 Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see our troubles are all the same,
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.
cadre certification
Participating Schools:
Ross Elementary, Parkway School District
Brentwood Middle, Brentwood School District
Crestview Middle, Rockwood School District
Fox High School, Fox School District
Lindbergh High School, Lindbergh School District
Contact: Diane Stirling 314.692.9722
dstirling@csd.org
www.characterplus.org
cadre certification
Session I: September 15
Reconnecting with core values 8:30
Assessing the Ten Essentials 10 - noon
cadre certification
Base Line Data: October-November window
For schools that do not have 2008 Survey Data
Ross, Brentwood, Fox High
Crestview & Lindbergh High have data – will take
survey in February
Coordinated with cadre & technology specialist
Survey results ready for review in January
Set up on-school-site review sessions
cadre certification
Session II: November 4?
Networking: core values 3 – 4 p.m.
Service learning
4 – 6 p.m.
cadre certification
Session III: December 1, 2009
Curriculum Integration 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Networking: review SL 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
cadre certification
Session IV: March __
Networking: Curriculum Integration 9 -10 am
Class Meeting Training & Practice 10 – 3 p.m
cadre certification
Session V: June__
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
1 or 2 days?
Networking: Class meetings
Collaborative structures
Student Leadership
Data –Based Planning: target focus
Planning Year 2
cadre certification
Preparation for Year 2
Launch Staff Orientation
Use norm setting class meetings schoolwide
Use class meetings to involve students as
leaders in service learning initiatives
Expand curriculum integration & track it
Consider cross-age collaboratives
cadre certification
Year 2:
Launch
Review, continue class meeting training
Staff meetings: char moments
Intrinsic rewards
Performance-ethical values
Notebooks or online postings?
ten essentials
A comprehensive, intentional communitywide approach to character education
Gridlock
Promotes
core
ethical
values
Commty
Participtn.
Char Ed
Policy
Traits
Identified
Integrated
Curriculum
Experientl.
Learning
Evaluation
Adult Role
Models
Staff
Develpmt.
Student
Leadershp
Sustaining
Culture
Defines in
thinking,
feeling,
behavior
Comprehensive;
intentional;
proactive
Creates
caring
schools
Promotes
moral
action
Academic
Curriculum
Develops
selfmotivation
Staff is a
learning,
moral
community
Fosters
shared
moral
leadership
Engages
family &
community
Assesses
character
of school
The why
of Character Education
 A fundamental belief that character lies within all
of us and that we can create the environment that
brings it forth and allows it to permeate and define
our community.
The ABCs
of Character Education
Autonomy
Belonging
Competence
1. Community Participation
– Educators, parents, students and members of the
community invest themselves in a consensusbuilding process to discover common ground that is
essential for long-term success.
1. Community Participation
1. Community Participation
Nike
Elementary,
Meramec
Valley
School
District
Gridlock
Promotes
core
ethical
values
Commty
Participtn.
Char Ed
Policy
Traits
Identified
Integrated
Curriculum
Experientl.
Learning
Evaluation
Adult Role
Models
Staff
Develpmt.
Student
Leadershp
Sustaining
Culture
Defines in
thinking,
feeling,
behavior
Comprehensive;
intentional;
proactive
Creates
caring
schools
Promotes
moral
action
Academic
Curriculum
Develops
selfmotivation
Staff is a
learning,
moral
community
Fosters
shared
moral
leadership
Engages
family &
community
Nike’s
community
sponsors
Nike’s
assembly
Assesses
character
of school
2. Character Education Policy
– Character education is a part of the district’s
philosophy, goal or mission statement, including a
formal, written policy adopted by the school board.
In this way it becomes a part of the leadership of the
school and community.
– The district policy also should be affirmed and
supported at the building and classroom levels.
2. Character Education Policy
 Vision Statement
 Belief Statements
 Board Policy
 Honor Pledge
 Honor Code
 Touchstone
2. Character Education Policy
 Mark Twain Community Pledge
 Generated by students and reviewed by students each year




I will not hurt anyone on the inside or the outside.
I will use my hands for peace, not pain.
