FOR
CHARACTER
creating
schools and communites for character!
March/April,
2003
An electronic newsletter to help you make sure CHARACTER COUNTS!sm
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…
·
A
Character Quiz
·
What's New at www.forcharacter.com
·
Implementing CHARACTER COUNTS! What Works
and What Doesn’t
·
Training Opportunities From the Josephson Institute
·
Michael Josephson Commentary
Welcome to the new subscribers who attended break-out
sessions I did at national conferences in Orlando and Savannah over the past
two months. For new and old subscribers, this Electronic Newsletter is sent as
a means to help you in whatever your role is in making character count in your
school or community.
To begin this issue, I’d like you to take a brief quiz. Since this is a
“character newsletter”, no cheating.
Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
1.
Name
the last five Heisman trophy winners.
2.
Name
the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
3.
Name
ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
4.
Name
the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
5.
Name
the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the
headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best
in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are
forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1.
List a few teachers who aided your journey through
school.
2.
Name three friends who have helped you through a
difficult time.
3.
Name five people who have taught you something
worthwhile.
4.
Think of a few people who have made you feel
appreciated and special.
5.
Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6.
Name
half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.
Easier? The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life and
mine are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most
awards. They are the ones who care.
Gary Smit
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
·
PROFOUNDLY MULTICULTURAL QUESTIONS
Educators must ask themselves profoundly multicultural questions, that is,
troubling questions about equity, access, and fair play -- questions that
examine the sociopolitical context of education and school policies and
practices. Who is taking calculus and other academically challenging courses?
Are programs for bilingual or special education students placed in the
basement? Who is teaching the children -- for example, why aren't highly
qualified teachers teaching children in low-income districts? How much are
children worth -- do we value some children over others? According to Sandra
Nieto, until we confront these broader issues and do something about them, we
will be only partially successful in educating young people for the challenging
future.
http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/0212/nieto.html
·
GIRLS FORM ADDICTIONS FASTER
Girls and young women get hooked on cigarettes, alcohol and drugs more quickly and for different reasons than boys and should receive specialized treatment that reflects that, according to a study released February 5. Teen girls often begin smoking and drinking to relieve stress or alleviate depression, while boys do it for thrills or heightened social status, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. “(Girls) get hooked faster, they get hooked using lesser amounts of alcohol and drugs and cocaine, and they suffer the consequences faster and more severely,” said Joseph Califano Jr., center chairman. Califano said prevention and treatment centers need to deal with the risk factors leading to female substance abuse. The study, based on a nationwide survey of more than 1,200 females ages 8 to 22, found little difference in the percentage of boys and girls who smoke, drink and use drugs. Approximately 45 percent of high school girls drink alcohol, compared with 49 percent of boys, and girls outpace boys in the use of prescription drugs, the study found.
Devlin Barrett, The Associated Press “Girls form addictions faster, study suggests” The Arizona Republic, February 6, 2003 http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/articles/0206girldrugs06.html
·
CIVILITY, INCIVILITY, CURSING AND POLITENESS IN AN
URBAN HIGH SCHOOL
A certain level of civility in schools is essential to successful teaching and learning. Studies of the formal organization and informal social systems of schools, however, depict currents of hostility and confrontation between students and teachers. In order to motivate a discussion of the balance struck between civility and incivility, the authors of this study present data on cursing and politeness in one urban, public high school. Survey responses from 225 seniors suggest that (a) students are more often polite than rude toward teachers, but students also curse a lot; (b) students are more polite toward teachers than among themselves, and are much more likely to curse among fellow students than in the presence of teachers; (c) students describe themselves as capable of being either polite or crude; and (d) cursing at teachers depends upon the people and situation involved. The authors suggest that cursing in school is both context-dependent and a form of unofficially sanctioned rebellion that does not necessarily lead to conflict.
http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=10760
·
THE KIDS ARE HURTING
Gripped by depression and anxiety, adolescents are swamping psychiatric wards
and therapist offices across the country. This stressed-out generation of
American youth is caught in a double-bind: intensifying pressure to meet an
ever higher standard of success. The devastating toll that abuse, poverty and
violence take on mental health cannot be overstated. But emotional illness in
children is no longer a problem that can be written off as yet another ill of
the underclass. It also touches children in suburban towns, children who are
comfortable. The stress they deal with every day is powerful -- and everywhere.
They are under pressure to live up to ever-higher expectations of teachers and
parents. They are bombarded by images of perfection in ads, on television and
in movies. They are subjected to the increasingly harsh judgment of their
peers. At the same time, children often are forced to navigate this new world
without the support and stability that used to be a given in many families.
"Human beings are not wimps. We can deal with adversity. But our research
shows that our ability to deal with stuff is limited -- and everyone has a
breaking point," said James Garbarino, a professor of human development at
Cornell University.
http://www.ctnow.com/news/health/hc-genstressday1dec15.story
·
HONORING THE TEACHER’S HEART
If schools are to be places that promote academic, social, and personal development
for students, writes Sam Intrator everything hinges on the presence of
intelligent, passionate, caring teachers working day after day in our nation's
classrooms. Teachers have a colossal influence on what happens in our schools,
because day after day, they are the ultimate decision makers and tone setters.
