Character
Citizenship
Service
Informational
Handbook & Guide II
for Support and Implementation of the
Student Citizen Act of 2001
( Character and Civic Education)
“ Intelligence plus character— that is the goal of true education.”
— Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Public Schools of North Carolina
State Board of Education
Department of Public Instruction
Middle Grades Division;
School Safety and Climate Section
Character Education
www. ncpublicschools. org
Character
Education
Character
Citizenship
Service
Character
Education
Informational
Handbook & Guide II
for Support and Implementation of the
Student Citizen Act of 2001
( Character and Civic Education)
“ Intelligence plus character— that is the goal of true education.”
— Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Public Schools of North Carolina
State Board of Education
Department of Public Instruction
Middle Grades Division;
School Safety and Climate Section
Character Education
www. ncpublicschools. org
Character Education Informational Handbook and Guide II
Developed and Printed 2006
NCDPI Character Education Consutant: Crystal Reardon
Project Coordinator: Charlie Abourjilie, Special Consultant to NCDPI Character Education
Project Team: Debra Henzy, Civic Education Consortium
Daintry O’Brian, Kids Voting NC
Sandy Cook, Newspapers in Education
Charlie Abourjilie, Eastern Guilford High School
Crystal Reardon, NCDPI
Design and layout by Sara Sanders, SHS Design
June 20, 2006
Dear Educator:
Since passing the Student Citizen Act of 2001, our state legislature and our governor have continued
to partner with the Public Schools of North Carolina to support character education. We all realize
that schools must be safe, orderly and caring communities where all students have every opportunity
to learn and develop strong character. Our local boards of education, our schools, and our
communities are continuing the commitment toward preparing our students for full participation in a
democratic society.
We are proud to make the second edition of the North Carolina Education Informational Handbook
& Guide available to you. This handbook has been updated to offer you a renewed look at the
Student Citizen Act of 2001 and to serve as a tool for your continued efforts in implementing
character education into your school or district. The ideas presented in this book are an outline that
you may draw upon, but the real strength of your initiative will come from the collaborative efforts of
your school, families and community.
We wish you continued success in this effort, and we thank you for all that you do to support the
students of North Carolina.
Sincerely,
Howard N. Lee June St. Clair Atkinson
HNL/ JSA/ mcw
OFFICE OF THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT
June St. Clair Atkinson, Ed. D., State Superintendent | jatkinson@ dpi. state. nc. us
6301 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699- 6301 | ( 919) 807- 3430 | Fax ( 919) 807- 3445
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
.
v
Overview of this Handbook and Guide
“ Intelligence plus character— that is the goal of true education.”
— Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
T his handbook, as well as the information provided, is intended for use as an introductory guide to
character education for local boards of education, superintendents, character education
liaisons/ coordinators, principals, teachers, community members, and anyone influencing the lives of
our children through our public schools.
In the fall of 2001, the Student Citizen Act of 2001 ( SL 2001- 363) was passed into law by the
North Carolina State Legislature. This Act requires every local board of education to develop and
implement character education instruction with input from the local community. In addition, the
legislation directs the State Board of Education to modify the middle and high school social studies
curriculum to include instruction in civic and citizenship education. The Act also calls for local boards
of education to adopt reasonable dress codes for students.
With the passage of the Student Citizen Act of 2001, the state of North Carolina has affirmed that
the development of character in our children is the cornerstone of education. In fact, throughout
history, the very foundation of American education has been the preparation of students for life and
full participation in a democratic society. Benjamin Franklin said, “ Nothing is more important to the
public weal [ well- being] than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue.”
Today, more than ever, societal needs call for a renewed emphasis on traits such as respect,
responsibility, integrity, and citizenship in the public schools. While many teachers and administrators
across the state are effectively fostering the development of character in students, there is still much work
to do. That is why the NC Department of Public Instruction is now following up to our first Character
Education Informational Handbook & Guide ( 2002), with this whole new second edition containing an
even stronger focus on service learning and citizenship through the power of student voice.
Character education is not new to North Carolina, but it is time for a renewed commitment from
our local boards of education and all of our schools, both to meet the requirements of the law and to
make progress in priority areas facing our teachers and schools. For example, character education is,
or can be, a key component in the following areas:
• Improving school and classroom climate
• Creating safer ( Safe & Drug Free) and more caring schools
• Closing the achievement gap
• Helping address teacher recruitment and retention
• Academic achievement for all
• Academic integrity
• Professional ethics
• Athletic and extracurricular participation
• Health and physical education
• Service to others
• Community building and commitment
But, ABOVE ALL ELSE, this commitment is to and for ALL of our CHILDREN, their PARENTS, and
every COMMUNITY in North Carolina.
.
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE vii
Table of
Contents
Defining and Understanding Character Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
What Is Character Education? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Definitions and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Components of Character Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
10 More Good Reasons for Character Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
CEP’s Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
The Student Citizen Act of 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Overview of the Student Citizen Act of 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Ideas and Best Practices in Character Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Selections from the North Carolina Character Educator of the Year ( NCCEY) Awards . . . . . . . . .18
sponsored by the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University
“ Fridays At Glenwood”/ Exploris Middle School, Raleigh ( 2002 Winner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
“ What Makes a Good Person?” / West Caldwell High School, Lenoir ( 2002 Winner) . . . . . . . .23
“ Teaching Character Education In Everything You Do”,
Hillcrest Elementary School, Burlington ( 1999 Winner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
“ Building A Better Me”/ Balfour Elementary, Hendersonville ( 1999 Winner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Lessons from Growing Character by award winning teacher, Deb Austin Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
The Character Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Defining Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Honor Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
From Work Ethic to Life Ethic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Teacher Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Our Decisions Define Us! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Responsible Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Look for the Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Peer Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Monthly Goal- Setting Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Report Card Goal- Setting Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Character Journals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Success Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Heroes in Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
“ Character is POWER.”
— Booker T. Washington
viii CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Character in the Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Weekly Communication Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Homework in Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Let Your Character Shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
A+ B= C ( Attitudes + Behavior = Character) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Poetry from Rama Road Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Pat- A- Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Respect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Great Relationship Builders for the Secondary Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Handshake! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
“ Thank You” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Celebrate a Classmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Smart & Good High Schools; Integrating Excellence and Ethics for Success in School,
Work and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Executive Summary from the national study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Principles of a Smart & Good High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
A Report to the Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
10 Tips in Character Education for Volunteers & Mentors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Kids Voting and Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Service Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
What is Service Learning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
What is Civic Education? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Benefits of Student Service and Service Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Learn and Serve America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Ten Steps for Bringing Service to Your Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Service Learning in Action at Every Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Service Learning– vs– Service Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Service Experiences in NC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Planning Quality Service Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Service- Learning Curriculum Integration Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Team Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Ways to Reflect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE ix
Student Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
What is Student Voice? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
What is a Student Council? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Guidelines and Principles for Student Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Project 540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
How Administrators Can Support and Enhance Student Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Current Events and Contemporary Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Ideas to get schools started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Other sources of news besides NC newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Newspapering--- Print, Broadcast and the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Current Events in Language Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
A Community At Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Social Studies Problem Solving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Demonstrating Traits Important in a Democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Glossary of Traits or Dispositions Important in America’s Constitutional Democracy . . . . . . . . .109
Marks of Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
RESOURCES for Service- Learning, Student Voice and Student Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
308 Quotes for the Classroom! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Ideas on how to use quotes in your classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
The Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
“ Great learning and superior abilities will be
of little value... unless virtue, truth and
integrity are added to them.”
— Abigail Adams
.
defining&
understanding
Defining and
Understanding
Character
Education
2 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Defining &
Understanding
Character
Education
“ Character education is not
something new to add to your plate.
It is the plate!”
— Superintendent John Walko ( NY school)
WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION?
C haracter Education is a national movement creating schools that foster ethical, responsible, and
caring young people by modeling and teaching good character through an emphasis on universal
values that we all share. It is the INTENTIONAL, PROACTIVE effort by schools, districts, and states to
instill in their students important core, ethical values such as respect for self and others, responsibility,
integrity, and self- discipline. It is not a “ quick fix” or silver- bullet cure- all. It provides long- term solutions
that address moral, ethical, and academic issues that are of growing concern about our society and the
safety of our schools. Character education may address such critical concerns as student absenteeism,
discipline problems, drug abuse, gang violence, teen pregnancy and poor academic performance. At
its best, character education integrates positive values into every aspect of the school day.
Character education...
• is taught through modeling, climate, and curriculum.
• comes from the HOME, COMMUNITY and the SCHOOLS.
• is a proactive way of adapting and using existing educational materials to promote
understanding and inspire the development of good character traits among all students in
every part of their learning experience.
• is learning how to make good decisions and choices.
• is learning about positive relationships and their development based upon our development
and depth of character.
• is grounded in RELATIONSHIPS and school culture.
• is a PROCESS, not just a program.
• at its best, is comprehensive school reform.
• is informed by research, theory and most importantly, teacher and student involvement.
• is bringing out the BEST in ALL OF US— students and teachers.
“ Effective character education is not adding a program or set of
programs to a school. Rather it is a transformation of the culture
and life of the school.”
— Dr. Marvin Berkowitz
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 3
Definitions and Benefits
Character Education is the deliberate effort to help people understand, care about, and act upon
core ethical values.* An intentional and comprehensive character education initiative provides a lens
through which every aspect of school becomes an opportunity for character development.
Benefits:
• It promotes character development through the exploration of ethical issues across the
curriculum.
• It develops a positive and moral climate by engaging the participation of students, teachers
and staff, parents, and communities.
• It teaches how to solve conflicts fairly, creating safer schools that are freer of intimidation, fear,
and violence, and are more conducive to learning.
Civic Education consists of both a core curriculum and teaching strategies that give students the
knowledge, skills, virtues, and confidence to actively participate in democratic life.
Benefits:
• It teaches how government, businesses, community groups, and nonprofits work together to
create strong communities.
• It emphasizes that both individual and group participation is important to the vitality of
communities and critical to sustaining our democratic way of life.
• It teaches civility and respect for others when deliberating, negotiating, organizing, and
advocating for one’s own positions on public issues.
Service- Learning is a pedagogy that connects meaningful community service experiences with
academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility. Service- learning goes beyond
extracurricular community service because it involves participants in reading, reflection and analysis;
provides students an opportunity to develop a personal connection to what they are learning; and
creates a context for the application of concepts introduced in the classroom.
Benefits:
• It enhances the educational goals of the curriculum through experiential learning and critical
reflection.
• It helps students develop the skills and virtues required for full participation and leadership
in their democratic communities.
• It serves the public good by providing a needed service to individuals, organization, schools,
or other entities in the community.
* Opening sentence taken from The Center For the 4th and 5th Rs ( Respect and Responsibility), Dr. Thomas Lickona, State
University of New York at Cortland.
