resources for Implementing CE

http:/ /www.goodcharacter.com/EStopics.html http:/ /www.amazon.com/Character-Building-Books-Young-Children/lm/R2F5T2VPO70RH4 (Great list of childrens books to support CE) http:/ /www.internet4classrooms.com/character_ed.htm Responsive Classroom Technique, www.responsiveclassroom.org Character Education Partnership, www.character.org http:/ /charactercounts.org/sixpillars.html

Dont Sweat the Small Stuff...

Frequently Asked Questions
How much time do I need? CE should take place through a childs entire school day as administrators, teachers, and staff are presented with opportunities to model and praise positive character. CE should not be seen as a set block of time during the day. Shouldnt I be focusing more on academics? Teaching children how to be good workers and citizens of our society is just as important as academics. In fact, CE aids in academic success as it lays the foundation for all learning that happens in school. Arent my students too young (or too old) for this? CE is important at all grade levels. Teaching techniques and strategies may differ, but it should be initiated at each level. For example, social and emotional skills may be the focus in the younger grades while service learning and anti-bullying may be the focus area for secondary schools. Educating students on morals and values...isnt that the parents job? Developing positive morals and values should begin at home, however this job is a joint effort. As our society continues to demand more of students and parents, families look to the schools for help. For many students school is the only place where positive character is modeled and practiced.

The Results
Eleven states mandate character education: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. Eight states encourage character education: Arizona, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia. Schools infusing character education into their daily curriculum are nding improved academic achievement, behavior, school culture, and parental involvement. Caring, safe, and respectful environments are being cultivated and prosocial behaviors such as cooperation and conict resolution are reaching a new comfort level.

Resources
http:/ /www.goodcharacter.com/Article_4.html http:/ /www.nd.edu/~dnarvaez/documents/ NarvaezLapsleyTeacher.pdf http:/ /www.freedomforum.org/publications/rst/ ndingcommonground/B13.CharacterEd.pdf http:/ /www.how-to-stop-bullying.com/bullyingstatistics.html