FOR CHARACTER
creating schools and communities of character
January/February 2008
An electronic newsletter to help make sure character counts!
Gary Smit
CHARACTER
COUNTS! and the Six Pillars of Character are service marks of the CHARACTER
COUNTS! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute of Ethics. For more
information about training opportunities and resources available to assist
schools and communities in the integration of a character education
initiative, check out their web site at:
www.charactercounts.org or call them at 1-800-711-2670.
IN THIS ISSUE…
Take a Minute For Character
Ethics in Sports
Foundations For Life
Control Yourself: It Will Help You Do Better in School
Free Lesson Plans Build Racial Understanding
Information You Can Use
Lesson Plan
TAKE A MINUTE FOR CHARACTER
The Six C`s of Character
In considering your goals for the New Year, I hope you’ll think about
working on your character. After all, the best road to a better life is to
be a better person, and all of us can be better. One of the best ways to do
this is to focus on the Six C`s of Character: conscience, courage,
consideration, compassion, confidence and control.
First, resolve to be a person of conscience. Listen to the inner voice that
helps you know right from wrong and urges you to do what is good and noble.
Second, be courageous. Resolve to confront the challenges and choices of
your life forthrightly. Make the tough decisions that need to be made and,
above all, maintain your integrity by doing what you know to be right even
when it costs more than you want to pay.
Third, be considerate. Be more deliberative, thoughtful and attentive as to
how your words and actions will affect others, and reflect on your
character. Think ahead so you can avoid undesirable and undesired
consequences.
Fourth, be compassionate. Demonstrate a genuine concern for the well-being
of others. Be kinder and more charitable. Strive to understand more and
judge less.
Fifth, be confident in your capacity to overcome with integrity and dignity
whatever difficulties come your way. Don’t underestimate your resiliency.
Resolve to persist until you prevail.
Sixth, control strong emotions, appetites and urges that tempt you to
compromise your principles or sacrifice long-term goals for short-term
indulgences.
Remember, your character is your destiny.
(Excerpts from a commentary by Michael Josephson)
For back issues of this Newsletter and ideas you can use in implementing a
character education initiative, check out the
For Character web site, or e-mail
me a
gsmit@forcharacter.com.
ETHICS IN SPORTS
I have been conducting a number of workshops for coaches in the past couple
of months on Ethics in Sports. This is a great way to integrate character in
a school activity of interest and involvement by many students. In fact,
it has become a requirement of all coaches in the Los Angeles Unified School
District to attend a workshop on character. In early February, I will be
training baseball and track and field coaches in Los Angeles. Are you
Interested in seeing what this program looks like? Just e-mail me and I will
be happy to send you a PowerPoint presentation.
FOUNDATIONS FOR LIFE
Foundations for Life is a maxim-based essay and recognition program that
enhances the reading, critical thinking and composition skills required by
the new SAT exam, state and federal standards, and No Child Left Behind
proficiency testing. Sign up now to download your FREE kit at:
http://www.ffl-essays.org/ You
will receive over 100 quotes by grade level and a great teacher guide on how
to ask questions about quotes and what activities teachers could use with
students.
Here are specific ways you can use Foundations for Life:
o Classroom discussion
o Classroom assignment
o Local essay contest
o Find tips and ideas in the Winter 2007 e-Newsletter
Teachers often say Science and Mathematics present a challenge in
integrating character education into lessons. Let me share just a few ideas
as to how Foundations for Life can assist in these two subjects.
SCIENCE
A typical lesson on the environment is a wonderful opportunity to teach
younger students about respect, responsibility, and citizenship, three of
the Pillars of Character.
· “When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.” --
Vietnamese proverb
Go one step further, and think of the tree itself! With your elementary
students, use a class period to discuss how it is our responsibility to care
for the earth (a great idea for Earth Day). Talk about all the earth gives
us, such as food, oxygen, shelter, and beauty, and how our actions determine
how healthy the earth will be in the future. You can include topics such as
recycling, water cycles, energy conservation, and ecosystems.
Encourage reading: Include Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree in the lesson.
Having good character sometimes means making difficult decisions. Examining
the ethics of science experiments is a good way to practice ethical
decision-making.
· “Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.” - David Starr
Jordan, American scientist, Stanford University president and peace activist
(1851-1931)
Use this quotation by to talk about ethical considerations in scientific
experiments. Set up a hypothetical situation dealing with stem-cell research
or animal testing and assign students to opposing viewpoints. Have students
draft arguments proving why their side is correct. Then have an organized
debate/open discussion in class. How do we determine the most ethical course
of action?
Remember, defending a viewpoint you don’t necessarily agree with is often
more beneficial than supporting your own. It encourages students to think
critically by looking beyond personal biases.
MATHEMATICS
In the recent National Survey on Youth Ethics by Josephson Institute,
staggering statistics were found in regards to cheating in high school
students. One question revealed 60 percent of surveyed students cheated on a
test at least once during the past year! Math class is often an easy place
for students to copy one another’s work since there is often only one
correct answer. Use a class period to discuss the importance of honesty in
your classroom.
· “Honesty is the best policy.” -- Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish author
(1547-1616)
As younger students continue through school, mathematics problems become
increasingly difficult and challenging. Start discussing why “honesty is the
best policy” early! Ask them what this quote means to them. Discuss openly
why cheating is wrong. Then have the students write a short paragraph about
why they will not cheat. Feel free to suggest things important to youngsters
i.e. disappointing parents, getting friends in trouble, losing special
privileges at school.
· “The day you quit school, you condemn yourself to a future of
poverty.” -- Jaime Escalante, Bolivian-born American high school teacher
(b. 1930)
Sometimes older students only see the immediate benefits of cheating (a
better grade without any work) without seeing the whole picture. Have
students connect cheating on a math exam to this quote about poverty. Remind
students that “quitting school” does not necessarily mean dropping out. How
can a student who cheats on a test be seen as “quitting?”