Developed by the Governor’s Character Education Advisory Committee 2001
4 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Components of Character Education
A fter more than a decade of experience with diverse communities, educators learned that these
components are critical to the lasting success of character education:
Community participation. Have educators, parents, students, and members of the community
invest themselves in a consensus- building process to discover common ground that is
essential for long- term success.
Character education policy. Make character education a part of your philosophy, goal or
mission statement by adopting a formal policy. Don’t just say it— put it in writing.
Defined traits. Have a meeting of parents, teachers and community representatives and use
consensus to get agreement on which character traits to reinforce and what definitions to
use. Formally state what your school means by “ courage” or “ perseverance” before they are
discussed with students. ( The suggested traits listed in the Student Citizen Act might be a
great place to start.)
Integrated curriculum. Make character education integral to the curriculum at all grade levels.
Take the traits you have chosen and connect them to classroom lessons, so students see
how a trait might figure into a story or be part of a science experiment or how it might affect
them. Make these traits a part of every class and every subject.
Experiential learning. Allow your students to see the trait in action, experience it and express it.
Include community- based, real- world experiences in your curriculum that illustrate
character traits ( e. g., service learning, cooperative learning and peer mentoring). Allow
time for discussion and reflection.
Evaluation. Evaluate character education from two perspectives: ( 1) Is the program affecting positive
changes in student behavior, academic achievement and cognitive understanding of the
traits? ( 2) Is the implementation process providing the tools and support teachers need?
Adult role models. Children “ learn what they live,” so it is important that adults demonstrate
positive character traits at home, school and in the community. If adults do not model the
behavior they teach, the entire program will fail.
Staff development. Provide development and training time for your staff so that they can create
and implement character education on an ongoing basis. Include time for discussion and
understanding of both the process and the programs, as well as for the creation of lesson
plans and curricula.
Student involvement. Involve students in age- appropriate activities and allow them to connect
character education to their learning, decision- making and personal goals as you integrate
the process into their school.
Sustaining the program. The character education program is sustained and renewed through
implementation of the first nine elements, with particular attention to a high level of
commitment from the top: adequate funding; support for district coordination staff; high
quality and ongoing professional development; and a networking and support system for
teachers who are implementing the program.
From Field- tested Resources in Character Education, Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 5
more... 10 More Good Reasons
for Character Education
I n Thomas Lickona’s Educating for Character, he identified 10 wide- ranging reasons for the need for
character education, not only in our schools but also within our society. His splendid work appeals
to all of us— parents, educators, neighbors, and community leaders. The following list is in addition to
Dr. Lickona’s. This was created in response to the pressure teachers and schools face daily.
1. Purpose. Why did you become a teacher or get into education in the first place? Your answer is
your purpose. We all got into education for essentially the same reason— to touch the lives of children.
To positively impact the life of a child. We all wanted to, and still want to, make a difference.
2. Focus. The demands and scrutiny on teachers and public education today are higher than ever
before. It’s quite easy for teachers to become buried in societal and institutional demands. And yet, we
must not lose focus of why we are there in that classroom— for children. We must place our focus on
the needs and possibilities of our children. They are our future.
3. Safe Schools. In the wake of recent school tragedies, all too often people were left asking,“ What
went wrong with “ those” kids? Where were the parents? Why didn’t the school know this was going to
happen? Who else is to blame? Safe schools aren’t about blame and scorn, fancy programs, more
money or even improved self- defense. They are about the people inside those buildings and the
environment they create. The same can be said of character education. It’s not about pretty posters and
motivational quotes. It is about people caring about others.
4. Achievement. When teachers have more time to teach in a civil, respectful environment, and
children feel safe, appreciated and respected— then real achievement and learning can take place. It’s
called a quality learning environment, and the research shows that how students feel about their
learning environment and their opportunity for success are crucial factors in student achievement. The
evidence is clear, from New Mexico, to Ohio, to North Carolina and hundreds of places in between,
academic achievement can be a powerful byproduct of successful character education efforts.
5. Diversity. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that one day his children would be
judged, “ not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” That dream becomes a real
possibility when we realize that nearly all cultures, world religions and schools of thought have their
most basic tenet in common— TREAT OTHERS THE WAY THAT YOU WANT TO BE TREATED. Many refer
to this as the “ Golden Rule.” Words and language may change, in Judaism it is stated as “ What you hate,
do not do to anyone” and in Hindu as “ Do nothing to thy neighbors which thou wouldst not have them
do to thee,” but they all yield the most common character trait of RESPECT. Appreciating diversity
begins with knowing and understanding those things we have most in common.
6. Not the “ Flavor of the Month.” Character education” is nothing new. Discipline, civility,
respect for self, others and society, teachers as role models— these things have been a part of education
for as long as people have been learning. Character education is simply true, quality teaching. It’s not
a program to implement and then set on a shelf until you go on to something else. It’s a process of
caring and determination. Strength lies in comprehensive processes, not in new, short lived programs.
6 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
7. “ At- Risk” Students. All children are “ at- risk” at some point in their life. And all children,
whether they are labeled “ at- risk” or not, need mentors, role models and caring adults in their lives.
They crave nurturing, caring, positive relationships— the essence of character education. All children,
labeled or not, want to be successful, appreciated and feel a sense of belonging. There may be no truer
statement than the words of James F. Hind, “ You’ve got to REACH them before you can teach them.”
8. Transition. Educators around the world spend countless hours and dollars trying to come up
with a solution to making the transition from elementary to middle and middle to high school easier
for children, both socially and academically. The process of character education is a pre- K through 12
process that ideally utilizes the same language, high expectations and high regard for relationships,
throughout the school life of a child. Common language, similar rules and procedures, and common
expectations make for a smoother transition.
9. Work Force Readiness. One major goal of schools in all communities is to prepare our
children for the world of work. Much of this preparation focuses on vocational and technical skill and
knowledge, as it should. But we can’t forget what employers crave most— quality people with a strong
sense of respect for themselves and others and high levels of responsibility, determination and self-discipline.
Any and all businesses are going to train new employees to do “ their way,” but they first need
and want quality people of character to employ.
10. Teachers and Students. The results of well implemented character education practices is a
gift for both teachers and students. Teachers want to teach. They want to make a positive difference by
touching lives. Students want to feel accepted and they want to learn. They want limits, structure and
guidance. Character education can be those things for both teachers and students. For the teacher,
improved classroom climate and student motivation make our jobs much easier. All students will tell
you that the teachers who mean the most are the ones who care. Character education is a win- win
situation for all involved!
Adapted from Developing Character for Classroom Success.
Abourjilie
1CHARACTER EDU1 CATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 7
CEP’s Eleven Principles
of Effective Character
EducationTM
By Tom Lickona, Ed. D.
Eric Schaps, Ph. D.
Catherine Lewis, Ph. D.
T here is no single script for effective character education, but
there are some important basic principles. The following eleven
principles serve as criteria that schools and other groups can use to
plan a character education effort and to evaluate available
character education programs, books, and curriculum resources.
EFFECTIVE CHARACTER EDUCATION:
1. Promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character.
Character education holds that widely shared, pivotally important, core
ethical values— such as caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect for
self and others— form the basis of good character. A school committed to
character development stands for these values ( sometimes referred to as
“ virtues” or “ character traits”), defines them in terms of behaviors that can be
observed in the life of the school, models these values, studies and discusses
them, uses them as the basis of human relations in the school, celebrates their
manifestations in the school and community, and holds all school members
accountable to standards of conduct consistent with the core values.
In a school committed to developing character, these core values are
treated as a matter of obligation, as having a claim on the conscience of the
individual and community. Character education asserts that the validity of
these values, and our responsibility to uphold them, derive from the fact that
such values affirm our human dignity, promote the development and welfare
of the individual person, serve the common good, meet the classical tests of
reversibility ( i. e., Would you want to be treated this way?) and universality
( i. e., Would you want all persons to act this way in a similar situation?), and
inform our rights and responsibilities in a democratic society. The school
makes clear that these basic human values transcend religious and cultural
differences, and express our common humanity.
© Character Education Partnership, 2003
8 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
2. Defines “ character” comprehensively to include thinking, feeling,
and behavior.
Good character involves understanding, caring about, and acting upon core
ethical values. A holistic approach to character development therefore seeks
to develop the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of moral life.
Students grow to understand core values by studying and discussing them,
observing behavioral models, and resolving problems involving the values.
Students learn to care about core values by developing empathy skills,
forming caring relationships, helping to create community, hearing
illustrative and inspirational stories, and reflecting on life experiences. And
they learn to act upon core values by developing prosocial behaviors ( e. g.,
communicating feelings, active listening, helping skills) and by repeatedly
practicing these behaviors, especially in the context of relationships ( e. g.,
through cross- age tutoring, mediating conflicts, community service). As
children grow in character, they develop an increasingly refined
understanding of the core values, a deeper commitment to living according
to those values, and a stronger capacity and tendency to behave in
accordance with them.
3. Uses a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach
to character development.
Schools committed to character development look at themselves through a
moral lens to assess how virtually everything that goes on in school affects the
character of students. A comprehensive approach uses all aspects of schooling
as opportunities for character development. This includes what is sometimes
called the hidden curriculum ( e. g., school ceremonies and procedures; the
teachers’ example; students’ relationships with teachers, other school staff,
and each other; the instructional process; how student diversity is addressed;
the assessment of learning; the management of the school environment; the
discipline policy); the academic curriculum ( i. e., core subjects, including the
health curriculum); and extracurricular programs ( i. e., sports teams, clubs,
service projects, after- school care). “ Stand alone” character education
programs can be useful first steps or helpful elements of an ongoing effort but
are not an adequate substitute for a holistic approach that integrates character
development into every aspect of school life. Finally, rather than simply
waiting for opportunities to arise, with an intentional and proactive approach,
the school staff takes deliberate steps for developing character, drawing
wherever possible on practices shown by research to be effective.
4. Creates a caring school community.
A school committed to character strives to become a microcosm of a civil,
caring, and just society. It does this by creating a community that helps all its
members form caring attachments to one another. This involves developing
caring relationships among students ( within and across grade levels), among
staff, between students and staff, and between staff and families. These caring
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 9
relationships foster both the desire to learn and the desire to be a good
person. All children and adolescents have needs for safety, belonging, and the
experience of contributing, and they are more likely to internalize the values
and expectations of groups that meet these needs. Likewise, if staff members
and parents experience mutual respect, fairness, and cooperation in their
relationships with each other, they are more likely to develop the capacity to
promote those values in students. In a caring school community, the daily life
of classrooms and all other parts of the school environment ( e. g., the
corridors, cafeteria, playground, school bus, front office, and teachers’
lounge) are imbued with a climate of concern and respect for others.