I will use my heart for love, not hate.
I will use my voice for compliments, not put downs, teasing or
bullying.
 I will work hard each day to grow and learn.
2. Character Education Policy
 The touchstone is a creed or “way” that expresses the shared values and
aspirations of all members of the school community. – Tom Lickona,
 Once a Kennerly kid, always a Kennerly kid.
 At Slavens we take the high road.
 The Learning Place where Dreams are born (6th grade);
Caring is shown (7th grade);
Leaders are made (8th grade)
High Five
5th grade student Danielle Garrett explained “High Five” in this way: “The letters do
not stand for words, but it means everyone being respectful, peaceful, safe, and
working with other people cooperatively.” — Lee-Hamilton Elementary, FergusonFlorissant District, St. Louis, MO
2. Character Education Policy
 Students at Wyaconda Elementary created their vision for the
school on Dream Day
Neosho School District Training
Gridlock
Promotes
core
ethical
values
Defines in
thinking,
feeling,
behavior
Dream
Day
Dream
Day
Comprehensive;
intentional;
proactive
Creates
caring
schools
Promotes
moral
action
Academic
Curriculum
Develops
selfmotivation
Commty
Participtn.
Char Ed
Policy
Traits
Identified
Integrated
Curriculum
Experientl.
Learning
Evaluation
Adult Role
Models
Staff
Develpmt.
Student
Leadershp
Sustaining
Culture
Dream
Day
Dream
Day
Staff is a
learning,
moral
community
Fosters
shared
moral
leadership
Engages
family &
community
Assesses
character
of school
3. Identified & Defined Traits
– Parents, teachers and community representatives
agree on which character traits to emphasize and
what definitions to use.
– Developing consensus on the definitions is key and
the early involvement of students enriches the
process.
– Once the traits are defined, they should be highly
visible throughout the school and community.
3. Identified & Defined Traits
RESPECT
 Showing regard for self, others, property, and those in authority.
– Belleville #118 District
 Treating self, others, and property with value. – Troy District
 Showing care and concern for: yourself, people and things in your
community, the environment. –Clayton District
 (Respeto): Treating others as you wish to be treated. – Pattonville
 Helpful hands, not hurtful hands (with hand signals for both).
–Sullivan Primary School
3. Identified & Defined Traits
Respect
 Phase 1: begin to understand that respect is a feeling or an attitude
towards other people, things and the world around them.
 Phase 2: demonstrates an evolving understanding of respect towards
others and the environment and show tolerance of difference.
 Phase 3: strive to be active compassionate and empathetic learners who
demonstrate care for the environment and understand that other people,
with their differences can also be right.
 Phase 4: act and interact as inquiring , knowledgeable and caring people
who create a better and more peaceful world through environmental
responsibility, intercultural understanding and respect.
 Fiona Zinn, Geelong Grammar School, 3 – 12 year olds, Corio, Australia
3. Identified & Defined Traits
Reconnecting with your Character Traits
4. Integrated Curriculum
Character Education is an integral part of the curriculum at all
grade levels. Character traits are connected to classroom
lessons so students see how a trait might figure into a story, be
part of a science experiment, or how it might affect them. These
traits are part of the instruction of the day—in every class and
every subject.
4. It is integration if…
 It defines the trait or characteristic
 It connects the trait to one’s
Thinking process
Intention
Choices
Actions
Patterns of choices/actions over a lifetime
 It increases autonomy, belonging, and competence
 Integration can be about what you teach (content)
 And about how you teach (context)
4. It is integration if…
 Some strategies that integrate character
education into daily learning
Inquiry
Reflection
Journaling
Class meetings; Socratic Seminar
Cooperative learning
Service learning
Ethical decision-making
Peer editing and caring peer critiques
5. Experiential Learning
– Students are given many opportunities to experience
character traits and express them in action. Ample
time is also allowed for discussion and reflection..
