Character-Building in
Catholic Schools:
What Works
Dr. Thomas Lickona
Center for the 4th & 5th Rs
www.cortland.edu/character
1
GOALS OF THE WORKSHOP
1.
2.
3.
Have fun.
Learn the 12-point comprehensive
approach to character-building—and
practical strategies you can use.
Be an ethical learning community.
What is character education?
The deliberate effort
 to develop moral and
performance virtues
through every phase of school
and classroom life.


Every moment is a character moment.

Every human interaction, every
experience of the day, affects a
student’s values and character,
for good or for ill.
Component #2

An ethical learning
community
Class Handshake
Shake hands with (hug if
you prefer)—and warmly
greet—6 people.

Hand signal for quiet
THE DAILY FOUR
1.
2.
3.
4.
Share good news (with a partner; 1 min
each).
Tell about someone or something you’re
grateful for (new partner; 1 min. each).
Affirm someone in the class.
Make us laugh. (Joke must be clean.)
—Hal Urban, Lessons from the Classroom: 20
Things Good Teachers Do
(www.halurban.com)
9
“Just Do It!”
Action Ideas List
Component #1
The teacher as:
1.
2.
3.
caregiver (building bonds)
model
mentor (moral and spiritual
guide/coach)
1.
CLASS INTERVIEW (Day 1)
(Kim McConnell, 6th-grade teacher)
“You may ask me questions about my life as
a teacher or my life outside of school.
2. “Please take notes on my answers.”
3. “Your first homework assignment is to write a
one-page Biography of Mrs. McConnell.”
4. “Read it to an adult in your family and turn it
in tomorrow.”
2nd assignment: Interview another adult in the
school.
What is good character?
14
BIG IDEA
Students need PERFORMANCE
VIRTUES to become smart and
do their best work.
They need MORAL VIRTUES to
become good and behave
ethically.
15
Performance Virtues
Moral/Ethical Virtues
• Best effort
•
Respect
Commitment to
improvement
•
Honesty
•
Love
•
Justice
Self-control
•
•
Work ethic
•
Determination
•
Confidence
•
•
Initiative
•
Humility
Creativity
•
Moral courage
•
16
Smart & Good High Schools

The concept of the 2 sides of character—
performance character and moral
character—emerged from our 2-year study
of award-winning high schools:
Smart & Good High Schools
www.cortland.edu/character
The big ideas and strategies of the report
have since been adapted K-12.
17
What are virtues?
Objectively good human qualities:

Good for the individual person—necessary
for human happiness

Good for the whole society—necessary for
people to live and work together.
Virtues are not mere thoughts
but habits we develop by
performing virtuous actions.
—Aristotle
The Necessity of Practice
We becoming virtuous by
repeatedly acting in good ways
until it becomes natural and
even easy to do so—and
unnatural to do the opposite.
Children develop character by what
they see, what they hear, and what
they are repeatedly led to do.
Directed practice is the most
important part.
—James Stenson, Compass: A
Handbook of Parent Leadership
Repetition Matters
Coach Phil Caruso, to his championship
team: “What I’m most proud of was that we went
the entire season without a thrown bat, a thrown
helmet, or a profanity outside the dugout.”
__________
 “That didn’t happen because I said once at the
start of the season, “No thrown bats, no thrown
helmets . . . ” I said it before every game. I
congratulated them at the end of every game.
“If you want something to be important to
kids, you need to repeat it over and over.”

What influences character?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Family
School
Church
Community/Society/Media
Personal choices made by
young people themselves.
23
Where Does the Faith Come in?
The 3 Goals of Life
1.
salvation—our own and others’
2.
service—using our God-given talents to
build God’s kingdom on earth
3.
sanctity—growing in holiness.
Jesus: “Be thou made perfect, as your heavenly
Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
St. Gregory: “The goal of a virtuous life is to
become like God.”

A Christian view: The human person is weakened by
original sin and personal sin. Therefore leading a life
of virtue is a struggle. But because we are
redeemed by Christ, grace (God’s life in us) is
available to help us.

The journey of a Christian is one of being gradually
“transformed in Christ” (von Hildebrand 1948). St.
Gregory (335-395 AD):“The goal of a virtuous life is to
become like God.” Jesus: “Be thou made perfect.”

This process of transformation begins in Baptism
through the Holy Spirit. It is meant to continue
throughout our lives. As we die to self and become
transformed in Christ, we become increasingly
capable of self-giving and sacrificial love—Christ-like
love.

The goal of Christ-like character builds on the
base of the human (cardinal) virtues:
1.
prudence (wisdom)
justice (respecting the rights of others; giving
others, including God, what is due them)
temperance (self-control)
fortitude (courage, patience, & perseverance).
2.
3.
4.

The cardinal virtues are developed through
effort and practice, but are also aided by
God’s grace.

1.
2.
3.
By themselves, however, the cardinal virtues
are not enough to develop Christ-like
character. The three “theological virtues” are
also needed:
faith in God, which enables us to believe in
God and the teachings of His church
hope in God, which leads us to view eternal
life as our most important goal and to place
total trust in God
love of God, which enables us to love God
above all things and our neighbor as ourselves
for the love of God.

The Catechism: These three theological
virtues are infused by God into the souls of
the faithful at Baptism and dispose us to
live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity.

They are not separate from the cardinal
virtues.

They “are the foundation of Christian
moral activity; they animate it and give it
its special character” (Catechism, 1813).

The Christian is prudent, just, courageous,
and self-controlled out of faith in God,
hope in God, and love of God.

The theological virtues, like the cardinal
virtues

grow stronger through our effort and practice
 in cooperation with God’s grace.
Where Does the Faith Come in?

The ultimate mission the Church
is to turn us into alter Christi—
”other Christs.”