5. Provides students with opportunities for moral action.
In the ethical as in the intellectual domain, students are constructive
learners; they learn best by doing. To develop good character, they need
many and varied opportunities to apply values such as compassion,
responsibility, and fairness in everyday interactions and discussions as well as
through community service. By grappling with real- life challenges ( e. g., how
to divide the labor in a cooperative learning group, how to reach consensus
in a class meeting, how to reduce fights on the playground, how to carry out
a service learning project) and reflecting on these experiences, students
develop practical understanding of the requirements of cooperating with
others and giving of oneself. Through repeated moral experiences, students
develop and practice the skills and behavioral habits that make up the action
side of character.
6. Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects
all learners, develops their character, and helps them to succeed.
When students succeed at the work of school and feel a sense of
competence and autonomy, they are more likely to feel valued and cared
about as persons. Because students come to school with diverse skills,
interests and needs, an academic program that helps all students succeed
will be one in which the content and pedagogy are sophisticated enough to
engage all learners. This means providing a curriculum that is inherently
interesting and meaningful to students. A meaningful curriculum includes
active teaching and learning methods such as cooperative learning, problem-solving
approaches, and experience- based projects. These approaches
increase student autonomy by appealing to students’ interests, providing
them with opportunities to think creatively and test their ideas, and fostering
a sense of “ voice and choice”— having a say in decisions and plans that
affect them.
In addition, effective character educators look for the natural
intersections between the academic content they wish to teach and the
character qualities they wish to develop. These “ character connections” can
take many forms, such as addressing current ethical issues in science,
debating historical practices and decisions, and discussing character traits
and ethical dilemmas in literature. When teachers bring to the fore the
10 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
character dimension of the curriculum, they enhance the relevance of
subject matter to students’ natural interests and questions, and in the process,
increase student engagement and achievement.
7. Strives to foster students’ self- motivation.
Character is often defined as “ doing the right thing when no one is looking.”
The best underlying ethical reason for following rules, for example, is respect
for the rights and needs of others— not fear of punishment or desire for a
reward. Similarly, we want students to be kind to others because of an inner
belief that kindness is good and a desire to be a kind person. Growing in self-motivation
is a developmental process that schools of character are careful
not to undermine by excessive emphasis on extrinsic incentives. When such
schools give appropriate social recognition for students’ prosocial actions
( e. g., “ Thank you for holding the door— that was a thoughtful thing to do.”)
or celebrate character through special awards ( e. g., for outstanding school or
community service), they keep the focus on character. Schools of character
work with students to develop their understanding of rules, their awareness
of how their behavior affects others, and the character strengths— such as
self- control, perspective taking, and conflict resolution skills— needed to act
responsibly in the future. Rather than settle for mere compliance, these
schools seek to help students benefit from their mistakes by providing
meaningful opportunities for reflection, problem solving, and restitution.
8. 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.
All school staff— teachers, administrators, counselors, school psychologists,
coaches, secretaries, cafeteria workers, playground aides, bus drivers— need to
be involved in learning about, discussing, and taking ownership of the character
education effort. First and foremost, staff members assume this responsibility by
modeling the core values in their own behavior and taking advantage of other
opportunities to influence the students with whom they interact.
Second, the same values and norms that govern the life of students serve
to govern the collective life of adult members in the school community. Like
students, adults grow in character by working collaboratively with each other
and participating in decision- making that improves classrooms and school.
They also benefit from extended staff development and opportunities to
observe colleagues and then apply character development strategies in their
own work with students.
Third, a school that devotes time to staff reflection on moral matters helps
to ensure that it operates with integrity. Through faculty meetings and smaller
support groups, a reflective staff regularly asks questions such as: What
character building experiences is the school already providing for its
students? What negative moral experiences ( e. g., peer cruelty, student
cheating, adult disrespect of students, littering of the grounds) is the school
currently failing to address? And what important moral experiences ( e. g.,
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 11
cooperative learning, school and community service, opportunities to learn
about and interact with people from different racial, ethnic, and
socioeconomic backgrounds) is the school now omitting? What school
practices are at odds with its professed core values and desire to develop a
caring school community? Reflection of this nature is an indispensable
condition for developing the moral life of a school.
9. Fosters shared moral leadership and long- range support of the
character education initiative.
Schools that are engaged in effective character education have leaders ( e. g.,
the principal, a lead teacher or counselor, a district administrator, or preferably
a small group of such individuals) who champion the effort. At least initially,
many schools and districts establish a character education committee— often
composed of staff, students, parents, and possibly community members— that
takes responsibility for planning, implementation, and support. Over time, the
regular governing bodies of the school or district may take on the functions of
this committee. The leadership also takes steps to provide for the long- range
support ( e. g., adequate staff development, time to plan) of the character
education initiative, including, ideally, support at the district and state levels. In
addition, within the school students assume developmentally appropriate
roles in leading the character education effort through class meetings, student
government, peer mediation, cross- age tutoring, service clubs, task forces, and
student- led initiatives.
10. Engages families and community members as partners in the
character- building effort.
Schools that reach out to families and include them in character- building
efforts greatly enhance their chances for success with students. They take
pains at every stage to communicate with families— via newsletters, e- mails,
family nights, and parent conferences— about goals and activities regarding
character education. To build greater trust between home and school,
parents are represented on the character education committee. These
schools also make a special effort to reach out to subgroups of parents who
may not feel part of the school community. Finally, schools and families
enhance the effectiveness of their partnership by recruiting the help of the
wider community ( i. e., businesses, youth organizations, religious institutions,
the government, and the media) in promoting character development.
11. Evaluates the character of the school, the school staff’s functioning as
character educators, and the extent to which students manifest good
character.
Effective character education must include an effort to assess progress. Three
broad kinds of outcomes merit attention:
a. The character of the school: To what extent is the school becoming a
more caring community? This can be assessed, for example, with surveys that
11
12 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
ask students to indicate the extent to which they agree with statements such
as, “ Students in this school ( classroom) respect and care about each other,”
and “ This school ( classroom) is like a family.”
b. The school staff’s growth as character educators: To what extent have
adult staff— teaching faculty, administrators, and support personnel—
developed understandings of what they can do to foster character
development? Personal commitment to doing so? Skills to carry it out?
Consistent habits of acting upon their developing capacities as character
educators?
c. Student character: To what extent do students manifest understanding of,
commitment to, and action upon the core ethical values? Schools can, for
example, gather data on various character- related behaviors: Has student
attendance gone up? Fights and suspensions gone down? Vandalism declined?
Drug incidents diminished? Schools can also assess the three domains of
character ( knowing, feeling, and behaving) through anonymous
questionnaires that measure student moral judgment ( for example, “ Is it wrong
to cheat on a test?”), moral commitment (“ Would you cheat if you were sure
you wouldn’t get caught?”) and self- reported moral behavior (“ How many
times have you cheated on a test or major assignment in the past year?”). Such
questionnaires can be administered at the beginning of a school’s character
initiative to get a baseline and again at later points to assess progress.
MORE RESOURCES...
Eleven Principles SOURCEBOOK Interested in starting or improving upon a character education
initiative in your school or district? The Eleven Principles SOURCEBOOK— composed of 11 guides and
an introductory video— provides strategies and resources for putting the principles of effective
character education into action.
Eleven Principles SOURCEBOOK WORKSHOP In need of cost- effective staff development in
character education? This full- day workshop trains educators in how to best use the Eleven Principles
SOURCEBOOK in a school or district. Presented by CEP staff, the workshop trains and energizes
educators to assume leadership in planning and implementing effective character education
initiatives.
CEP’s National Schools of Character ™ Is your school a safe and caring community committed to
core ethical values? Does your school strive to develop students’ character as well as their academic
abilities? Is community service an integral part of your school culture? If so, consider applying for a
National Schools of Character award or Promising Practices citation. Each year CEP recognizes schools
and districts ( K- 12) from across the country that exemplify the Eleven Principles of Effective Character
Education. Award- winners are featured in a book, in the media, and at national education conferences,
including the CEP National Forum.
CEP Annual National Forum Join thought leaders, policy makers, teachers, and school and district
administrators from across the country in learning about the latest strategies, research, and
inspirational ideas on character education.
For more information, call CEP ( 800- 988- 8081) or see our website at www. character. org/
The Student
Citizen Act
of 2001
the student
citizen act
14 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Overview of the
Student Citizen Act
of 2001
Civic Education
T he Act directs the State Board of Education to modify the high school and middle school social
studies curriculum to include instruction in civics and citizenship.
The Act encourages the Board to include the following components, at a minimum, in the revised
high school curriculum:
1. having students write to an elected official about an issue important to them;
2. instruction on the importance of voting and participating in the democratic process;
3. information about current events and governmental structure;
4. information about the democratic process and how laws are made.
The Act encourages the Board to include the following components, at a minimum, in the revised
middle school curriculum:
1. a tour of local government facilities such as the local jail, courthouse or town hall;
2. that students analyze a community problem and make policy recommendations to the local
officials;
3. information about getting involved in community groups.
The State Board of Education must make these modifications to the social studies curriculum by
December 15, 2001, and the modified curriculum must be implemented during the 2002- 2003 school
year.
Character Education
The Act directs each local board of education to develop and implement character education instruction
with input from the local community. The Act directs local boards to incorporate this instruction into the
standard curriculum.
Local boards of education must develop character education instruction as directed in this Act by
January 1, 2002, and must implement this instruction beginning with the 2002- 2003 school year. If a
local board of education determines that it would be an economic hardship to begin to implement
character education by the beginning of the 2002- 2003 school year, the board may request an extension
of time from the State Board of Education. The local board must submit the request for an extension to
the State Board by April 1, 2002.
In developing character education instruction, the Act recommends a list of eight traits for inclusion
in character education instruction. This list of traits is not new. These traits were included in legislation
in 1996, when the General Assembly first allowed local boards of education to adopt character education
programs. The eight traits are:
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Courage
Having the determination to do the right thing even when others don’t; having the
strength to follow your conscience rather than the crowd; attempting difficult things
that are worthwhile.
Good judgment
Choosing worthy goals and setting proper priorities; thinking through the consequences of
your actions; and basing decisions on practical wisdom and good sense.
Integrity
Having the inner strength to be truthful, trustworthy, and honest in all things; acting
justly and honorably.
Kindness
Being considerate, courteous, helpful, and understanding of others; showing care,
compassion, friendship, and generosity; and treating others as you would like to be
treated.
Perseverance
Being persistent in the pursuit of worthy objectives in spite of difficulty, opposition, or
discouragement; and exhibiting patience and having the fortitude to try again when
confronted with delays, mistakes, or failures.
Respect
Showing high regard for authority, for other people, for self, for property, and for
country; and understanding that all people have value as human beings.
Responsibility
Being dependable in carrying out obligations and duties; showing reliability and
consistency in words and conduct; being accountable for your own actions; and being
committed to active involvement in your community.