–
–
–
–
–
–
Service Learning
Class Meetings
Buddies, mentors
Cooperative learning
Peer tutors, teachers, mediators
Democratic/Representative student government
Experiential Learning
Class Meetings
Benefits of Class Meetings
– Build teacher-student and peer relationships within
the classroom
– Provide students with a forum, a structure and
practice in voicing their thoughts
– Create a cohesive caring and reflective classroom
climate
– Teach goal setting, planning, decision-making,
problem-solving and reflection skills
– Teach the importance of fairness, kindness and
responsibility
Class Meetings with Dr. Marvin Berkowitz
March 3, 2009
Moral Dilemma Discussions
March 31, 2009
www.characterplus.org
Experiential Learning
Buddies
Experiential Learning
Representative Government & Empowered Councils
5. Experiential Learning
5. Experiential Learning
Peace Ball Activity
Celebrations
www.characterplus.org
“Programs & Services”
Peace Ball
6. Evaluation
– The character education initiative is evaluated on a
regular basis to determine if it is achieving the
anticipated results and to validate that the processes
and structures being implemented are working.
Evaluation results become the basis of data-driven
planning.
7. Adult Role Models
– Children “learn what they live” so it is important that
all adults in the school community who interact with
children on a daily basis demonstrate positive
character traits at home, school and in the
community.
– Adults need to reflect and focus on important
character traits and how to model them
systematically and intentionally.
– If adults do not model the behavior they teach, the
entire program will fail.
7. Adult Role Models
7. Adult Role Models
Gridlock
Promotes
core
ethical
values
Defines in
thinking,
feeling,
behavior
Comprehensive;
intentional;
proactive
Creates
caring
schools
Promotes
moral
action
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Academic
Curriculum
Develops
selfmotivation
Staff is a
learning,
moral
community
Fosters
shared
moral
leadership
Commty
Participtn.
Char Ed
Policy
Traits
Identified
Integrated
Curriculum
Experientl.
Learning
Evaluation
Adult Role
Models
Staff
Develpmt.
Student
Leadershp
Sustaining
Culture
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Nike
Bus
Drivers
WHEELS
Engages
family &
community
Assesses
character
of school
8. Staff Development
– Significant time and resources are allocated for staff
development activities so that staff can create and
implement character education on an ongoing basis.
– Time for discussion and understanding of both the
process and the programs, as well as for creation of
curriculum and lesson plans, is an important part of
training activities.
8. Staff Development
–
–
–
–
–
CHARACTERplus National Speakers Series
CHARACTERplus Certification in Character Ed
CHARACTERplus Advanced Trainings
Leadership Academy in Character Education
Character Education Conference
–www.characterplus.org
9. Student involvement & leadership
– Students are involved in age-appropriate activities
and allowed to connect character education to their
learning, decision-making and personal goals.
9. Student involvement & leadership
9. Student involvement & leadership
9. Student involvement & leadership
Why invest time an effort into equipping every child with
leadership skills?
 Because leadership is accountability.
 Leadership is trust.
 Leadership is inspiration.
 Leadership is competence.
 Leadership is purpose.
 Leadership is setting an example.
--”Growing Young Leaders” by Cynthia Georges
CHARACTERplus September Principal’s Newsletter
www.characterplus.org
Barbara Lewis
Author of
The Kid’s Guide to Social Action
The Teen Guide to Global Action
What Do You Stand For?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
www.characterplus.org
Gridlock
Promotes
core
ethical
values
Defines in
thinking,
feeling,
behavior
Comprehensive;
intentional;
proactive
Creates
caring
schools
Promotes
moral
action
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Academic
Curriculum
Develops
selfmotivation
Staff is a
learning,
moral
community
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Ridgewd
Character
Council
Commty
Participtn.
Char Ed
Policy
Traits
Identified
Integrated
Curriculum
Experientl.
Learning
Evaluation
Adult Role
Models
Staff
Develpmt.
Student
Leadershp
Sustaining
Culture
Fosters
shared
moral
leadership
Engages
family &
community
Assesses
character
of school
10. Sustaining the process
– The character education program is sustained and
renewed through implementation of the first nine
essential elements, with particular attention to: a
high level of commitment from the top; adequate
funding; support for district coordination staff; highquality and ongoing professional development; and
a networking and support system for teachers who
are implementing the program.