Our goal as Christians: to
develop the character of Christ.
BIG IDEA
Any virtue, and character as a
whole, has 3 parts:
Habits of the mind
 Habits of the heart
 Habits of behavior

32
Good Character
You have to . . .
 know it in your head
 feel it in your heart
 show it with your hands.
33
Billy’s Story
A 4th-grader, Billy was surly, wouldn’t do his
work, and got into fights nearly every day.
His father was in prison. His mother was
an alcoholic. Billy himself was already
starting to use alcohol.
How could you help Billy:
1. Stop fighting?
2. Develop his character (head, heart, and
hand)—so he is a more respectful and
responsible person?
In 3s: Come up with a plan. (2 min.)
34
BILLY’S PLAN

He could be the special friend and protector of
a 1st-grade boy in a wheelchair.

He could help the boy on and off the school
bus, sit with him at lunch, be his guardian on
the playground, and visit him daily in his
classroom.

If he got in any kind of a fight at school, he lost
the privilege of further contact with the 1stgrader for the rest of that day. (The next day
was a fresh start.)
Richard Curwin, Rediscovering Hope:
Our Greatest Teaching Strategy

Problem teens were paired with seniors in
nursing homes and kids in hospitals.

They made daily visits, helped them in
various ways, & formed close attachments.

For most, significant changes in their
attitudes and behavior occurred.
36
You have to look at people with two eyes.
One eye sees what the person is now.
The other sees what the person
can become.
You have to keep both eyes open
all the time.
—Miles Horton
37
Component #11

Caring beyond the classroom
Students who engage in service are kinder,
higher in self-esteem, more accepting of
cultural diversity, less likely to have
discipline problems, and more likely to do
well on state tests.
—U.S. Department of Education
St. Rocco Case Study

Award-winning K-8 Catholic school
(see handout)

An example of a comprehensive
character-building approach
Component #12

Parents as partners
“Building Catholic Character: 5
Things Parents Can Do”
(handout)
Communicate to Parents
“Parents are the first and most
important character educators.”
 “The school’s job is to reinforce
the character virtues being taught
at home.”

Character Education Homework
 Parent
and child, independently,
each make a list:
“Who are 5 of your heroes? Why?”
 Then
compare and discuss lists.
Parent-Kid Communication Tool:
Back-and-forth Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How was today on a scale of 1 to 10—where
1 is “terrible” and 10 “terrific”? Why?
What happened today that you didn’t
expect?
What did you accomplish today that you feel
good about?
What did you learn today?
What’s an interesting conversation you had?
The Family Meal:
Have a “Topic.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What was the best part of your day?
What did you learn today?
How did you help someone today?
What is something you’re grateful for?
What’s a problem you’re having that the
rest of the family might be able to help
with? (see handout for 35 dinner topics)
Faith’s positive impact on character
Teens who regularly practice their religious
faith are:
More involved in service activities
 Less likely to steal, be violent, or use
drugs and alcohol
 Less likely to have sex.

-www.childtrends.org
Why Go to Mass?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The Third Commandment.
The Command of Christ.
The Command of the Church.
What we do at Mass (sacrifice & meal).
The consequences if we don’t go.
The benefits if we do.
Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano
Around the year 700, a Basilian monk in Lanciano,
Italy, had continuous doubts about the Real
Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He begged
God to remove his doubts.
One day, as he was saying Mass, following the
words of the consecration, the bread literally
changed into Flesh and the wine into Blood.
He called the faithful to the altar to witness what
had happened. The changed substances are
preserved to this day at the Church of St.
Francis in Lanciano.
Component #1
The teacher as:
1.
2.
3.
caregiver (building bonds)
model
mentor (moral and spiritual
guide/coach)
The Difference a Teacher Makes
“I was a bully before I came to this
school. I used to make little kids cry.
“When I met Mrs. Brown, I changed.
I’m not a bully anymore, because
Mrs. Brown taught me about
character.”
—a 6th-grade boy
51
“Help Me Know Your Child”
Jenny Carnahan, 4th-grade teacher, sends
home a questionnaire:
List 5 words that describe your child’s
character or personality
 What motivates your child?
 What upsets your child?
 What are your child’s outside of school
interests?
 What else should I know?

Who are you? (high school)
Your answers will remain private. Skip any you wish. Feel
free to ask me the same Q’s.
1.
What’s your favorite leisure-time activity?
2.
What’s something you do well?
3.
What would you like to do for work/career?
4.
What are two words that describe you?
5.
What is your best quality?
6.
What do you like most about school? Least?
7.
What co-curricular activities are you involved in?
8.
What else would you like me to know about you?
—Hal Urban, Lessons from the Classroom: 20 Things
Good Teachers Do www.halurban.com
Handshake at the Door
 “In
the second it takes me to shake a
hand, I renew my relationship with
that student.”
 “I
can tell in a heartbeat what kind of
a day a kid is having. You can nip
problems in the bud at the door.”
54
Conversation at the Door

I asked “SP” (strategically positive) questions—
ones that would elicit a specific and positive
answer, such as:
 What’s
been the highlight of your day so far?
 What’s a goal you’re working these days?

My students and I brainstormed more than 100
SP questions.
—Hal Urban, Positive Words, Powerful Results
(www.halurban.com)
55
Teacher’s Corner
1.
In my Teacher’s Corner, I display pictures of
my husband, children, and dog; photos of
classes I taught when I lived in California; my
college diploma; favorite books; sports I enjoy;
and other things that reflect my interests.
2.
During the first few weeks, I meet with each of
my kids in the TC for about 10 minutes. They
bring an “All About Me” book they’ve made.
These conversations have given me a closer
relationship with each child.
56
1997 National Longitudinal Study of
Adolescent Health (90,000 students in 80
middle and high schools):
2 factors predicted student achievement
and avoidance of risk behaviors (sex, drugs,
drinking, violence):

Family connectedness
 School connectedness
Research on Resilience
Resilient kids possess 4 strengths:
1. Social competence
2. Problem-solving skills
3. A sense of identity
4. Hope for the future.
They often cite a “special teacher” who
was a confidant and an inspiring role
model.
Attitude Box
Gloria Shields, 9th-grade English teacher

“If you’re going to do your best work, you
don’t want to come in with a bad attitude.”