Self- discipline
Demonstrating hard work and commitment to purpose; regulating yourself for
improvement and restraining from inappropriate behaviors; being in proper control of
your words, actions, impulses, and desires; choosing abstinence from premarital sex,
drugs, alcohol, and other harmful substances and behaviors; and doing your best in all
situations.
This list was developed by the Wake County Character Education Task Force in 1994, on behalf of the Wake
County Public Schools System. It was selected to be used in the 1996 legislation.
1
234
5
67
8
15
16 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
In addition to the above list of traits, the Act encourages local boards of education to include
instruction in the following:
1. Respect for school personnel— holding teachers, administrators, and all school
personnel in high esteem and demonstrating in words and deeds that all school personnel
deserve to be treated with courtesy and proper deference.
2. Responsibility for school safety— helping to create a harmonious school atmosphere
that is free from threats, weapons, and violent or disruptive behavior; cultivating an orderly
learning environment in which students and school personnel feel safe and secure; and
encouraging the resolution of conflicts and disagreements through peaceful means including
peer mediation.
3. Service to others— engaging in meaningful service to their schools and communities.
Schools may teach service- learning by ( i) incorporating it into their standard curriculum or ( ii)
involving a classroom or other group of students in hands- on community service projects.
4. Good citizenship— obeying the laws of the nation and state; abiding by school rules; and
understanding the rights and responsibilities of a member of a republic.
Dress Codes
The Act directs local boards of education to include a reasonable dress code for students among its
policies governing the conduct of students.
For full text of the Student Citizen Act 2001, go to www. ncga. state. nc. us,
look up House Bill 195 ( HB 195), General Assembly of North Carolina
Session 2001, ratified bills.
ideas and
best practices
Ideas and
Best Practices
In Character
Education
18 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Award- winning Selections from the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University
NC Character Educators
of the Year ( NCCEY) Awards
Leah Perry- Lawless
2002 First- Place Middle School Winner
Exploris Middle School, Raleigh, NC
“ FRIDAYS AT GLENWOOD”
L eah Perry- Lawless has been teaching for eleven years, first working with very young children and
now at Exploris Middle School. Leah is a motivating force in service learning for the school, and
Exploris has been nominated by the Department of Public Instruction as a Leadership School, a
service- learning role model for other schools.
For over a year before “ Fridays at Glenwood” began, Exploris students had regularly visited
Glenwood Towers, a subsidized senior housing development in downtown Raleigh. But Leah believed
that the students were missing a key element, a point of real connection with the residents. In addition,
students had little extended knowledge of or interest in the greater community beyond their own
individual, isolated experience. Leah felt that her students needed to understand that they could play
a role in the greater world.
With Sarah Turner, the manager of Glenwood Towers, fellow teachers Shannon Hardy and Jenne
Scherer, and several parent volunteers, Leah worked out a more intensive and broadening experience
for the students. Every Friday throughout the school year, 56 students traveled by bus to Glenwood
Towers to meet in groups of two or three students with a “ buddy” resident of the Towers. By the end of
the year, the students’ regular interactions with 28 senior “ buddies” had been transformed into a photo
exhibit at Exploris Museum and a 61- page book created and published by the students entitled Fridays
at Glenwood. A grant from Learn and Serve of NC provided funding for the book and exhibit. The
project’s success at Glenwood Towers set a standard for service at Exploris Middle School. Now all three
grades ( sixth, seventh, and eighth) have developed service- learning programs for all of the students.
In Leah’s own words:
“ Because of their [ students’] heightened respect for these [ senior
citizens], they have also begun to see the value of all people in a more
positive way.... What the children understand now is that they
received as much as they gave during this wonderful sharing of
generations, hopes and dreams.”
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 19
“ FRIDAYS AT GLENWOOD”
LESSON PLAN: THE INTERVIEW LESSON
Grade Level: 7th or 8th Subject: English Language Arts
Character Traits: Respect, Responsibility, Good Judgment, Kindness and Perseverance
Time Needed: Four to six one- hour visits with the residents to conduct the interviews and fine-tune
written products and approximately four one- hour writing and editing sessions to create the
written products. ( Additional visits are needed throughout the year to build the relationships between
students and residents.) This general time- line can be expanded or contracted depending on the
nature of the project.
Goals
• The learner will listen and ask probing questions to
help the residents gain clarity in their stories.
• The learner will write the residents’ stories in the
residents’ own words ( oral histories), as personal
narratives or as poems.
• The learner will understand the importance of personal stories in understanding the past.
Objective
Students will interview their elderly partners and will use written language to express their partners’
individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
Procedures/ Activities
INTRODUCTION: In this lesson, students prepare for their interviews, conduct the interviews with their
classmates, and then create their written products. To help students prepare for their experience
interviewing their elderly partners, read Tuesdays with Morrie aloud over a series of classes. Discuss with
the students what the author’s experience might have been as he interviewed Morrie. Ask what they
think it was like for Morrie. Having explained to the students that they will be interviewing their partners,
ask them what their questions or concerns are. As a group, try to answer all questions and concerns.
PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW: Before conducting the interviews, give the students a list of potential
conversation starters that will help break the ice with their elderly partners. Students should practice
introductions and initial conversations through role- plays in the classroom. Explain that some partners
may feel that they have no “ important” or “ interesting” stories to share. A useful technique is for
students to share stories from their own lives with their partners. Most partners will then respond by
sharing similar stories from their own childhoods. Explain that the class will meet after the initial
conversational attempts with the partners to build on and share what did and did not work.
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW: In teams of two or three, students interview their partners, using the
techniques practiced in the classroom, over the course of several visits. Students will find it helpful to
use a tape recorder so that they can give their full attention to their partner. Students should ask their
partner’s permission before taping. If tape recorders are not available, one student can take notes while
the other student( s) listens carefully and records the conversation.
Materials Needed
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Paper, pencils
Tape recorders ( with the residents’
permission)
20 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
After the first interviews have been conducted, meet together as a class to discuss what did and did
not work. Students can share best practices with each other, and talk about their experiences. After a
few weeks of sharing stories and conducting interviews, students choose the story they think best
represents their partner’s life experience. Student teams next draft an account of the story they’ve
chosen using their notes and audiotapes to guide them. In follow- up interview sessions, students
should ask their partners clarifying questions and fill in additional information as needed.
DEVELOPING AND EDITING THE WRITTEN PRODUCT: Using the following process, students write their
written products: zero draft, first draft, peer edit, third draft, teacher edit, and final copy. Students may
choose to write an oral history, personal narrative or poem. In the course of the editing sessions,
students should read their narratives and poems out loud to each other. This will help students identify
any missing pieces of information or areas for clarification.
CLOSING: Having finished the first step of the project, students are ready to research the historical
context of their partner’s oral histories. If you choose to end the project here, it is important to share the
final histories, narratives and poems with the students’ partners.
Assessment
Students are assessed by the technical merit of the writing, and by their ability to clearly convey their
partners’ oral histories. In a written product or through oral conversation, students also will be able to
express their understanding that “ history” is made up of individuals’ life stories.
LESSON PLAN: THE HISTORICAL SIDEBAR LESSON
Grade Level: 8th or 9th Subject: English Language Arts and Social Studies
Character Traits: Responsibility, Self- Discipline, Good Judgment and Perseverance
Time Needed: Two or three one- hour visits to the North Carolina archives, state library or any
library or courthouse that stores primary source materials such as birth certificates and newspaper
archives. Three one- hour peer- editing sessions also are needed.
Goals
• The learner will learn how to find information in the
library.
• The learner will use research skills with local and
state documents and archives.
• The learner will learn the historical context for
his/ her residential partner’s life.
• The learner will gain a better understanding of his/ her partner’s life stories by learning about the local
and statewide events that took place in the partner’s youth.
• The learner will understand that history is comprised of individuals’ personal experiences.
Objective
Students will research the historical context of their partners’ lives. Students will then use written
language to inform the reader of key historical events/ trends that directly impacted their partners’ lives.
Materials Needed
Paper, pencils
List of relevant dates
( a partner’s birth year, the year he or
she was 12 or 13, etc.)
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 21
These written historical sidebars will be displayed or published alongside the students’ write- ups of
their partners’ lives.
Procedures/ Activities
INTRODUCTION: In the previous lesson students focused on their partners’ personal lives. Students
now will focus on learning more about the historical context in which their partners spent their youth.
In this lesson, students will use community institutions and archives to research the local and statewide
events that correlate with their partners’ life stories.
RESEARCH: Using their partners’ birth dates as a starting point, students estimate the span of years that
their partners would have been in middle school/ junior high ( i. e., a person born in 1930 would have
been in middle school/ junior high around 1941- 1943). To begin, students go back to their first written
products based on their partners’ life stories. Looking for key aspects of their partners’ lives throughout
the “ middle school years,” students create a list of significant elements such as places, hobbies, specific
schools or churches, major events, etc.
Examples of local events/ history that correlate with oral histories might include town population
figures, history of a workplace such as a mill or inn, history of a resident’s hero or favorite musician/ film
star/ sport, history of a favorite meeting place such as a church or general store, local history of a major
set of events such as the civil rights movement, history of a school, history of a family’s vocation such
as farming, or information on a disease that impacted a resident’s life.
Students begin their search for historical evidence of their partners’ oral histories by researching
the “ middle school years” dates through primary source materials such as old newspapers, magazines,
and town records. Students might also conduct research at a local museum, at the county courthouse,
or at any other local institution that houses historical records. Additional research may be conducted
using secondary source materials such as encyclopedias or the World Wide Web. Students keep notes
on major local and statewide events, statistics, histories of buildings, etc. relevant to their partners’
“ middle school years.” In conducting the research, students should take note of facts or specific words
that might be foreign to a contemporary reader. Students should research the background of these facts
or words and should include a contemporary explanation in their written products.
WRITING: Students are now ready to write their historical sidebars to be displayed or published
alongside their partners’ life stories. Working together, students use their notes to choose one or two
events/ histories/ historical facts relevant to the life stories written in the first lesson. Students use the
following process to create their historical sidebars: zero draft, first draft, peer edit, third draft, teacher
edit, and final copy. In getting feedback from peers and teachers, students should pay specific attention
to whether or not the historical sidebar gives clarity to important aspects of their partners’ stories.
CLOSING: The life stories and historical sidebars are now ready for display and/ or publication. To bring
the project full circle, it is important to include the elder partners in the final publishing celebration.
The class might hold a publishing tea party at the partners’ home or invite partners in to the school to
celebrate their life stories and the students’ work.
Assessment
Students are assessed by the technical merit of the writing and by the clarity of correlation between the
topics of the sidebar to the life story. In a written product or through oral conversation, students will be
able to express the connection between their partners’ personal lives and local and statewide history.