Alternate idea: Involve students in creating a cheating policy for math
class. Have them individually brainstorm and jot down ideas, then come
together to form a universal classroom policy. Need ideas? Contact me for a
free resource kit.
CONTROL YOURSELF: IT WILL HELP YOU DO BETTER IN SCHOOL
Research, from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Learning tabbed for release in early 2008, suggests that a less rigorous
focus on curriculum may help student achievement, reports Debra Viadero in
Education Week. The key is to take time out of the curriculum to teach
students to manage their emotions and practice empathy, caring and
cooperation, and, as a by-product, achievement could improve. These findings
and similar results from other research-based fields (like brain science)
seem to be converging on the benefits of such instruction, and programs
based on the concept have experienced a growing presence in schools.
Illinois, for instance, has adopted standards for the social and emotional
skills that K-12 students should be taught. When researchers investigated
Illinois’ programs, they found that students were better behaved, more
positive and less anxious than students not participating in the programs.
In addition, program students earned better grades and had higher tests
scores. According to Roger Weissberg, professor of psychology and education
at the University of Illinois at Chicago, "the impact here is almost twice
that of studies on class-size improvements."
Read Article
FREE LESSON PLANS BUILD RACIAL UNDERSTANDING
Educators at no cost can now download a set of four lesson plans on race and
diversity. Designed for high school teachers, and suitable for youth leaders
in non-school settings, the lessons are designed to promote greater
understanding of differences among high school students. The activities in
the four lessons have been tested with high school students in Chicago and
have been found to open up constructive dialogue among students. Teachers
have reported that the activities encourage students to recognize and
respect differences in the classroom and also promote a sense of community
in their classes. Each of the lessons is completely self-contained and can
usually be completed during a 45-minute class period. One whole-class
activity causes students to examine issues of identity and then commit to
making personal changes in behavior. Another lesson utilizes personal
stories to reflect on the Thanksgiving holiday and on Americans’ acceptance
of difference. In a third, students explore the meanings of "race" and
"racism" and consider how they might personally work to overcome their own
biases. The final unit enhances a sense of community in a classroom and
promotes a broader sense of community outside of school.
http://www.racebridges.net/schools?mw1
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
- ENCOURAGING TEACHERS TO TEACH OFF THE SCRIPT & EMBRACE SPONTANEITY -
To the dismay of many educators throughout the country, the popularity
of scripted curricula has spread to many public schools, especially
those serving poor communities. In response to the widespread belief
that high-stakes testing will improve the nation’s schools, teachers are
pressured to teach to standardized tests and not waste time on lessons
or activities that won't be on one of these tests. Even if there is a
major event the children are eager to discuss -- a presidential
election, an eclipse, the collapse of a freeway, or an earthquake --
many teachers fear spending precious class time on anything that won't
be on the end-of-the-year standardized test. And in many districts,
especially those that serve children from the poorest families, teachers
are handed scripts and ordered to follow them to the letter. The
companies that produce these programs point to studies demonstrating
that adhering to the scripts will pay off in higher test scores. While
they may in fact raise scores somewhat, scripted lesson plans can be
deadly to children eager to learn more than what is covered on the test
for their grade level. These schools can be even more mind numbing for
teachers who have been attracted to the profession by a desire to
engender in their students a passion for learning. While some new
teachers may welcome a script that spells out what to do with most of
the school day, veteran teachers and dynamic, creative young teachers
are more likely than ever to leave the profession, disgusted by the
tedium of drill-and-kill and saddened by the lack of time or freedom to
engage their students in the excitement of learning interesting stuff.
The idea of using high-stakes testing to improve schools may stem from a
genuine desire to offer all children a high-quality education, writes
Nancy Ginsburg Gill in Education Week. But if higher test scores are
achieved by mandating that teachers follow a script and eschew
spontaneity and passion, we will find few great teachers left in the
classroom. In fact, we might as well save money on salaries and benefits
and employ robots to run the drills.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/07/18/43gill.h26.html
- HOW TO BEST IMPACT POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT - Recognizing that
societal responses to youth problems have lacked comprehensive planning
and have been disjointed and fragmented, policymakers across the country
are looking to new research on how best to address the challenges
associated with youth development. These new approaches are supported by
an evolving body of research that indicate a positive correlation
between youths who feel safe, valued and connected to caring adults and
their feelings about life, emotional health and enjoyment in school.
These children are also less likely to take part in risk behaviors,
according to a research brief from the West Virginia-based Education
Alliance. Consequently, adopting positive youth development models has a
beneficial impact on youths, as they will perform better in school and
demonstrate academic gains and improved personal and social development.
http://www.educationalliance.org/teaadmin/attachments/PYDResearch.pdf
LESSON PLAN
With Lincoln's Birthday coming up on February 12, let me share a lesson plan
on Lincoln that connects with the core values of Trustworthiness/Integrity.
Activity "Honest Abe"
Readiness for Activity
1) Obtain a copy of the story.
2) Materials for an art activity
Activity
1. Distribute art paper to students. Ask the students to draw a picture
of an honest person. Do not give them further directions. The purpose of the
activity is for individuals to portray their understanding of the given
traits. When the drawings are completed, have the students share their work
with the class.
2. Read aloud the story "Honest Abe" retold by Horatio Alger, pages
258-262.
3. Discussion of the story and meaning of trustworthiness and integrity
Questions
1. Explain why Abe Lincoln went out of his way to give his customers what
they were entitled to have.
2. Predict what would have happened if Mr. Crawford had told Abe not to
worry about the damaged book.
3. Why do you believe Abe Lincoln was so diligent in his readings?