“If you do arrive with a bad attitude, write
down what’s bothering you on a slip of
paper and drop it in the Attitude Box.”

“Write on the bottom if you’d like to talk to
me about it.”
59
Motivate Individually
“Teachers need to motivate every
student individually, not just as an
entire class. The personal
connections my teachers make with
me—even a short conversation or
positive comment—keep me
motivated to learn.”
—A high school boy
60
Teacher as Model: Self-Inventory
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Do I warmly greet each student?
Do I seek other opportunities to connect with
each student?
Am I well-prepared for class? On time?
Do I model patience and courtesy, even under
stress?
Do I treat my all students impartially?
Do I challenge all of them to do their best work?
Where are you strong? Where do you have room
for improvement? (Stand and share with a
new partner: 1 minute each.)
61

Everyone’s character is a work in
progress.
 “Character-building
begins in
infancy and continues until
death.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt
TEACHER AS MENTOR OR MORAL COACH
Five-year-old Brian repeatedly called
Jonathan, a kindergarten classmate, “Tan
Man”—because his skin was light brown.
Jonathan’s mother called the teacher and
said that the name-calling upset Jonathan
so much, he didn’t want to go back to
school.
What would you say to Brian?
63
“Brian, there are two kinds of hurts:
outside hurts that you can see, like
a cut or a bruise, and inside hurts
that you can’t see—like a hurt
feeling. The inside hurts actually
hurt more and last longer.”
64
“When you call Jonathan ‘Tan Man,’ you’re
making an inside hurt for him that hurts so
bad that he doesn’t want to come back to
our class.
“Our class has to be a safe and happy
place for everyone. I would never let
anyone make that kind of inside hurt for
you, and I can’t let you make that kind of
hurt for Jonathan.
“Now tell me what I said.”
Teacher as Mentor:
Quote of the day
Life is 10% what happens to
me and 90% how I react to it.
—Charles Swindoll
66
QUOTE OF THE DAY
1.
2.
3.
4.
Copy the quote in your notebook.
Then write it in your own words.
Share your paraphrase with a
partner.
Class discussion:


“What does this quote mean?”
“How do we know this is true?”
67
SELF-STUDY
To what extent do you practice this quote?
 How could you practice it more
consistently?
 Write down a strategy for doing so.
 Share with a partner.

68
Teacher as Mentor: Storytelling

Elaine Herron: “Alexander
Days”
 Tim
Kent (1-minute stories)
69
Teach Academic Honesty
A Grade 9 science teacher:
“I want my students to know why cheating
really bothers me. I tell them:
“You might recover quickly from a zero if I
catch you cheating. But it takes a long
time to make up for an act of dishonesty. It
creates a lack of trust between us. It
damages our relationship.”
70
5 Reasons Why Cheating Is Wrong
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
It’s a form of lying; it misrepresents what
you know.
It violates the teacher’s trust.
It’s unfair to all those who aren’t cheating.
It will lower your self-respect; you can never
be proud of something you got by cheating.
It damages your character—turning you into
the kind of person who can’t be trusted and
is likely to cheat in other situations.
71
One teacher’s opening prayer:
O Lord, open my eyes to see what is
beautiful
My mind to know what is true
And my heart to love what is good,
For Jesus' sake, amen.
 Silent
time for personal prayer.
"For many of my students, this may be
the only time they pray in this way.”
Prayer Tips
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pray when you wake up: “Thank you for the gift
of this day.”
Give God at least 5 minutes at the beginning of
the day.
Talk to God as if he’s right there.
Begin with thanks, then prayers of petition.
Use spiritual reading (read, meditate, read . . . )
Be silent; listen with your heart.
Understand how God answers prayers.
Mother Teresa:
“I always begin my prayer in
silence. God speaks to us in
the silence of our hearts.”
Mother Teresa




Felt the personal call of Jesus to leave teaching
and found an order to serve the world’s poor.
Saw Christ in every person she served.
Led her Sisters of Charity in 3 hours or prayer
every morning before going into the streets.
Defended the unborn as “the poorest of the
poor.” Spoke out against abortion and
contraception and promoted adoption and
Natural Family Planning.
PRAYER QUOTES

See handout
Dealing with suffering
How does God answer the prayer for healing?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Miraculous, complete healing
Partial healing
Temporary healing
Spiritual healing
Grace to bear the suffering and offer it up
Release from this life.
God always answers our prayers, according to
His perfect will.
WITH JESUS CRUCIFIED
We cannot imitate Christ if we do not
suffer with him.
 If we join our suffering with His Cross, it
has supernatural value—it makes us
collaborators in the salvation of souls.

—Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen,
Divine Intimacy
Sharing Our Witness
A 6th-grade teacher: “Our nearest gas station sold
pornography. It wasn't convenient to drive to
another, but we got 30 people in the parish to
boycott that station. The owner decided it wasn't
worth the loss of business and pulled the
pornography.
“I explain to my students that if you're silent and
do nothing, you're part of the problem.”
"Students are seldom challenged to stand up for
what's right, so I challenge them to take a stand
as a class. One 6th-grade class decided to write
to Doritos, which at the time was running a
commercial they felt was very disrespectful
toward old people.
“Doritos wrote back and said they had received a
number of critical letters and were going to
change the commercial.
“You have to give kids the experience that they
can make a difference."
“Just Do It!”
Action Ideas List
Component #2

An ethical learning
community
When There Is No Ethical
Learning Community
A father:
“We transferred our daughter to a Catholic school
because we didn’t like the public school’s
handling of sex education.
“As a freshman, she said she was frozen out by
the girls there. She spent her lunch hours alone
in the art room. When it came time for her
birthday in October, she said there was no one
at her new school that she could invite.”
When students are victims of peer cruelty,
it:
 Interferes with their learning.
 Disrupts their social and moral
development.
 Makes school a miserable experience.
 Causes some to seek revenge.
 Causes others to become depressed
and even suicidal.
87
Psychological Principle:

If you wish to decrease negative
behaviors such as cruelty and
disrespect, develop their
psychological opposites:
kindness and respect.
88
2-Minute Interviews
“I used the first 4 minutes of every class during the
first month of school to have students do paired
2-minute interviews (they had to finish it on their
own in the next 3 weeks):
1. What’s something you own that’s special to you?
2. What’s your proudest achievement so far?
3. What’s an important goal you have for your life?
4. A special interest you have?
5. Who is someone you greatly admire? Why?
6. A question of your choice.
—Hal Urban, Lessons from the Classroom
They had to fill in a sheet with the
information for every class member—and
turn it in, as with any assignment.
 We continued until every student had
interviewed every other student. They were
required to interview me as well, and I
interviewed each of them.
 My students loved this activity. After 3
weeks, we all knew each other well.

The first test asks them to list the
names of all class members.
Practice Kindness
At the start of the day, all students take
out their Good Deeds Journal and
write:
1. A good deed I did yesterday . . .
2. A good deed I will do today . . .
In all subjects, teachers make a
connection to the good deeds theme.
Practice Altruism

8th-grade students saw clips from movies
such as “The Miracle Worker” depicting
altruism. They discussed: “Who showed
altruism? What was the effect of their
altruism on others?”

Daily homework: “Carry out an altruistic
act of your own choosing, at school or
home, and observe its effects. Record this
in a journal.”
Increased Altruism

On a pre-post survey, students showed a
significant increase in how important they
thought it was to be altruistic.

Many commented on the impact on their
self-concept.
One student: “I know I’m a good person,
because I do good things.”
PRAYER CIRCLE
 “At
the beginning of each day, my
students stand with their arms around
each other and pray for each other’s
intentions.”
Community-Building Rituals
1.
2.
3.
4.
Joline Mallan, 2nd-grade teacher, begins each
day with a 10-15 minute class meeting.
She compliments the class on good things
from day before, reviews “classroom helper
responsibilities, and gives an overview of day.
She asks, “Who has news to share?” and
writes a sentence about each item shared.
After 5-6 items, the class reads the sentences
aloud together.
An 8th-grade teacher asks:
“What’s new
and good?”
Seat Lottery
Janet Fagal, 5th-grade teacher:
1. Struggled with cliques.
2. She arranged desks in a “U” and
gave each a number.
3. At the end of the week, students
drew a number—their new desk for
the next week. It changed the social
chemistry of the class.
Anonymous Compliments
1.
2.
3.
Each student draws the name of a
classmate.
By the week’s end, the student writes an
anonymous compliment about that
person on a strip of paper, shows it to
the teacher, and puts it in the
Compliment Box.
On Friday, the teacher posts all the
compliments on the bulletin board.
98
PEERS AFFIRMING PEERS




“Who saw kindness today?”
“Who saw respect?”
“Who saw determination?”
“Who saw sharing?”
—Jenna Smith, 3rd-grade teacher
WELCOMING FRESHMEN
 Seniors
plan and lead a half-day
welcome for the new freshmen.
Smart & Good High Schools,
www.cortland.edu/character, p. 38
FRESHMAN TRANSITION PROGRAM
 Older
students are assigned as
mentors to all freshmen.
 The school trains the mentors.
 Mentors and their freshmen meet
weekly.
BUDDY CLASSES
An older class is paired with a younger
class.
 The buddy classes get together weekly or
bi-weekly.
 The older kids read to their little buddies,
help them with their schoolwork, do a
special project together, and so on.

SCHOOL “FAMILIES”

Students are grouped in “families,” one
child from each grade. The 2 oldest kids
are the “parents.”

“Families” come together for beginning-ofthe-year activities, regular events such as
assemblies, and special occasions.
Get students to take responsibility.



Canadian study: Bullying typically
stopped if even one student expressed
disapproval.
Have counselors create anti-bullying
“intervention teams” at each grade level.
(Team members step in when they see
someone being picked on.)
Teach students how to provide emotional
support to victims.
“THE HOT SEAT”
A “promising practice” of our Smart
& Good High Schools study (2005)
(www.cortland.edu/character).
THE HOT SEAT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Form groups of 5-6 people.
Shake hands and greet by name.
Decide who will be on the “hot seat.”
Follow directions on handout.
The person may “pass” on any question.
You don’t have to ask the questions on
order. You may ask follow-up questions.
Component #3

Character-Based Discipline
Character-Based Discipline



Promotes positive behavior and good
character
Deters and corrects negative behavior
3 essentials:
1.
2.
3.
High expectations
Clear rules
Clear consequences.
109
INCLUDE YOUR CHARACTER
EXPECTATIONS IN SYLLABUS
1.
2.
3.
My Expectations. I plan to give my very best
and expect nothing less from you. This is your
room and your class. The participation and
behavior of each person will shape the learning
that occurs.
Your Rights in This Class. You have a right
to learn without distraction.
My Rights. I have a right and a responsibility to
teach. No one has a right to violate my right to
do my job.
110
Alphabet Manners
Accept a compliment.
 Be polite.
 Clean up.
 Do chew with your mouth closed.
 Elbows off the table.
 Friendliness to everyone.
 …Zip your zipper.
—Susan Skinner, kindergarten teacher

Teaching Courtesy
I teach my kids to greet and thank the
cafeteria workers as they go through the
lunch line.
 The cafeteria staff say they always know
when my kids are coming through.
 My students have a very high level of selfrespect—because of the respect they
show to other people.
—Molly Angelini, 5th-grade teacher

Gary Robinson, 4th, 6th, and 9th-grade
teacher:
 Hello-Goodbye
Rule
 The Golden Rule
“How would you like to be treated in this
class—by me and everyone else?
Write down 2 or 3 ways.”
“Whatever Happened to Good
Manners?”
See handout.
 What makes this an effective
lesson?