Student will also be able to express their understanding that “ history” is made up of individuals’ life
stories.
22 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Lora M. W. Austin
2002 First- Place High School Winner
West Caldwell High School, Lenoir, NC
“ WHAT MAKES A GOOD PERSON?”
L ora Austin began her teaching career in Caldwell County at Gamewell Middle School. Now in her
sixth year of teaching and her second year at West Caldwell High School, she teaches English to
ninth, tenth and twelfth graders. Lora and her husband Chuck live with their two young daughters in a
log cabin they built themselves in the Collettsville community. In the Caldwell County school system
where she works, Lora says she feels “ very supported in my efforts to implement character education
within my English classroom,” as she tries to help her students answer the age- old question, “ What
makes a good person?”
During a three- week unit combining literature and classroom experience, “ What Makes a Good
Person?” focuses on Elie Wiesel’s autobiographical novel Night, coupled with a “ Brown Eyes/ Blue Eyes”
activity first used in 1968 to expose students to the effects of discrimination. Night recounts a young
boy’s first- hand experiences of the atrocities in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Using
the book as a springboard for discussion, writing and other activities, students considered and
reflected on the ideas of empathy, kindness, tolerance, and respect. Experiencing discrimination, even
within the safe parameters of a class project, and feeling what it is to be treated unfairly brought a
richness to students’ understanding that their reading alone could not.
Class discussions were designed to connect the ideas of the past ( the novel Night) with the present
( students’ Brown Eyes/ Blue Eyes classroom experience) in a manner respectful of one another’s ideas.
Questionnaires— one completed while the students were being “ discriminated” against and the other
completed the next day— and writing assignments explored even further the depth of what was felt and
learned.
Using expressions of the Golden Rule from various religions and cultures throughout history,
students worked in small groups to come up with a way to explain to an audience of second graders
the meaning of the Golden Rule in a variety of cultures.
In Lora’s own words:
“ Character Education cannot be a separate curriculum. In teaching
literature, often the themes... are just extensions of the basic Golden
Rule, which incorporates respect, kindness, tolerance, and empathy—
those qualities that answer the question, ‘ What makes a good
person?’”
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 23
“ WHAT MAKES A GOOD PERSON?”
LESSON PLAN A
Grade Level: 10 Subject: English
Character Traits: Empathy, Kindness, Respect, Tolerance
Time Needed: Two days
Goals
• The learner will react to and reflect upon print
and non- print text and personal experiences by
examining situations from both subjective and
objective perspectives.
• The learner will critically interpret and evaluate
experiences, literature, language and ideas.
Objectives
• Respond reflectively ( through small group
discussion, class discussion, journal entry, essay,
letter, dialogue) to written and visual texts by
relating personal knowledge to textual information or class discussion. ( 1.2)
• Interpret a real- world event in a way that makes generalizations about the event supported by specific
references. ( 4.1)
• Analyze thematic connections among literary works by showing an understanding of cultural context
to show how a theme is universal. ( 4.2)
Procedures/ Activities
DAY ONE: Students will by now have read the novel Night. At the beginning of the class period, divide
students based on eye color, with brown being the superior color. Give all “ Brownies” a letter written to
them and place them in the front of the classroom. Make all the “ Others” sit in the back and go over
the rules they are to follow. Place one “ Other” in charge of the others. Every time one of the “ Others”
violates a rule, then the head “ Other” must pay a fine in writing.
While reading the Butterfly poems written by children of the concentration camps, have students
summarize the themes present in the poems. The Brownies all receive one cookie and the others get
one cookie to share among all of them. Then, show a video about the Holocaust and have students
write a summary of what they view.
The Brownies are dismissed from class early, with Questionnaire # 1 as homework. ( If early dismissal
is not possible, then have some other huge reward for the Brownies.) The “ Others” remain in class to
do more work and are given Questionnaire # 1 as homework due the next day.
DAY TWO: Students are assembled in the same seating arrangements as the day before, with Brownies
in the front and “ Others” in the back. Students are then given the chance to share their results to
Questionnaire # 1 with the entire class. After class discussion of Questionnaire # 1, distribute
Questionnaire # 2. Students complete the second questionnaire as the teacher guides them through
making connections between their experiences and those in the novel.
Materials Needed
Classroom set of Night by Elie Wiesel
Book, I Never Saw Another Butterfly:
Children’s Drawings and Poems from
Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942- 1944
by Hana Volavkova
Letter to the Beautiful Brownies
Rules for the “ Others”
Cookies
Questionnaires 1 & 2
24 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Assess student responses and answer any misunderstandings from the previous day. Review the
meanings that the class devised for the character traits.
Assessment
1. During the discussion, do all students get a chance to respond and share their feelings with the entire
class?
2. Read students’ responses to the second questionnaire to make sure that they seem to understand the
character traits and have some idea of lessons that they learned that can be seen as themes in Night.
3. Do the students seem to have enough schemata to proceed with the next lesson, where they must
write an essay?
These questions and steps must be completed in order for the teacher to be sure that students have
made the necessary connections between their own experiences and those of Elie in Night. Once the
students have mastered their own themes and understand the meaning of the character traits, this unit
may continue on its quest of answering the question, “ What makes a good person?”
LESSON PLAN B
Grade Level: 10 Subject: English
Character Traits: Empathy, Kindness, Respect, Tolerance
Time Needed: Two days, following Lesson Plan
A. To be taught on days 3 and 4. After completing the
questionnaires in Lesson Plan A, students write an
essay, plan a quilt square, and write a poem.
Goals
• The learner will react to and reflect upon print and
non- print text and personal experiences by
examining situations from both subjective and
objective perspectives.
• The learner will critically interpret and evaluate
experiences, literature, language and ideas.
• The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and
analysis.
Objectives
• Respond reflectively to written and visual texts by
relating personal knowledge to textual information or class discussions.
exhibiting an awareness of culture in which text is set or in which text was written.
• Interpret a real- world event in a way that
makes generalizations about the event supported by specific references.
distinguishes fact from fiction and recognizes personal bias.
Materials Needed
White, flat sheet torn into even squares
Markers
Paper for poems
Copies of writing prompt
I Never Saw Another Butterfly
( see Lesson Plan A for full book citation)
NC rubric for scoring English II essays
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 25
• Analyze the ideas of others by identifying the ways in which writers choose and incorporate
significant, supporting and relevant details.
• Read and analyze selected works of world literature by
analyzing themes in world literature.
understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
Procedures/ Activities
The day before, the class has read and discussed the anthology I Never Saw Another Butterfly and
completed the “ Brownie/ Other” experiment.
BEFORE
1. Students use their completed questionnaires to help them write an essay combining their own
experiences and those depicted in Night.
2. Students choose one scene from Night that most vividly signifies intolerance to them and discuss
intolerance.
3. Students write a poem, similar in tone and mood to the Butterfly poems, based on their own
experiences.
4. Students discuss tolerance based on examples from their own experience and create individual quilt
squares depicting acts of kindness and tolerance.
DURING
1. Students receive feedback on their first drafts of the essay.
2. Students revise essay for “ publication.”
3. Students make a published copy of their poem to mail to Elie Wiesel.
AFTER
1. Students receive a grade on their essay based on the English II writing score rubric.
2. Assemble the quilt to hang in the hallway outside the classroom.
Assessment
• Was the student’s example of intolerance true to the text?
• Does the student show increasing mastery of the essay format in addressing and proving all parts of
the prompt?
Asking these questions allows the teacher to see very quickly whether a student understood and
connected with the important themes in Night. The quilt serves as a constant reminder to students and
faculty of what can happen when empathy is not applied in all circumstances.
26 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Carol Cates
1999 Elementary School Winner
Hillcrest Elementary School, Burlington, NC
“ TEACHING CHARACTER EDUCATION
IN EVERYTHING YOU DO”
T wenty- four years experience in early childhood education ( with eleven of those years in first
grade) has taught Carol Cates firsthand that first grade is a mountain climbing year as young
children become readers, writers, and emerging mathematicians. Working at Hillcrest Elementary
School in Burlington, with a class of twenty- two, Carol’s character education efforts indeed are in
everything she does.
In her self- contained classroom, Carol reads literature to her students that is organized by character
trait; in science, she emphasizes social living and harmony in the lives of bees and ants; her students
play games and work in cooperative groups for math; and when studying cultures and countries, works
with her young ones to accept differences and eliminate words of prejudice. Character education is
part of each day’s expectations, academic and problem- solving skills, and classroom behaviors as her
children learn to interact with other students, staff, and the world around them.
Beyond her classroom, Carol organized a puppet team to model and share traits of character with
the entire school through skits. By writing the material and working with fifth- grade teachers, the school
counselor, and the administration, Carol used puppet technique to emphasize positive values for kids
at assemblies throughout the year. The Hillcrest Hornet TV News and the Kids for Character Club, are
two ways that students have to develop character skills and to get involved in modeling good character.
In Carol’s own words:
“ Character development is an on- going process and is woven into all of
our basic curriculum activities. When teachers expect and stress values
in their classrooms, students understand what character means and
they know how good one feels when they have the opportunity to
share gifts of character with others.”
nccey
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 27
“ TEACHING CHARACTER EDUCATION
IN EVERYTHING YOU DO”
LESSON PLAN: OWL PREDATOR FEEDING GAME
Grade Level: 1st Subject: Science, Math, Language Arts
Character Traits: Responsibility, Perseverance
Time Needed: 2 Lesson Periods
Goals
• The learner will understand event sequencing.
• The learner will understand the meaning of habitats,
survival skills, and predators.
• The learner will add 2 and 3 numbers, use touch
points, set up math sentences.
• The learner will practice writing skills.
Objectives
• To understand that owls must work consistently to keep their babies fed and to protect them from harm
• To observe that it is the owl parent’s responsibility to feel and protect the babies
• To realize that sometimes owls have handicaps and predators
• To relate that there is a limited time for the owls to gather food and to feed their young
• To see through math sentences that some of the babies will receive more food than other babies
• To begin to understand that if there are more owl families, there is often less food available
• To realize that if an owl family has more babies then they must work harder to feed the babies
• To see real life situations can be applied to math sentences
• To be able to relate this lesson to character skills they have learned ( respect, responsibility, caring,
taking turns)
• To understand more about the word perseverance
• To understand the importance of responsibilities in animal families
• To be able to write 3 facts they have learned from the game
• To see math sentences written with 2 and 3 facts
• To understand how using touch points can assist in getting the answer
Procedures/ Activities
INTRODUCTION: Help the class recall the recent story that they read entitled Owl Babies by Martin
Waddell. Using the owl puppets ( mother and owlets), review bird facts the children now know about
owls. Explain that today they are going to play a game in which they will become like the owl parents
and babies and learn the skills and responsibilities parents face when they care for their young. Review
the procedures for the game and model this with several of the students. Explain the expectations of
good citizenship. Students who are not role playing the parts of the owls will be bird watchers at the
edge of the “ woods.” Opportunities will be given to be both owls and bird watchers.