They shape the world of the classroom by the activities they plan, the focus
they attend to, and the relationships they nurture. If we want to attract and
retain intelligent, passionate, caring teachers, we had better figure out what
will sustain their vitality and faith in teaching. Education depends on what
teachers do in their classrooms, and what teachers do in their classrooms is
shaped by who they are, what they believe, and how vital and alive they are
when they step before their students.
http://www.teacherformation.org/html/rr/teachers_heart-f.cfm
·
DIALOGUE ON FREEDOM: LAWYERS URGED TO EXPLAIN
DEMOCRACY TO STUDENTS
A Dialogue on Freedom is a carefully planned discussion between a lawyer or
judge and a class of high school students. The program explores American values
and civic traditions and the underlying principles of a free and democratic
society. This site offers tips on preparing for, leading, and following up on
classroom dialogues.
http://www.abanet.org/dialogue/
WHAT’S NEW ON THE FOR CHARACTER WEB SITE?
How to Teach the Six Pillars of Character
Also, there is a site map that will help you to navigate the web site.
IMPLEMENTING
CHARACTER COUNTS!“ What Works and What Doesn’t - John Forenti, Tulare County Office of Education Character Counts
Coordinator
Under the leadership of County Superintendent of Schools Jim Vidak, CHARACTER COUNTS! has become enormously successful as the character education program of choice in Tulare County, California. As CHARACTER COUNTS! Coordinator for the Tulare County Office of Education, I’m often asked how to effectively implement CHARACTER COUNTS! It’s a good question and deserves a clear and measured response. Some things work. Others do not.
The following do not work: Visual awareness efforts that lack substance. Posters, award ribbons and bulletin board material are all great ways to advocate the traits of good character, but they will fade away in short order if they are not part of an overall character development program that is purposeful and pervasive throughout the school environment. Institutions and individuals whose stated values are inconsistent with their operational values is not effective. If we tell our kids that honesty is good and dishonesty is bad, that doing our duty is important and that we should play by the rules and not cheat....then we need to get those radar detectors off our dashboards and return those shopping carts!!
The following work: Consistently using the common vocabulary of CHARACTER COUNTS! and the Six Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship) Using the TEAM strategy. TEACHING the principles of the Six Pillars by integrating them into existing curriculum or by using lesson plans provided by the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition. ENFORCING the Six Pillars by conferring appropriate negative sanctions and positive rewards when students violate and uphold them respectively. ADVOCATING the Six Pillars by continuously and vigorously expressing to our youth the value we attach to the traits associated with good character. MODELING the principled behaviors of the Six Pillars in all aspects of our life. Remember: Being a role model is not a voluntary position. Everything we say and do sends a message about what we believe and value!!
Finally, because none of us is perfect and will, from time to time, do things we wish we hadn’t, we have to be willing to consistently engage in a process of self examination and self reflection. This will allow us to make improvements when necessary, thus increasing the likelihood that we will “walk our talk.” I don’t believe that our children expect us to be perfect. However, they will take the measure of our resolve when we error. Our willingness to own up to our mistakes and make a good faith effort not to repeat them will not only demonstrate the strength of that resolve, but the strength of our character as well.
The February 15 issue of “The Achiever” which is the U.S. Department of Education publication related to the No Child Left Behind Act, features character education and its role in school reform. The “No Child Left Behind Act” sets high standards not only for developing students’ academic skills but also for enriching their values. Title V of the law-which focuses on efforts promoting informed parental choice and innovative programs – recognized parents, schools and communities as allies in the moral education of the nation’s children. The publication shares information about how the Department of Education will provide grants to design and put into practice instruction about character and values. For a copy of “The Achiever” check out the No Child Left Behind Web site. http://www.nclb.gov/Newsletter/20030215.pdf
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE JOSEPHSON
INSTITUTE
So to make it easier for individuals to attend
trainings on CHARACTER COUNTS!, and to encourage them to do so earlier in the
year, during our slower season, the Institute is temporarily slashing tuition.
Rates will be as follows:
Character Development Course (CDS) Open
Enrollment Courses
Normal cost: $895 per person -Through March
31, 2003:
1-3 people $595
per person (savings of $300)
4-6 people $545
per person (savings of $350)
7-9 people $495
per person (savings of $400)
10+ people $445
per person (savings of $450)
CDS Contracted Courses (trainings brought to
your area for at least 35 people)
Normal cost: $22,500 total - Through May 31, 2003: $17,500 - Savings:
$5,000
Read about the CDS seminars and register online at http://www.charactercounts.org/cdtrain.htm
Ethics in Sports Courses - For discounts,
please check the website at:
http://www.charactercounts.org/sports/sports.htm
COMMENTARY BY MICHAEL JOSEPHSON
The Preciousness of Life
Here
we are on the very brink of going to war, a war we're told will protect
American lives from future acts of terror and that will doubtless claim
thousands of American and Iraqi lives,
and the sudden death of just seven people -- the astronauts who manned the
Columbia Space Shuttle -- dramatically reminds us of the preciousness of each
human life. It's like a mini review of
the emotional hurricane we experienced when television and newspapers gave
names, faces and family histories to each of the thousands of people murdered
in the September 11th attacks. Then, as now, we only begin to understand the
vastness of the calamity when we acknowledge that each person killed was
someone's child, parent, sister or brother, friend or co-worker who will be
missed and mourned by networks of people sentenced to suffer endless shades of
grief.
We're so pummeled with statistics about murder rates,
people killed by drunk drivers and victims of AIDS or smoking-related deaths,
that we can lose sight of our enormous responsibility to act responsibly and
honor and revere the sanctity of every single human life.
A favorite poem, "The Dash", by Linda Ellis,
reminds us that our lives will someday be represented by two dates separated by
a dash -- the day of our birth and the day of our death. And that what matters
most "is not how much we own; the cars…the house…the cash. What matters is
how we live and love and how we spend our dash."
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character
counts.
*You can get the
full poem, "The Dash" from Linda's website at:www.LindasLyrics.com