Hal Urban’s Approach to Rule-Setting
In 5’s, students complete a work sheet:
If We Made the Rules . . .
Students would not be allowed to:
1.
2.
3.
Students would be encouraged to:
1,
2.
3.
 The
small groups then report out.
 Hal keeps a running list.
 He then adds his ideas.
 He then makes a composite list from
all the classes and gives every
student a copy.
 “You own them; you honor them.”
Signs around Hal’s room
No one ever went wrong by being polite.
 No Put-Downs
 Compliments Spoken Here
 Positive Attitude
 Respect for Others
 Hard Work
 The Golden Rule rules.

“If a student forgets a rule, I knock on the
pertinent sign—or go over to his/her desk.”
Discipline That Fosters Moral
Character Development
1.
2.
3.
4.
To foster moral growth, discipline should
help a student:
Experience a logical consequence.
Understand why the behavior was wrong.
Plan how to avoid making this mistake in
the future, and meet later with the teacher to
discuss how the plan is working.
Make up for the harm done (“What can I do
to make up for it?”).
Molly Angelini:
“If a student calls someone a
name, or is unkind in any other
way, I ask that child to write a
sincere letter of apology to the
person he or she has offended.”
119
The Compact for Excellence (a
culture-shaping tool)
1.
Put students in groups of 4. Give each a
large sheet of paper and marker.
2.
“Write down 2 rules that will help us DO
OUR BEST WORK and 2 rules that will
help us TREAT OTHERS WITH
RESPECT AND CARE.”
3.
Guide the class in combining the ideas
into one Compact.
120
Sample Compact for Excellence
To Help Everyone Feel Respected and Cared
About, We Will:
1. Treat others the way we want to be treated.
2. Think before we act.
3. Apologize when we do something hurtful.
To Help Everyone Do Their Best Work, We Will:
1. Never settle for less than our best.
2. Ask for help when we need it.
3. Have a positive attitude (bounce back).
121
To make the Compact effective:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Have all students sign it. Post it.
Review it at the start of each day (class).
Stop and ask, “What are we forgetting?”
when necessary.
Have the class assess: “How are we
doing on (a particular Compact item), on
a scale of 1-5?” (Each student rates it.)
Set goal: “What item should we work on
next week?”
122
Individual Behavior Plan
1.
2.
I will sit away from Joe when we have
individual work to do.
If we both get our assignments in on
time, we can work together on the
group project at the end of the week.
Signed: Carlos
Date: September 15, 2011
123
Behavior contracts have
proved helpful with kids who
bully.
“I will not hit or hurt anyone. If I do, I
will have to call my parents and
report what I did.”
124
TIME OUT
1.
2.
3.
Settle down and get control.
Make a plan and show it to the
teacher.
Get back in the game.
125
Dear Parents, I’d like to fill you in on my discipline plan. I believe that
success in life develops through self-discipline, so I want to give
students every opportunity to manage their own behavior. Here’s
our plan:
Expectations:
1. Be respectful of yourself, others, and our classroom.
2. Be responsible for yourself, your belongings, and our classroom
materials.
3. Participate in our safe and caring classroom.
4. Do your best; never give up!
5. Follow the Golden Rule.
When expectations are not met (we rarely have to go beyond #2):
1. Reminder.
2. Thinking zone—3 minutes.
3. Thinking zone in another 3rd-grade classroom—3 minutes.
4. Parent called.
5. Conference—student, parent/guardian, Mrs. Conley, and principal.
The children and I have discussed this plan together, but please
review it with your child. Thanks very much!
Ask parents . . .
“If you have reason to think that a teacher
or other staff member may not have been
fair to your child, or you’re just not sure
what happened, please contact the
principal without telling your child you are
doing so.
 “This will help us to work together to solve
any problem in a way that’s best for your
child.”

Following through with Discipline
“I use a contract approach. I ask four Q’s:
1.
2.
3.
4.




What happened to bring you here?
Is that behavior helping you?
Do you want to do something about it?
What do you do well to gain recognition?
We work out and sign a mutually agreed-upon plan.
We meet within a week to discuss, “How’s it working?”
We meet weekly for the next 2-3 weeks.
We touch base once a month (next few months).
“This approach works for 90% of kids sent to the office.”
—Bill Fleming, Ontario K-8 principal
Why Follow Through Matters

“Most people get off to a good start but
don’t follow through. They talk to a kid
who’s in trouble but don’t follow through. If
you talk to a kid, you have to follow up,
check in, hold them accountable.
“Who does a young person feel most
valued by? The person who follows
through.”
—Phil Caruso, high school counselor and
college baseball coach
Component #4