Materials Needed
Owl mother and owlet puppets
Pom Poms
Forks
Paper for students’ follow- up activity
28 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
GAME DIRECTIONS: Owl family groups are formed. Some families will have both a male and female
parent. Some only will have one parent. One parent may even be handicapped. Numbers of owlets will
vary from group to group.
PLAYING THE GAME: Each family grouping must stay together to protect themselves from predators, and
Mama and Papa must go out in search of food. Only one mouse at a time can be carried back to the
family on the fork that is provided. If a mouse falls off the fork, it must be left on the floor. The owl parents
must seek a new mouse. Time for gathering food is limited. It is important to move quickly, but carefully.
Assessment
Before the game, ask the children questions that they will be able to answer after they vicariously have
had owl roles in the simulated situation.
• What responsibilities do the owl parents have?
• Which families do you think will have more of the food?
• Will a handicapped parent be able to feed all of the babies?
• What character traits/ skills will you learn from being owls and bird watchers?
• If a family has two parents feeding the babies, will it make it easier on the parents and babies to
get this task done?
• Do you think any of the babies will not get enough food to eat?
Play the game, and then have the students answer these questions.
Set up the math problems on the board for the students to observe the math sentences and to count
using touch points. Help the children to compare the answers and to observe how this situation might
affect owls in real life. Then play the game again using different students as owls and bird watchers, as
well as, changing the family groups and adding a predator— a hawk. Share that if the hawk comes, the
babies are to go with him. At the conclusion of this game, help the students review what they observed
again by asking questions. Write the math sentences on the board and compare with the last time.
Indicate if the group has one or more parents.
Follow- up Activity
Students will draw a real life forest scene, and then write facts they have learned about the lesson. Have
students include character traits they think the owls displayed.
As the students begin to draw their pictures, rove and encourage them to include more than one
tree and also to provide rodents ( food) for the owls to find. Help students with writing words on the
board that they may need for their sentences. Guide students in using the word wall, and the list of
character and bird words. Give students assistance with sounding out words they may want displayed
on the board. Review the sequence of events with students to be sure they understand the procedures.
Provide for special needs students. Turn desks for those who get easily distracted or move them to work
tables. Provide partners for at- risk students. Pass out cereal to munch on as the children begin their
drawings. Play audio tape on Song Bird Serenade to provide atmosphere while the children are drawing.
Review the game the next day.
Put the children’s drawings up in the hall along with their story sheets and book display on Owl
Babies.
Provide directions to the game for a family take- home activity. Suggest to parents ways they can
help their child apply these lessons to everyday experiences, such as following through with
responsibilities to feed the family pet or staying with the family group on an outing for safety purposes.
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 29
LESSON PLAN: LITTLE RED HEN
Grade Level: 1st Subject: Language Arts, Science
Character Traits: Responsibility, Kindness, Determination
Objectives
• To continue learning the classic stories in children’s
literature
• To provide opportunities for children to understand
the beginning, middle and end of a familiar story
• To be able to identify the problem and solution in a
story
• To be able to name the characters and setting and share if the story is fact or fiction
• To provide opportunities to retell the story in a writing activity
• To learn the character skills that are stressed in this story— determination, responsibility, kindness
• To be able to describe the character traits and how they can be applied to our lives ( In class: always
do your best, finish your work, etc.)
• To understand the sequence of events that occur and review the steps used from the previous lessons
when we made bread and biscuits
• To compare similarities and differences in other versions of Little Red Hen
• To be able to relate this story to other stories or personal experiences
Procedures/ Activities
INTRODUCTION: Use dialogue with the puppets to introduce the story to the class. Hen: “ My goodness
I found some seeds. I wonder what we could do with this. Oh, I could plant it and grow wheat. But,
that’s a lot of work. I wonder who will help me.” Have you heard this story before? Have students share
what they know about the story. List the sequence of events together.
Do a picture walk with one of the Little Red Hen books. Then, read the story to the class. Discuss:
• Where did this story take place?
• Was this a factual story or fiction?
• What happened at the beginning of the story? Middle? End?
• What was your favorite part of the book?
• Who thinks they can tell the class what the main problem was in this story?
• What is the solution to this story?
• What character skills do you think Little Red Hen demonstrated?
• What about the skills her barnyard friends demonstrated?
• How did Little Red Hen learn these skills?
• What prevented the other animals from learning these important character traits?
• Do you think Little Red Hen was fair by not sharing the bread?
• Would you have acted this way or differently?
• If you could tell someone else what the story’s lesson shares, what would you say?
• Does anyone know of another story that is like this one, or perhaps you have had a real life
situation similar to the Little Red Hen? ( The Tortoise and the Hare also stresses perseverance.)
Materials Needed
Little Red Hen books
Puppets: hen, chick, dog, cat, pig
Student story sheet
30 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
WRITTEN ACTIVITY: Students will write two to three sentences about the character skills or lack of
character skills demonstrated in this story. They also should illustrate a scene that focuses on that
situation. Tell students: “ You have been working on a book about the character stories we have read
since October. Today you will add The Little Red Hen to your book. Write character skills you think this
story shares, or you may want to write about character skills the barnyard friends need to show, then
draw a picture to illustrate this scene. Help me list words on the board that you may need in writing
your sentences.”
Write lists of words, having the children assist you in sounding them out. If a child can spell the
character words, have them write these on the board. Have a separate list written that is clear for
students to read and use. Refer students to the word wall for other words they may need help spelling.
Assessment
During the lesson, ask questions to see if the children are relating to the theme of the story and the
concepts being taught. Call on students to recall the basic sequence of events of the story. Provide time
for questions about the seatwork task.
Once the students are at their desks, rove and check on their progress. Encourage their efforts and
assist them in understanding the types of sentences they may want to write. Provide time for students
who have special needs such as a desk turned away from the group, a timer to keep a student on task,
a buddy to help a child get started, or small group work for at- risk students. Remind students that they
now have the opportunity to act like the Little Red Hen in their everyday life. Ask if a child can relate
to the class how this can be done. Guide students to think about these ideas: They have a task to do
and our class rules say we all need to finish our work. Perseverance means that we stick to the tasks
until they are finished, even though the tasks may be hard sometimes, or we wish we could do
something else. If Little Red Hen can do the task and finish, then on- task first graders can do the same.
DISPLAY: Display the story sheet at the next circle time to review the lesson and to encourage the
children’s efforts in writing and following directions.
FOLLOW- UP ACTIVITY: Have the students write their own Little Red Hen scripts and act them out with
the puppets. Have a child choose a character in this story and provide a different viewpoint of the story.
( The dog may regret that he did not help and now he sees that working hard everyday makes him feel
more positive about himself. The pig might share how she now keeps a tidy home and tends her garden
because she has seen Little Red Hen be so successful.)
Centers
• Make a poster with a picture of the Little Red Hen, and have the children write their observations
about the story and list character skills that Little Red Hen demonstrated.
• Provide cartoon sequencing sheets for individuals to use in drawing the story and writing their own
version.
• Have books on The Little Red Hen for the children to read.
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 31
Michelene Rhodes
1999 Elementary School Winner
Balfour Elementary, Hendersonville, NC
“ BUILDING A BETTER ME”
A kindergarten through fifth- grade counselor at Balfour Elementary in Hendersonville, Michelene
Rhodes, with the help of the Character Education Team, has guided a school- wide focus on
character education through a guidance curriculum.
Character Education at Balfour Elementary emphasizes climate, curriculum, and community with
“ Building a Better Me by Knowing the Good, Loving the Good, and Doing the Good.” Educating for
character has initiated changes in school climate and student awareness by system- wide attention to
moral character and leadership. This team approach has encouraged teachers in reading, language
arts, and drama to talk about the virtues of the characters students read and write about. In physical
education, traits of character displayed by students are recognized along with their physical skills. In
math classes, students are motivated to be as mindful about their attitude as their calculations.
The guidance curriculum emphasis on behavior, socialization, increased self- concept and ,
contributes to creating an environment where students recognize that WHO they are is as significant as
what they can do or produce. This is evidenced by the responses of the first graders who were asked
what kind of person their Class President should be... “ someone who shows respect, has good manners,
is courteous, and is responsible” were the remarkable answers of those six- year- olds!
In Michelene’s own words:
“ In our community, parents, teachers, and community business leaders
alike are seeing the advantages of educating for character. As a result
of this project, our standards for student behavior are higher and
more explicit. Behavioral expectations are stated in classroom rules
and the rules are practiced and reinforced. When teachers teach,
character is infused in every subject.”
32 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
“ BUILDING A BETTER ME”
LESSON PLAN: INTEGRITY
Grade Level: 3rd– 5th Subject: Guidance
Character Trait: Integrity
Time Needed: Several lessons
Goal
The learner will understand the importance of making
good choices
Objective
To demonstrate integrity
Procedures/ Activities
Students who have demonstrated integrity have their
names placed in a jar and can then be selected as
“ President for the day.” Daily drawings allow winners
to make classroom “ presidential decisions” and wear
the “ presidential button.”
• Parent letter
• A. M. announcements using readings from people of integrity and stories of integrity.
• Students set nine- week goals for themselves.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. readings, writings, and activities.
• Service Project: Decorate a nature tree
• Classroom lesson on integrity
• Assembly on honesty
• Each child composes and shares an “ integrity” poem
Assessment
Each student will demonstrate his/ her understanding of integrity by writing an acrostic poem.
Materials Needed
Teacher resource packet: presidents,
writing exercises about Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Incentives: popsicles, candy hearts,
peanut butter birdseed, pine cones,
Tootsie rolls
Classroom guidance lesson
Presidential buttons
Organize integrity poem sharing
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 33
LESSON PLAN: BUILDING A BETTER ME
Grade Level: 2nd– 5th Subject: Guidance
Character Traits: Respect, Gratitude
Time Needed: 50 minutes
Goal
The learner will increase self awareness and
socialization skills
Objectives
• To encourage contentment in children ( valuing
what they have)
• To demonstrate respect ( valuing other people)
• To practice writing skills
Procedures/ Activities
Use the classroom guidance lesson “ Pat on the Back.”
Read the story Grumpy the Grumbler. Discuss and brainstorm things that one says to show gratitude.
Students then write a compliment on each of their two hand cut outs to give to other students. ( Make
sure students are assigned at least one person to write about so that all students receive “ a hand.”)
Students give away their “ pats” to the appropriate persons. Discuss how students feel as a result of the
compliments they have received. Also use any of the following activities:
• Send parent letters home to encourage family involvement and practice gratitude via a canned food
drive. Children are encouraged via stickers to participate.
