Successful Students. Knowledge and performance, while important, are not the true and lasting indicators of life-long success. Our school recognizes the importance of the non-cognitive aspects of human development. Neuro scientists refer to these as executive functions, psychologists call them personality; for our purposes, we refer to them as character traits.
Researcher and author Paul Tough (2012) suggests that there are seven character traits that are strong predictors of success. These include: curiosity, gratitude, zest, optimism, self-control, social intelligence and grit.
Additionally, the work of Dweck (2006) supports the notion that the development of a growth mindset enables the development of both cognitive and noncognitive factors of life satisfaction and success. Schools that emphasize student growth over criterion-based performance are rewarded with higher attainment and achievement rates (Martin, 2015).
Further, while GPA is positively correlated with self-discipline and IQ, long term measures of life satisfaction are positively correlated with perseverance and conscientiousness (Abuhassan & Bates, 2015; Walters & Hussein, 2015; Dumfart & Neubauer, 2015).
We believe that the incorporation of character education in addition to firm academic standards will provide the best possible outcome for all students.
Character Education. Character education is defined by the National Council for Character Education (2016) as the intentional communication of the school’s core ethical values and its performance values.
“The core ethical values enable us to treat each other with fairness, respect, and care, and ensure that we pursue our performance goals in ethical rather than unethical ways. The performance values, in turn, enable us to act on our ethical values and make a positive difference in the world (NCCE, 2016)
Integrating character education as a part of the school wide PBIS plan has the potential to deepen the social/emotional instruction created by staff; it can enhance school morale, build a stronger school climate, promote just communities, enhance civic responsibility and encourage students to become cooperative, engaged, responsible citizens. The National Council for Character Education (2016) advises 11 principles for strengthening the character of a school which help guide this program:
1) All stakeholders should assent to and help promote the school’s core values as the foundation for good character
2) “Character” includes thinking, feeling, and doing
3) Successful schools use comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approaches to character development
4) The school is a caring community with a shared goal
5) The school provides opportunities for moral action
6) The school offers meaningful and challenging curriculum that respects all learners, develops character, and helps them to succeed
7) The school fosters self-motivation
8) The school staff shares the ethical responsibility for character education and adheres to the same core values that guide the students
9) The school fosters shared leadership opportunities for students
10) The school engages families and community members in the effort
11) The school regularly assesses its culture and climate
This program hopes to incorporate these 11 principles but also provide a user-friendly guide for leading character-based classroom and schoolwide interventions. Character development is an ongoing, life long process that involves all community stakeholders. With intention and strategic planning, a school develops a character that draws the best out of its students.
Planning Interventions. The interventions found in this program are formatted within the school’s 20 day plan and in follow-up monthly activities. Research supports the use of teacher-generated activities that engage the class as a community and support the use of interventions to effectively increase students’ outcomes (Rattan, Savani, Chugh & Dweck, 2015; Yeager, Romero, Paunsek, Hulleman, Schnieder, Hinojosa & Dweck, 2016; Tesia, Marshik, Kortenk & Dixon, 2015; Abuhassan & Bates, 2015; Walters & Hussein, 2015; Dumfart & Neubauer, 2015).
CALENDAR
August: Community
September: Stories
October: The Mind
November: Empathy
December: Gratitude
January: Character
February: Perspectives
March: Wellness
April: Intentions
May: Endurance
Researcher and author Paul Tough (2012) suggests that there are seven character traits that are strong predictors of success. These include: curiosity, gratitude, zest, optimism, self-control, social intelligence and grit.
Additionally, the work of Dweck (2006) supports the notion that the development of a growth mindset enables the development of both cognitive and noncognitive factors of life satisfaction and success. Schools that emphasize student growth over criterion-based performance are rewarded with higher attainment and achievement rates (Martin, 2015).
Further, while GPA is positively correlated with self-discipline and IQ, long term measures of life satisfaction are positively correlated with perseverance and conscientiousness (Abuhassan & Bates, 2015; Walters & Hussein, 2015; Dumfart & Neubauer, 2015).
We believe that the incorporation of character education in addition to firm academic standards will provide the best possible outcome for all students.
Character Education. Character education is defined by the National Council for Character Education (2016) as the intentional communication of the school’s core ethical values and its performance values.
“The core ethical values enable us to treat each other with fairness, respect, and care, and ensure that we pursue our performance goals in ethical rather than unethical ways. The performance values, in turn, enable us to act on our ethical values and make a positive difference in the world (NCCE, 2016)
Integrating character education as a part of the school wide PBIS plan has the potential to deepen the social/emotional instruction created by staff; it can enhance school morale, build a stronger school climate, promote just communities, enhance civic responsibility and encourage students to become cooperative, engaged, responsible citizens. The National Council for Character Education (2016) advises 11 principles for strengthening the character of a school which help guide this program:
1) All stakeholders should assent to and help promote the school’s core values as the foundation for good character
2) “Character” includes thinking, feeling, and doing
3) Successful schools use comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approaches to character development
4) The school is a caring community with a shared goal
5) The school provides opportunities for moral action
6) The school offers meaningful and challenging curriculum that respects all learners, develops character, and helps them to succeed
7) The school fosters self-motivation
8) The school staff shares the ethical responsibility for character education and adheres to the same core values that guide the students
9) The school fosters shared leadership opportunities for students
10) The school engages families and community members in the effort
11) The school regularly assesses its culture and climate
This program hopes to incorporate these 11 principles but also provide a user-friendly guide for leading character-based classroom and schoolwide interventions. Character development is an ongoing, life long process that involves all community stakeholders. With intention and strategic planning, a school develops a character that draws the best out of its students.
Planning Interventions. The interventions found in this program are formatted within the school’s 20 day plan and in follow-up monthly activities. Research supports the use of teacher-generated activities that engage the class as a community and support the use of interventions to effectively increase students’ outcomes (Rattan, Savani, Chugh & Dweck, 2015; Yeager, Romero, Paunsek, Hulleman, Schnieder, Hinojosa & Dweck, 2016; Tesia, Marshik, Kortenk & Dixon, 2015; Abuhassan & Bates, 2015; Walters & Hussein, 2015; Dumfart & Neubauer, 2015).
CALENDAR
August: Community
September: Stories
October: The Mind
November: Empathy
December: Gratitude
January: Character
February: Perspectives
March: Wellness
April: Intentions
May: Endurance