A democratic classroom
environment
CLASS MEETINGS



We can build character by involving students in
shared decision making that gives them
responsibility for making the classroom a good
place to be.
The chief means of fostering this shared
responsibility is the class meeting—a face-toface, interactive circle discussion.
Class meetings can deal with problems (cutting
in lunch line, put-downs, homework issues) or
help to plan upcoming events (the day, a field
trip, a cooperative activity, the next unit).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Set the meeting rules: “What rules do we need in
order to have good talking and good listening?”
“What should we do if someone doesn’t follow those
rules?”
Set the agenda; ask kids to describe the problem:
“What’s been happening when we line up for lunch?”
Pose the challenge: “How can we, working together,
solve this problem?”
Conduct interactive discussion: “Who would like to
comment on John’s idea?”
Reach consensus on a plan of action.
Agree on consequences for not following the plan:
“What should we do if someone doesn’t follow our
plan? What’s a fair consequence?”
Ask all students to sign the plan.
Plan a time for a follow-up meeting. “When should
we meet again to evaluate how well our plan is
working?”
Post the plan where all can see it.
Foster Interdependence
In a class meeting, ask:
“Who has a problem the rest of us
could help solve?”
134

Use class meetings to discuss
bullying:
“Give examples of bullying, but no
names please.”
“How do you feel when someone
does these things to you?”
135
CLASS MEETINGS RESOURCES
 Class
Meetings That Matter
(www.olweus.org)
 Educating for Character, T. Lickona,
Ch. 8 (20 kinds of class meetings)
___________
“Clear school rules about bullying and weekly
class meetings appear to be especially
important in reducing bullying.”
—Dr. Susan Limber, U.S. Director of Olweus Bullying
Prevention Program
136
Components 5 and 6
Teaching character through
the curriculum
 Conscience of craft (doing
your best work)

STUDY THE SAINTS
 Mary
Reed Newland, The Saints
and Our Children

William Kilpatrick, Books That Build
Character (annotated bibliography, early
childhood through teen years)
Jan Gorman, 1st-grade teacher, asks
her students:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is caring?
Who can show caring?
Where does caring take place?
How can each of us show caring?



In our classroom?
In our school?
In our families?
141
She then reads the book,
Teammates (the story of baseball
players Jackie Robinson and Pee
Wee Reese) and asks:


Who in the story showed caring?
Who did not show caring?
142
She then challenges her class:
 “Remember this story, and make it a goal
to show caring toward each other during
the rest of the day.”


When a child behaves in a caring way,
she publicly compliments that child.
When a child behaves in an uncaring way,
she privately corrects that child:
“Did that behavior show caring?”
 “Remember our story, remember our
discussion.”

143
On each subsequent day of the
week, she reads a different book
about caring and repeats this
process. She says:
“By the end of the week, caring has
been established as an expectation
in my classroom.”
144
Make the CHARACTER CONNECTION
in your subject area
In discussing literature, ask questions such as:
1. What does this character’s decision reveal
about the kind of person he or she is
becoming?
2. What have you learned from this character that
could help you in your life?
3. Who in this story had the best character? Why?
4. Who had the worst character?
145
MAKE THE CHARACTER
CONNECTION
In studying men and women of influence:
1. What moral or performance character qualities
enabled this person to accomplish what he or
she did?
2. What character flaws may have limited their
achievements or caused their downfall?
3. What is a character strength possessed by this
person that you would like to develop to a
higher degree?
Write an essay (or paragraph) on how you
could do that.
146
MEDIA LITERACY
1.
2.
become critical thinkers about all
forms of media
critically examine our own media
habits.
Smart & Good High Schools, pp. 97101 (www.cortland.edu/character)
Integrating Service and Science
In one high school science class, working in
teams, students:
 Used 11 quality standards to test 6 area water
systems.
 Prepared, for local gov’t, a PowerPoint on a
blight that was killing their state’s chestnut
trees.
 Tested the effects of an over-the-counter
steroid on fish.
 Wrote grant proposals that brought in funds to
buy equipment for their science lab.
148
Explain the Virtues Needed to
Succeed in Your Class
Holly Salls, High School Teacher:
“I name and explain the virtues students will
need to succeed in my class: (1) being
prepared; (2) organization and neatness; (3)
punctuality; (4) best effort; (5) concentration;
(6) time management; (7) working quietly out
of respect for others; and (8) enduring things
you don’t want to do.
149
Share the Daily Agenda
1.
2.
3.
What we’re going to learn today.
Why it’s important to know this.
How we’re going to learn it.
(e.g., 15-minute lecture, smallgroup problem-solving, then
class discussion).
150
Have Guest Speakers
(including graduates from your school)
Have your students ask:
1. How did you get the job you have?
2. What do you find satisfying about your work?
Difficult?
3. What skills are needed to do it well?
4. How did you develop those skills?
5. How can someone succeed in today’s world
and still be an honest and good person?
6. What advice would you give students as they
prepare for a job or career in the 21st century?
151
Motivate Being Prepared
1.
2.
3.
My materials check begins every class. For the 1st
two marking periods, they get 0-4 points,
depending on how many of 4 items they have
ready: text, planner, class binder, & writing tool.
Their preparation grade makes up 10% of their
total grade in the fall term, 5% in the winter, and
0% in the spring.
In the spring term, points come off their
homework if they’re not prepared. I tell them
they’ve got two terms to establish good habits
before I penalize them for not demonstrating those
habits. This has worked well for me.
152
Foster the Habit of Homework
A 7th-grade math teacher tells her students:

“Quizzes will be based on the homework.”

“You can use your completed homework as
‘notes’ during the quizzes.”
Students see that they do better on the quizzes
when they do the homework.
153
Have Students Graph Grades
A 9th-grade science teacher says:

On Monday, I give students a “weekly
performance grade” based on the previous
week’s homework and quizzes.