• Have children make a list of things and people at school for which they are grateful.
• Have children write a thank you note to someone at school
• Have children develop “ coupons” to give to family members. These are things they will do to show
appreciation.
• Have students tell other students what they are grateful for over the intercom, in drawings, etc.
• Have students make a paper chain of all the things for which they are grateful.
Assessment
Analyze students’ understanding of the concepts from the discussions and activities.
Materials Needed
Teacher resource packet, including
gratitude list, thank you notes,
coupons for home
Posters for stickers used for canned
food drive
Parent letter
Guidance lesson for each class
( copy hands)
Grumpy the Grumbler book
34 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
Building Curriculum from Growing Character by Deb Brown
THE CHARACTER STANDARD
A s a teacher, you have high expectations for your
students. You love them and want to be sure that
none slip through the cracks. An important strategy is to
show your students those high expectations and to weave
them into the life of your classroom. I call it the Character
Standard. It is the highest expectation for students, the
highest calling. By calling your students to personal and
academic excellence, they will come to realize more of
their true potential. The Character Standard will remind them of all that they can be and all that they
can become! Students will learn to challenge themselves to do their best. They will begin their travels
on the road from mediocrity to excellence. Once they have had a taste of excellence and the intrinsic
reward that it brings, they will work even harder to achieve the character standard!
By holding your students to high expectations, you will naturally refuse to accept anything except
their best. Students will come to respect you for the fact that you accept no late assignments, no
unexcused absences or tardies, and no excuses for substandard work and behavior. If a paper is messy
and unfinished, you do not even take the time to grade it. When students come in late for class without
a reason, they do not get the opportunity to make up missing assignments. When students neglect to
do homework, you simply record a zero in the grade book.
These responses must be consistent for each and every student, each and every day of the school
year. Then it becomes a fair practice that encourages excellence. When students know that they cannot
make excuses in your classroom, they will come to accept the challenge of personal as well as
academic growth. They will feel better about their effort, and their self- respect will soar. Then the sky
really will be the limit.
DEFINING CHARACTER
C reating an awareness of the many good character
traits that we can develop in life is always a wonderful
first step! But we cannot always assume that our students
know what each of these traits mean or how they can be
exemplified in their lives. That is where intentional
teaching comes into play.
One strategy that works well is to have students go on the prowl for the definitions of these words.
They can look the words up in the dictionary, study the lives of famous people who exemplify these
traits, ask their family and friends what the words mean to them and watch for the traits lived out in
their everyday environment.
Once the research is done, the next step is to give the matter some serious thought and study. I
always tell my students that studying means to read, research and think in order to learn. Reflection is
almost a lost art in today’s world. The same might be said for thinking. Many students take the easy way
out. They look for shortcuts in regard to their studies and the result is a substandard education. Very
“ The classroom is structured
so that certain things are
likely to occur.”
— Dorothy Strickland
The Egyptian use of the
word character means
“ to shape, to form, to build.”
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 35
rarely do students realize that they are the only ones getting cheated in the process. It is important to
teach children how to study and how to learn. Once they have mastered that, the world really begins
to open up for them!
After some thought- time, have your students pick up their pencils and start writing. When their
working definitions are complete, have the students bring them to class. Discussions will go a long way
in helping them to edit and refine their thinking. And once each student has settled in on his final draft
of the definition, encourage him to get to work incorporating that trait into his own character.
Below are some kid- examples that I have collected from students at the elementary school level.
Respect • treating others the way I would like to be treated
• showing kindness at every turn
• letting people’s feelings count
Trustworthiness • when you are honest
• when you tell the whole truth
• when you do what you say you will do
• when you keep promises
Responsibility • doing your homework all of the time
• doing your chores without being asked
• taking care of your belongings
• taking care of the earth
Fairness • taking turns
• sharing with others
• treating all as equals
Caring • showing kindness
• showing respect to everyone
• being nice, and never cruel
• saying nice words or none at all
Citizenship • letting everyone have a vote
• taking your duties seriously
• caring about your country
• caring about the people in your school
• reusing and recycling
• taking care of the earth
Accountability • stepping up to the plate
• saying “ I did it” when asked
• telling the truth about what happened
• accepting responsibility for mistakes
Integrity • being able to be trusted
• showing good character when no one is looking
• when people can count on you
• knowing what you stand for
36 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
HONOR SENTENCES
O ne of the most important academic considerations is the honor and integrity of the learner. Doing
your own work, giving an assignment your best effort and taking responsibility for your studies are
all crucial to the development of a good student. In an effort to promote honesty and integrity, I have
students write an Honor Sentence on each test and special project paper. At the end of the test, students
write sentences that explain their effort and the amount of study time given to the assignment. Below
are actual Honor Sentences that have shown up on my students’ papers. These illustrate the depth of
learning about integrity and accountability.
This is my own work. I studied for twenty minutes each night for three nights.
I passed this test with an A+ because I studied really long and hard. I went the extra mile!
I put things off this week and studied only fifteen minutes. I know I failed the test— but
at least it is my own work. I did not cheat.
I didn’t study at all for this test. I promise to try harder next time.
I studied my brains out, and I feel really good on this one!
I studied two hours, and my mom helped. I think I did really well!
This is not my own work. I’m sorry, can I talk to you about it?
I took this test seriously. I gave it a lot of study time. I’m sure I got an A!
I studied each night this week. It was worth it!
One thing I like about using this practice is that it develops accountability. The students know that
they will have to disclose the amount of study time devoted to their assignments. There is no escaping
it. They also know that there will be consequences when they choose not to study and rewards when
they do. A nice thing about this practice is that it becomes second nature for students. They develop
the habit of writing their sentence without being reminded. One time that I was absent from school, I
forgot to tell my substitute about it in my lesson plans. She left me a note and commented on how the
students reminded her— and each other— about the Honor Sentence. She thought it was a good idea.
Perhaps what I like best about this activity is that students eventually come to understand that their
grades are most often earned in direct proportion to the amount of time and effort put forth in study.
Writing this sentence takes only a moment, but goes a long way in helping students to develop a work
ethic that translates into academic achievement!
FROM WORK ETHIC TO LIFE ETHIC
H elping your students to develop a positive work
ethic just may be one of the most important
things you can do! A child’s work ethic begins in his
first year of schooling and continues on throughout
life. Each decision a child makes either adds to that
positive work ethic or detracts from it.
I believe that it is a teacher’s calling to help
children learn to make more deposits in their work
ethic account and fewer withdrawals. It is that
calling to personal excellence that will translate into academic success. And of course, both personal
and academic excellence will translate into a work ethic that transcends the school experience. I
believe that a child’s work ethic in school will become his life ethic. So from school climate to
curriculum to the world of work, a positive work ethic is a grand goal for all of us.
“ Learning about good character
helps you try harder than ever to
reach your goal of earning a spot on
the A Honor Roll. Then you feel
good about yourself that you can
achieve excellence!”
— Samara, age 11
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 37
TEACHER MODELING
T here is no doubt about it, kids watch our every move. From the way we dress, to the way we talk,
to the way we treat others, kids pay attention! They watch for discrepancies in our message and our
modeling. They don’t miss a trick. Therefore, we must know and understand that the walk is more
powerful than the talk.
Students don’t just watch our every move in the classroom. They watch how we treat and interact with
the other teachers on the staff. They watch our day- to- day words and actions, our facial expressions and
our body language. They look to see if we are demonstrating the traits of good character that we espouse.
They also watch to see if we take our own education seriously. After all, if we don’t, why should
they? It makes an important impression when they hear on the morning announcements that the
graduate class will meet each Tuesday or that the staff development session this month will be on
reading strategies. They are interested in the books we read and the classes we take. They need to know
that learning is a lifelong process, and that the hard work involved in the pursuit of furthering our
education is worthwhile.
Often I will bring a book to school that I am reading and just lay it on my desk. It is a great
conversation starter at break time or before and after school. Kids will respect your teachings more if
they know that there is something of substance behind all that you do. In fact, I always remind them of
a comment that Michelangelo made shortly before his death: I am still learning!
OUR DECISIONS DEFINE US!
I n fact, these very words are written on the wall. This is such an important teaching message for
me and my students that this sentence runs along the top of one of my classroom walls. In large,
colorful letters, the message is spelled out in a big way. I don’t believe that there is a day that I
haven’t referred to it in some way.
Our decisions to be kind or cruel, sympathetic or unfeeling, respectful or disrespectful will
help to determine the kind of person we become. Our decisions to do our homework or not, to
listen in class or not, to try our best or not, will help to determine what kind of student we
become. Each decision we make— large or small— will add or detract from our total being. So for
building an academic climate in your classroom and school, remind your students of this
powerful and life- changing lesson: Our decisions define us!
RESPONSIBLE STUDENTS
E very school in our district must have some kind of written plan for promoting student behavior and
responsibility. The plan must address discipline as well as academics. It’s a good safeguard for
assuring that student behavior will not distract from the academic learning opportunities in the school.
Each year, the plan is revised along with the School Improvement Plan. Our staff sits down and
discusses the school year. We bring up all of the problems as well as all of the successes. We make
suggestions on how we can make next year’s plan better for students to follow and for parents to
understand. Something that has helped strengthen our Responsible Students Plan in recent years has
been the weaving of character education into that plan. Teaching character gives the plan substance,
as well as strength.
The expectations are posted in every room of the school, and a list of rules is given to each student
to take home to their parents. They are reprinted for you here so you can see exactly what I am referring
to. As you read through the list, take time to notice how character is woven into the plan.
38 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
The plan is built with student rewards and consequences. Consistency, of course, is the key to the
plan’s success. Remember that kids will try you at every turn. It’s sad to say, but often parents will do the
same. They will ask you to make an exception, just this once. If the entire staff is consistent and fair, the
plan works wonderfully well. Remember, you are in the driver’s seat on this one.
Red... respect!
• Listen
• Show respect
• Use good manners
• Work cooperatively
• Follow classroom rules
• Follow school rules
Blue... responsibility!
• Come prepared for class
• Work independently
• Complete assignments
• Turn in homework
• Return permission slips promptly
• Return office communications
• Return library books
• Organize materials and workspace
• Organize self and belongings
Green... quiet times!
• In school hallways
• In line
• During fire drills
• During shelter- in- place
• During intercom announcements
• When a visitor enters the room
• During a test
• During silent reading
Purple... cafeteria!
• Get supplies on your way through the line
• Use a soft and respectful voice
• Show proper table manners
• Stay in your seat at all times
• Be respectful of others at your table
• Clean up... pick up!
Guidelines...
for rewards and consequences!
• 3 violations of the same color in one
month = counseling referral slip
• 6 violations in one month = parent
notification slip
• 9 monthly violations allowed per student
• 10 monthly violations = no C. A. R. E. S.
reward plus a discipline slip
• 15 monthly violations = suspension or
parent spending the day with student
Discipline Slips...
given for these behaviors!
