2. In your opinion, what is Character Education? Write down at least 3 thoughts on the BUS paper.

3. Why the 11 Principles? Cornerstone of program Serve a guideposts & help build program Character Education Partnership’s (CEP) guide to an effective program

4. What is Character Education? Core values Intentional effort Must permeate the school climate & curriculum EVERYONE!

5. What does CE involve? Positive school culture Moral education Positive youth development Civic education Service Learning Basically, it is our job to help young people become responsible, caring, & contributing citizens.

6. Why “Do” Character Education? Not a new concept Transform school (discipline, achievement) Teach core values Help students reach full potential Improves job satisfaction & retention among staff

7. Flip over the BUS paper. Right Hand/Left Hand Activity

9. Team Activity The Beatles

10. THE 11 PRINCIPLES Where Do I Get Started?

11. Principle 1 The school community promotes core ethical and performance values as the foundation of good character.

12. PreAssessment – What? Make a list of the values that you feel are most important in your own life?

13. What Does This Mean to Me? Determine core values –Virtues, traits, pillars, expectations Core Values vs. Performance Values CE Mission & Touchstone WESTWOOD PLEDGE I will make good choices today. I will respect myself, my teachers, and others. And give my best effort in all I do.

14. Basic Implementation Representative group of stakeholders has input into core values. Common language is used Staff ownership Values are everywhere! The school has defined what values “look like” and “sound like.”

15. “Great learning and superior ability are of little value unless honor, truth, and integrity are added to them.” ~Abigail Adams First lady of the United States, 1797-1801

16. Listen Up! Activity Establishing Core Values Through Music Video: Special thanks to Barbara Gruener – Westwood Elementary, Friendswood, TX

17. Principle 2 The school defines “character” comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and doing.

18. PreAssessment – How? Make a list of the ways you think people learn to develop character?

19. Is this what your students sound like?

20. What Does This Mean to Me? Link values to behavior & behaviors to values –How do you want your students to act? Create moral awareness Develop other perspectives Raise questions in the classroom –Moral reasoning –Ethical decision making –Social problem solving

21. Basic Implementation Student responsibilities in classrooms –Aaron Thompson Model & Practice –Show empathy –Not interrupting –Welcome students into class (caring environment) Lead discussions of real-life problems Teach lessons on core values

22. Activity My CHARACTER Garden

23. My “CHARACTER” Garden Plant (Draw) the following: 3 Rows of Peas (Green) 4 Hills of Squash (Yellow or Orange) 3 Rows of Lettuce (Different Green) 2 Turnips (Purple)

24. Principle 3 The school uses a comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approach to character development.

25. PreAssessment – When? Think of a teachable moment that you have recently used in your classroom?

26. What Does This Mean to Me? The Hidden Curriculum –How does your school rate? –Complete Survey – labeled Exercise #2 worksheet Decide your approach –Large group, small group, open, developmental, thematic, calendar

27. Basic Implementation Develop a plan/direction for CE program Classroom routines set (based on core values) ALL school activities –Classes, extracurricular, cafeteria, halls, playground Embedding values in curriculum –Employability Grade –Use variety of activities (rubric)

28. Intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the true goal of education.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

29. Summary of Principles 1 - 3 Top 5 Ways to Find Joy at Work (D. Letterman) 5) Find every supporter a task, however small. 4) Widen the circle of the informed. 3) Remain positive. 2) As the bits of the “cube” start moving, keep communicating & coordinating 1) Celebrate each “Rubik’s Cube” moment of accomplishment.

30. Principle 4 Creating a Caring School Community

31. PreAssessment – How? How would you characterize your relationship with students?

32. What Does This Mean to Me? The ABC’S of Effective Community Building A is for Autonomy B is for Belonging C is for Competence

33. Three Aspects of Community Building Between Staff and Students Among Students Among Adults in the School Community

34. Basic Implementation Show Interpersonal Warmth and Concern Encourage Student Thinking and Expression of Ideas Encourage Student Collaboration, Autonomy, and Self- Direction Pay Attention to the Beginning Teach Social and Emotional Skills Set the Tone Belonging Among the WHOLE Staff Building Positive Relationships with Parents

35. Principle 5 Providing Opportunities for Moral Action

36. PreAssessment – What? What relationships, in your own life, have made the greatest impact on your character?

37. What Does This Mean to Me? Moral Action is at the Heart of Character Education 1. Getting Ready 2. Taking Action 3. Follow-up