I have students plot their weekly grades on
a personal graph.
“If they see their grade dip, they are more
likely to take responsibility to get it up.”
154
Make Learning
Meaningful
Ron Berger: An
Ethic of Excellence:
Building a Culture
of Craftsmanship
with Students
155
Work of excellence is
transformational. After
students have had a taste of
excellence, they’re never quite
satisfied with less.
—Ron Berger
156
Practices That Motivate Quality Work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Work that inspires
Models of excellence
A culture of critique (feedback)
Multiple revisions
Opportunities to present one’s work
to classmates and other audiences.
157
Senior Biography Project
1.
2.
3.
Berger had each of his 6th-graders:
conduct a series of interviews with a
senior citizen
write that person’s biography in the
form of a small, bound book
give that as a gift to the senior citizen.
158
The Power of Meaningful Work
Berger comments:
“Because my students’ work was going to
be presented to someone else (the senior
citizen), they read the drafts of their
biographies to the whole class for their
suggestions. They did many drafts of their
cover designs. They wanted their books to
be perfect.”
159
Rules for the
Culture of Critique:
Be kind.
 Be specific.
 Be helpful.

160
Steps in the Culture of Critique
1.
2.
3.
Presenter: “I would especially like
your suggestions on . . .”
The class first gives positive
feedback.
Students then offer suggestions,
often in the form of questions:
“Would you consider . . .?”
“Have you thought of . . .?”
161
In Berger’s classroom, students are:

Developing personal responsibility by
striving to do their best work

Developing social responsibility by
helping each other do their best work (by
giving each other feedback on projects).
162
Component #7

Cooperative Learning
COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Cooperative learning, used about 1/3 of
instructional time, improves peer
relationships and academic
achievement.
What Works in Character Education
www.characterandcitizenship.org
165
Mark’s story
Learning Partners

One teacher has Learning Partners who
work together at least once a day.

They do the question or problem
individually first, then compare and explain
their answers.

Every two weeks, students draw a new
Learning Partner.
167
Quality cooperative learning: Brainstorm
WE WORK BEST TOGETHER WHEN ...
1.
2.
3.
4.
We help each other and don’t fight.
We are kind to each other (no put downs).
Everyone contributes.
We listen to all ideas.
(and so on)
168
Cluster Group Seating
1.
2.
Students are randomly assigned to groups of 4.
There are 3 rules:



You have final responsibility for your own work and
behavior.
You must be willing to help anyone in your group
who asks.
You may not ask the teacher for help unless all four
of you have the same Q.
—Marilyn Burns, The I Hate Mathematics! Book
Cooperative Learning Resources

Spencer Kagan, Cooperative
Learning (KaganOnline.com)

T. Lickona, Educating for Character
(Chapter 10; 8 kinds of cooperative
learning)
Component #8

Ethical reflection
“LOOK WHAT I DID TODAY”
“I followed directions.”
 “I let someone else go first.”
 “I helped someone.”
 I gave a compliment.”
 “I said excuse me.”
 “ I calmed myself down.”
Kids each had a sheet, added a sticker for
each thing they did, and took it home.

The Gratitude Journal

“The first thing when my students came
into class each day, I asked them to write
in their Gratitude Journal 5 things they
were thankful for in the past 24 hours.”

“It took just a few minutes, but it made a
noticeable difference in their attitude and
the class climate.”
—a high school English teacher
Character Interviews
Interview someone you admire:
1. Who had the most influence on your
character? Why?
2. How did you help yourself develop a
good character?
3. How does having a good character help
a person in life?
4. What tips would you give to kids today
about developing a good character?
Study Your Hero; Become Your Hero
Give a report to the class:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why did you choose this person as
your hero?
How are you like your hero? Not like
your hero?
What, specifically, are you doing to
try to become more like your hero?
Report on your progress in 2 months.
Practice Goal-Setting
1.
2.
3.
At the end of the day, students take
out their Character Record Book
and answer 3 questions:
How did I show kindness* today?
How did I not show kindness?
How will I show kindness tomorrow?
* The focus virtue changes weekly.
Goal Strips





Fold a colored strip of paper into 3 sections.
Write I will on the first section, what you will do on
the second section, and when you will do it on the
third section.
“I will say only positive things about others this
week.”
I will do a kind deed for someone each day this
week.”
“I will report or try to stop any bullying I see this
week.”
177
Character Education Homework

“This week, for the whole week, be nice
to everyone in your family. Notice what
happens.”

One boy: “I usually pick on my little
brother and make him cry. I was nice to
him all week. He was a lot happier. My
parents complimented me on my mature
behavior. They let me do more things.”
A Monthly Virtue
Choose one virtue—such as patience,
kindness, courage, self-control,
perseverance, or being organized—to
work on for the whole month.
 Set small daily goals.
 At the end of the day, assess how you did.
Make a journal entry if you wish.
—Dr. Patricia Cronin, psychologist who works
with middle school girls
100 Goals
1.
Write 100 goals you’d like to achieve in your
lifetime (consider education, career, family,
adventure, travel, service, creating, spiritual
growth, and major accomplishments).
2.
List your 10 most important goals.
3.
Write a paragraph about your #1 goal. Why is
it so important to you?
—Hal Urban, Lessons from the Classroom: 20
Things Good Teachers Do (www.halurban.com)
Hal Urban: I’ve had students write to me
10 or 15 years after graduation, sending
me their list of 100 goals with the ones
checked off that they’ve already achieved.
They say:
“If you didn’t have us do this
assignment, I never would have even
dreamed of most of these goals, let
alone achieved them.”
Component #9

Teaching conflict
resolution
TALK IT OUT SPACE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Stop and cool down.
Talk & listen (“Make an I-statement.”)
Find out what you both need.
Think of ways to solve the problem.
Choose the idea you both like.
Component #10

Create a schoolwide culture
of excellence & ethics
Schoolwide Assessment
1.
Gather baseline data, using a
survey such as: Respect &
Responsibility School Culture Survey
www.cortland.edu/character.
2.
3.
Implement program.
Repeat survey.
186
Sample Respect & Responsibility
Survey Items
1= Strongly disagree
5= Strongly agree

“Students treat other students with respect,
regardless of differences.”