• Disrespectful behavior
• Cafeteria problem
• Disruptive conduct
• Inappropriate language
• Failure to obey authority
• Inappropriate dress
• Failure to work to full potential
Weimer C. A. R. E. S.
Respect and Responsibilities
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 39
LOOK FOR THE LESSON
N o matter what the subject matter, no matter what the lesson of the day— students will come to
learn more about the character message when it is woven into all that you do. Calling your
students’ attention to the lesson within the lesson is a powerful way to show that life’s greatest lessons
can be found within our studies at school. In fact, if we learn to pay attention, they can be found just
about anywhere!
Examples of lessons from different areas of the curriculum are illustrated below.
LESSON THE CHARACTER LESSON WITHIN
Martin Luther King, Jr. Respect, fairness, citizenship
The Making of the American Flag Citizenship
George Washington, Abe Lincoln Honesty, bravery
Louis Slotkin Accountability, integrity, respect
The Tortoise and the Hare Perseverance
The Schooling of Afghanistan Children Fairness, respect
Ruby Bridges Respect, fairness, bravery, citizenship
Math: coins, money Honesty
Aristotle Virtue, character, work ethic
World Cultures and Religions Respect
Thomas Edison and Electricity Perseverance
Mother Teresa Respect, caring, compassion, service
Aesop’s Fables Every character trait is represented
PEER TUTORING
W hen high school students from Service Learning Class come to help at your school, let them get
involved in a peer- tutoring program. High school students can be a wonderful asset in helping
your elementary kids practice and master basic skills. Extra help and practice with math, spelling, and
reading skills, or even difficult science concepts, can go a long way in helping younger students meet
with success. Sometimes just the companionship and closeness of an older student reading a story to
a younger child or listening to the younger child
read is motivation for extra effort in skill
development. And the older student also benefits!
High school students learn to be positive role
models for younger kids and learn to give back to
the communities of which they are a part. The
teamwork and camaraderie built will help both the
elementary school and high school grow strong.
Sometimes, just the
companionship and closeness of
an older student reading a story
to a younger child or listening to
the younger child read is
motivation for extra effort in skill
development.
40 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
MONTHLY GOAL- SETTING SESSIONS
R emember the research from Chapter One about the power of setting goals and writing them down?
I’ll review: 87% of people do not have goals, 10% have goals, and 3% commit their goals in writing.
Those who write down their goals achieve 50– 100 times more than those who simply think about and
talk about their goals. We want our students to become members of The 3% Club! And remember, with
90– 95% of what we do each day attributed to habit, we want for our kids to develop good habits. Setting
goals and working towards them is one way to get there!
In my monthly goal setting sessions with students, I help them work on several kinds of goals:
academic goals, personal goals, and social goals. I want for them to become well- rounded people.
Academic goals will help them with their studies and grades, personal goals will help them to become
all that they can be, and social goals will help them in their interactions with others. Each month, we
choose a new goal in each area to work on. We write down the goals and commit them to memory.
During the month, we pull out our goal lists and see how we are doing. We chart our progress, we
make adjustments. We resolve to work harder. The first month of school, we post our goals in the
classroom near the door. That makes it a little easier for students to see them on a daily basis. It helps
them stay focused. Whether your students keep their goal lists in their notebooks, lockers, and backpacks
or on display in the classroom is not important. What is important is that they take the time to set goals,
write them down and keep check on their progress. That’s what growing in goodness is all about!
Over the years while teaching the Character Class for my K- 6 students, I have kept copies of their
goal lists. I have selected a sample to include in this book. Perhaps these will help you to see what kinds
of thing students have chosen to work on over the course of the school year.
Remember that there are two kinds of goals: long- term goals and short- term goals. Kids need to
learn to set both kinds. And remember to teach students to be specific when setting their goals. The
more specific students are in setting goals, the better chance they will have of reaching them. In the list
above, one student did that quite well. He not only wants to go to college and play basketball; he has
chosen the school, the University of North Carolina.
Student Academic Goals
• To stay on task
�� To be a better listener
• To do my homework
• To be a better reader
• To improve my handwriting
• To be responsible for my
assignments
• To have a better report card
• To get straight A’s
• To make the Honor Roll
• To get in a good college
• To get a job that I like
• To follow directions
• To learn math facts
• To follow school rules
• To try my best
Student Social Goals
• To be nice to my sister
• To change my attitude
• To make new friends
• To be a better teammate
in basketball
• To follow the Golden Rule
• To be respectful with my
parents
• To tell the truth all the time
• To control my temper
• To listen when my friends are
talking
• To be helpful
• To take turns
• To share with others
• To be kind to everyone
Student Personal Goals
• To learn to do a handspring
• To complete a 500- piece puzzle
• To play basketball for UNC
• To be a cartoonist
• To learn to play an instrument
• To learn sign language
• To dive off of the high dive
• To eat healthy
• To be more lovable
• To do more good deeds
• To watch less television
• To start saving money
• To spend more time with my
family
• To have a good time without
being bad
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 41
REPORT CARD GOAL- SETTING SESSIONS
S tudents need to see that their schoolwork and goals are connected. This practice will help students
to focus on their studies and to work towards academic success. On the day that students will be
receiving their report cards, I hand out the Goal Setting Session worksheets. Each student writes his
name and the date on the top of the sheet.
The first section of the worksheet is for predicting what grades the students think they earned for
this grading period. Notice that I am careful to use the word earned, rather than the word got. The
language here is quite important. I want my students to understand that I don’t give grades. I simply
record the grades that they earn. The second section of the worksheet is for recording the grades that
students earned during the previous grading period. The reason for this section is so that a comparison
can be made.
Then I pass out the student
report cards. They open them up
and look them over. They then
move on to the third section of the
worksheet. It is in this spot that they
record their newly earned grades.
Question number four is simple:
Did your grades go up or down?
Then comes the part where
students have to dig deeply for
answers: Give the reasons for any
changes in your grades.
Students now have to face the
music. There is no room for
excuses. We are developing
accountability for our decisions of
the last nine weeks. As a teacher, it
is interesting to observe. Students
become excited when they see that
their grades have improved, and
they come to understand that extra
study time and effort were the
reasons for the change. It is sad to
see those who have not measured
up. But there is hope! Students are
enlightened when they begin
admitting that poor study habits,
laziness, and irresponsibility have
been contributing factors to their
failures. I remind them that it is
never too late to change.
The logical next step is
planning for the future. We take a
few minutes to think about our
habits— really think! We develop
Goal- Setting Session
End of the Nine- Week Grading Period
Name ________________________ Date_________________________
1. Predict what grades you think you earned this grading period:
Reading ______ Social Studies ______
English ______ Science ______
Spelling ______ Health ______
Math ______ Citizenship ______
2. Record what grades you earned last nine weeks in these subjects:
Reading ______ Social Studies ______
English ______ Science ______
Spelling ______ Health ______
Math ______ Citizenship ______
3. Write down the new grades you earned for this grading period:
Reading ______ Social Studies ______
English ______ Science ______
Spelling ______ Health ______
Math ______ Citizenship ______
4. Did your grades go up or down?
__________________________________________________________
5. Give the reasons for the changes in your grades:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
6. Write down five goals for improving your work ethic and grades:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
42 CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE
goals for the coming grading period. These goals will be helpful in improving our work ethic and our
grades. We set to work. All in all, this is about a twenty- minute activity. Yes, it does take time out of our
instructional day. But the way I see it, this is part of the most important instruction of all. Students come
to see the direct correlation between work ethic and academic success. Plus you get the added
incentive of knowing that it is never too late to wipe the slate clean and change your ways. I have seen
students go from D’s to B’s and stay there!
CHARACTER JOURNALS
I have been doing Character Journals for years, and they are my very favorite character- building
practice of all. Considering the amount of time they take, and the difference they make, you’ve just
got to try them!
It’s easy. We use those black- and- white composition books, but any kind of a notebook will do. Each
morning I have a character quote on the chalkboard when students arrive. I always write down the
same one that I put on the morning announcements for the day. Writing down the quote of the day
simply becomes part of the morning routine: go to your locker, get your books and supplies for the day,
graph in for attendance and lunch, put your homework in the basket, and write in your Character
Journal. It’s as simple as that. Writing down the quote takes all of one minute. And all of this happens
before the tardy bell even rings.
But don’t stop there. Use that quote throughout the day. Repeat it during the transition times of the
day: when lining up to go to gym class, lunch, or the library or when packing backpacks at the end of
the day. As Aristotle taught us, repetition is the mother of skill.
Another great idea is to have the older kids write a reflection paragraph about the quote on days
when there is time. Students can write about what the quote means and how they might put the
wisdom to work in their own life. This extension activity takes a few minutes more, but is worth the time
and effort that it takes. Since students are writing, this activity can be woven in with the language arts
lesson of the day.
Character quotes are just one of the things that students put in their journals. Whenever I find a
good story that can be typed up on one page, I run copies for my class. The students staple them in and
write a paragraph of reflection about the story. Copies of good editorial cartoons and stories from the
newspaper are also good journal entries. I have also been known to include the heroes column from
The Reader’s Digest and other uplifting stories. Articles showcasing good character from your local
newspaper are also good to copy and pass out to students.
By the end of the year, I usually have about 180 good character quotes, ten good stories, twelve
teaching cartoons, nine hero stories, and dozens of pages of written reflections. When students leave
at the end of the school year, they have a wonderful book of wisdom to take with them. Parents and
students both cherish that collection. It is my favorite thing to send with them as they walk off into their
futures!
SUCCESS LIBRARY
R eading is so important! Because I believe that children become better readers by actually reading,
I keep lots of books on hand in the classroom. I bring books from home and I write grants to buy
even more. What kind of books do I keep in the collection? Success books!
Books that I call success books are ones that build character. These are books that help you, guide
you, and point you in the direction of achieving personal, academic, and professional success. They
CHARACTER EDUCATION INFORMATIONAL HANDBOOK & GUIDE 43
are the books that are found in the self- help and psychology sections of bookstores. They are also the
little life- lesson books found in gift shops. Books on confidence, character, and courage. Books on
determination and desire. Books that include the wisdom of the generations. Books that inspire and
motivate you to be the best person that you can be. In my opinion, we don’t read enough of them!
Start building a collection for your class. For a first step, I just got a big basket and filled it with books
from home. I was amazed at how the kids enjoyed reading them. And because they were my personal
books, the students were extra careful and respectful of them. They grabbed a book for some success
reading whenever there was a free moment, whenever they had finished their class work and even
during recess on a rainy day. Reading positive and uplifting books supports students on their journey
to goodness!
Here are a few titles to help get you started.
The Book of Virtues William Bennett
The Children’s Book of Virtues Willia