38. Basic Implementation Create a Full Range of Opportunities for Moral Action Foster the Conditions in which Opportunities for Moral Action Become Significant Learning Experiences Build School and District Level Commitment to Moral Action

39. Activity Lend a Helping Hand

40. Principle 6 Providing a Meaningful Academic Curriculum

41. “Character Education is not another thing on the plate, it is the plate.” Anonymous

42. PreAssessment – How? Make a list of the ways you presently address character development in the academic curriculum.

43. What Does This Mean to Me? Intellectual Dispositions Curious Open-minded Metacognitive Eager to find truth & understanding Skeptical Strategic

44. Conditions for Intellectual Character Modeling and Cueing Developing Thinking Strategies Honoring Student Thinking What we hope ever to do with ease we may learn first to do with diligence. - Samuel Johnson, author

45. Infuse Character into the Curriculum Embed Values in the Curriculum Develop Core Ethical Values Through Teaching Strategies Discuss Ethical Dilemmas Provide Opportunities for Student Reflection Lead by Example

46. Basic Implementation Respect How Students Learn Develop Intellectual Character Embed Values in the Curriculum

47. Principle 7 Fostering Student’s Intrinsic Motivation

48. PreAssessment – What? What motivates your own behavior?

49. What Does This Mean to Me? Larger Goal – Developing Students Who Will Become Good People and Responsible Members of Society. Schools Meet the Basic Psychological Need of Student’s ABC’s.

50. Basic Implementation Identify Disciplines that support Character Development Student Needs Create Shared Norms Live by Shared Norms Recognize Good Character Pros and Cons Guidelines of Student Recognition

51. Fostering We have to help (students) figure out - for themselves and with each other - how one ought to act… (Kohn, 1998)

52. Activity Marshmallow Tower

53. Principle 8 Engaging School Staff

54. Effective character education engages the school staff as a learning and moral community that shares responsibility for character education and attempts to adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students.

55. You must be the change you wish to see in your school. Walk the talk!

56. What is it that makes students’ favorite teachers so special, so influential? Competent in their delivery of content Make learning fun Are kind, passionate and genuine Have a way of making students feel connected

57. Teachers/staff as role model District hiring/mentoring practices Collegiality

58. Character education is a process..not a program! Character education must begin with a flight plan. Character education will never work if teachers and staff don’t care about it!

59. Regular and adequate time is made available for staff planning, professional development and reflection in regard to character education. The significant problems we have cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them. --Albert Einstein

60. Principle 9 Fostering Shared Leadership

61. Effective Character Education fosters shared moral leadership and long- range support for the character education initiative.

62. YOU ARE ALL LEADERS! Schools that are engaged in effective character education have leaders who champion the effort.

63. Understanding Effective Leadership What is leadership?The days of the principal as the lone instructional leader are over.

64. When there is agreement on where you are going as a school, and a climate that supports innovation, there will be plenty of people to do the work. Provide Avenues for Leadership (Staff) Standing committees Become a learning community Shared decision making Develop Student Leadership Provide leadership opportunities for all students Connect student with community leaders Teach moral leadership Highlight youth leaders

65. Principle 9--- Overview Staff The character education program has leaders, including the school administration who champion the effort. Students Students are explicitly involved in creating and maintaining a sense of community and in other leadership roles that contribute to the character education effort.

66. Principle 10 Engaging Families and Community Members

67. Effective character education engages families and community members as partners in the character building effort.

68. Schools that reach out to families and include them in character- building efforts greatly enhance their chances for success with students. Newsletters Website Emails Family Nights Parent Conferences/Open Houses

69. Building Home-School Partnerships Framework for building home-school partnerships: **Two-way communication **Support for parenting skills **Parent support for student learning **Volunteering **Parent involvement in decision making

70. Building Community Partnerships Service learning Mentoring Expertise Sharing Discussion of ethics and character

71. A true partnership for character education recognizes that the whole community shares the responsibility for character development in young people. Benefits or partnership: Young people continue learning whether in or out of the school building

72. Principle 11—Principles of Effective Character Education The character of the school: To what extent is the school becoming a moral/caring community? The school staff’s growth as character educators: To what extent have adult staff— developed an understanding of what they can do to foster character development? Personal commitment? Skills to carry it out? Student character: To what extent do students understand and act upon the core ethical values.