“Students are willing to help other students, even if
they are not friends.”

“When I see or hear about a student being bullied or
hurt in any way, I try to stop it or report it (to an adult
through an anonymous reporting system).”
187
Participatory Student Government
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Each classroom elects 2 representatives.
They lead their classroom’s discussion of how to
solve school problems such as peer cruelty.
All class representatives report their class’s
suggestions at the next student council meeting.
Rep’s then bring the student council’s proposed
solutions back to their class for further discussion.
Rep’s then report their class feedback on the
proposed solutions to the student council . . .until a
final action plan is ready for school
implementation.
188
 Develop
a school touchstone or
“way.” (S & G, p. 35)
 Written by staff and students
together, the touchstone
expresses the school’s core
moral and performance values.
THE PLACE WAY
At Place School, we pursue excellence in
scholarship and character.
We celebrate and honor each other by
being respectful, honest,
kind, and fair.
We give our best inside and
outside the classroom.
This is who we are, even when
no one is watching.
THE ROOSEVELT WAY
(S & G, p. 36)
“There’s a way that students here
are expected to act, and a way
that they expected not to act.”
—High School Counselor
TOUCHSTONE RESOURCE:
Building an Intentional
School Culture
—Charles Elbot and David Fulton
Component #12

Parents as partners
Why do many young people fall
away from their faith when they
leave home?
3 Reasons for Falling Away
1.
2.
3.
Sin
Lack of a relationship with God
Absence of the habit of personal
prayer.
—Father Hugh Thwaites
The importance of parental example:
“Dad always closes his letters with, ‘Work
hard and pray a lot.’ This never sounds
phony because it’s what he does.
“He has worked hard all his life, and he
prays throughout the day. My most vivid
image of my father is seeing him late at
night, kneeling at his bedside, saying his
personal prayers.”
“10 Emotional Dangers of
Premature Sex”
www.cortland.edu/character
(Character-Based
Sex Education Tab)
The attempted suicide rate for 12- to16-year-old girls who have had
sexual intercourse is six times
higher than for peers
who are virgins.
D. Orr, M. Beiter, & G. Ingersoll, “Premature sexual
activity as an indicator of psychosocial risk,”
Pediatrics, 87, 141-147.
The Rewards of Waiting
1.
2.
3.
4.
Waiting will increase your self-respect.
It will teach you to respect others.
It means a clear conscience (no guilt,no
regrets).
By waiting, you’re developing the kind of
character (virtues such as respect, selfcontrol, modesty, and courage) that will
attract a person of character.
Why Wait for Marriage?
“Sex is so special, it deserves a special
home. It is most meaningful when it’s part
of something bigger. When you are
married, your sexual intimacy expresses
your total commitment to each other.
“The ultimate intimacy belongs within the
ultimate commitment.”
How to Find the Man (Woman) of Your
Dreams: The Real Love Character Test
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Is this person respectful and kind to me?
Does this person always expect to get his or her
own way?
Can I trust this person?
Does this person ever pressure me to go
against my values?
Would I be proud to be married to this person?
Would I want this person to be the father/mother
of my children?
Handouts to share with parents,
who can share them with kids:
 “9
Tips for Leading a Chaste Life”
 “Be
Happy, Healthy, and Holy”
Sexual intimacy is meant for heterosexual marriage.
“In marriage, the physical intimacy of the spouses
becomes a sign and pledge of spiritual
communion. Sexuality is realized in a truly human
way only if it is an integral part of the love by
which a man and a woman commit themselves
totally to one another until death.
“The spouses’ union achieves the twofold end of
marriage: the good of the spouses themselves
and the transmission of life” (pp. 567-68). ”
—Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2360-1, 2363
“Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, [Church]
tradition has always declared that homosexual
acts are contrary to the natural law. They close
the sex act to the gift of life. They do not proceed
from sexual complementarity.”
 “Men and women who experience homosexual
tendencies must be treated with respect and
compassion. . . . They are called to fulfill God’s
will in their lives, and, if they are Christians, to
unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the
difficulties they may encounter from their
condition. Homosexuals are called to chastity.”
—Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2357-8

The Boy Scouts Controversy
When the Scouts, the Catholic Church, or other beliefbased groups are accused of “discrimination” against
gays, a reasoned response is:

“Gay persons in today’s society are free to follow their
own conscience in deciding how to live their sexual lives.
In fairness, they must recognize that other persons and
private groups, such as Boy Scouts and religious
organizations, have an equal right to follow their
conscience by disapproving of homosexual activity in
their teachings and policies.

“That does not constitute unjust discrimination; it
represents equality regarding freedom of conscience.
Tolerance requires that we grant to everyone else the
same freedom of conscience we claim for ourselves.”
Other books (written for kids) about doing
the right thing:
 Sean
Covey, The 6 Most Important
Decisions You’ll Ever Make
 Hal
Urban, 20 Gifts of Life
(www.halurban.com)
 Tom
and Judy Lickona, Sex, Love &
You: Making the Right Decision
Rev. T. G. Morrow
Achieving Chastity in a
Pornographic World
Chastity: bringing sexual desire into
harmony with right reason.
What’s Wrong with Porn?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
It violates the dignity of person by treating people
as sex objects. It takes something beautiful and
makes it dirty.
It puts images in your mind that you won’t be able
to get rid of.
It’s addictive—it brings short-term pleasure but
then starts to run your life. For males, it is also
usually accompanied by masturbation.
It will lower your self-respect.
It causes problems in marriage.
It violates the Sixth Commandment, which
requires purity of thought and actions.
Free character education
resources:
Center for the 4th and 5th Rs website:

www.cortland.edu/character
See the winter/spring issue of our
excellence & ethics newsletter on bullying
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