10 hard steps to character education francis howell middle school amy johnston, principal missouri...
TRANSCRIPT
10 Hard Steps To Character Education
Francis Howell Middle SchoolAmy Johnston, Principal
Missouri School of Character, 2007National School of Character, 2008
CHARACTER EDUCATION…..
starts with a vision and happens with a
plan!
The HARD Questions…..
How do we get from the vision to the plan?
What do I do with people who aren’t interested?
What will it change?Don’t we already have enough to do?
Who do we involve? Who will foot the bill?
What about parents?Will I get trained in how to teach character?
Why do we need it?
The Easy Answers
Sorry, there aren’t any!
So why “go there”?
Character Education helps improve
Staff Attitudes Student Relationships
+ Parent Understanding YOUR SCHOOL!
What if
Instead of asking,
“How do we raise test scores?” we ask, “What would it take to create schools where every child feels safe, loved and celebrated?”
DetentionTotal Number of Incidents
2005 – 7312006 – 5102007 – 4402008 – 2342009 - 226
In School Suspension Total Number of Days
2005 – 762006 – 732007 – 702008 - 692009 - 44
Out of School Suspension Total Number of Incidents
2005 – 37 2006 – 36 2007 – 40 2008 - 23 2009 - 17
Comparative District Discipline Data
5 Years, total incidents
ISAP OSSFHMS 278 136School A 811 479School B 1122 464School C 1256 401School D 1085 491
372
336
262
176
177
311
397
367
281
261
257
329
363
384
298
445
425
345
239
248
98105927347
1323 1617 1631 1702 415
Comparison of Suspension in Middle Schools
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Total number of F’s
2004 – 4902005 – 2672006 – 1682007 – 662008 - 892009 - 111
8th Grade MAP Results
Math CA
State 44.4 48.6District 56.6 55.3FHMS 61.8 59.2FHSD 59.8 59.7Middle 55.3 56.4Schools 54.3 52.4
52.6 48.1
7th Grade MAP Results
MATH CAState 46 49.5District 52.8 52.5FHMS 67.6 60.1FHSD 59.6 56Middle 56.8 51.5Schools 56.3 48.3
51.7 47.1
6th Grade MAP Results
MATH CAState 51.2 47.7District 60.2 47.2FHMS *77.3 59.4FHSD 58.9 48.1Middle 58.5 44.6Schools 56.2 44.6
51.3 38.1* 4th in the state!
Data is the icing on the cake.
The real reason, the only reason,
to “go there” is for the people in your building.
Everyday our students come to us with two questions:
Will I be accepted?
Can I do the work?
And many of us ask the same
questions!
Character Education is not
A program A set of values A word of the month Incentives and awards Another thing on the plate
IT IS THE
Character education is not about what you do.
It is about who you are and how you treat others.
Character Education’s 11 Principles
Character Education Partnershipwww.character.org
Consider allowing these principles guide you in your steps!
Character education
creates a
caring school community.
Principle 4
School Climate
The true story about a school’s character, not a “program”.
Assemblies The building Rules, rewards and penalties Hidden curriculum Consistent behavior expectations
The children we most don’t want are the children who need us most.
Step 1/Year 1 Be a Leader!
Know what you want and share the leadership and long range support of character education.
Principle #9
Many have a vision for how things should be.
That’s called dreaming.
Leaders have a plan to make their vision clear.
That’s called doing.
The Principal
MUST understand
and believe
in character education!
Study Character Education
Read! LEARN!
Go to L.A.C.E.!
Attend workshops!
Visit schools who are living it!
Make it a priority
Do you want to deliberately change the culture of your school?
Is your goal to intentionally teach character every day?
Step 2 / Year 2 Staff, ALL aboard!
Share responsibility for character education.
Principle 8
Build Community First
Camaraderie among staff is the foundation of a positive school climate.
Improving staff relationships
BOYB Collaboration Book studies
Informal gatherings Plan Time
Meetings
Ask the staff…
Do we need character education?What do we hope to accomplish?
Begin by answering these questions AS A STAFF!
Study Kids. Study Character.Lessons from the Classroom / Life’s Greatest Lessons Hal Urban
Why Do They Act That Way? David Walsh
Educating for Character Tom Lickona
An Ethic of Excellence Ron Berger
Odd Girl Out – Rachel Simmons
Don’t Laugh at Me – Jodi Blanco
Expect Resistance
It is not my job to teach character!
I already have enough to do!
We don’t have the time or the money!
Understand Fear
Character education is often resisted because it starts in the mirror, and
we all fear “Character Crown” slippage!
When a person’s actions are disrespectful, it is not enough to change habits;
you have to go deeper. You have to go to the heart
of the problem - which is
a problem of the heart.
HOW you teach
matters more thanWHAT
WHERE WHO and even
WHY you
teach!
So, how do you teach?
With Passion or apathy? Humor or sarcasm? Humility or arrogance? Persistence or frustration? Understanding or resentment? Real relationships or rigid rules?
Effective teachers motive students!
It is disrespectful and irresponsible to bore students to death with lectures and worksheets!
Write S.M.A.R.T. Character Goals!
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Results-Oriented
Time Bound
Agree on what you want!
Non-threatening data
When there is trust among professionals,
the vision and mission are clear,
data is used to improve,
not blame.
Start the war!What is the difference between teaching and learning?
What percent of our students fail? Why?
How is late work handled? Why?
What does collaboration look like?
Does our discipline teach or punish?
Do we model good character?
Step 3 /Year 3 Discuss your core!
Define, discuss, identify and promote core ethical values (CEV) as the basis of good character.
Principle 1
Brainstorm Together
List ideal characteristics values your parents passed on, non-negotiables in your household, values you look for in a friend,
co-worker, neighbor, boss best and worst interaction
experiences
5 Steps to School CEVs
1. Agree on 3 – 5 as small teams2. Agree on 3 – 5 as a a faculty3. Survey parents4. Survey students5. Agree on 3 – 5 that best represent
your entire school community.
RespectfulSomeone who shows consideration for others
Unacceptable Anywhere – 1
Unacceptable@ FHMS - 2
CommonCourtesy - 3
Above andBeyond -4
Self Foul Language
DemeaningWords
Kind Words EncouragingWords
InappropriatePhysicalcontact
Unnecessary Physicalcontact
Keeping hands to self
Respectingpersonalspace
Property DestroyingProperty
DamagingProperty
Using things w/o causing damage
Leaving things better
Classroom Interrupting Ignoring a speaker
Listening Actively listening
Others Being intentionally hurtful
Isolation /subtlety hurtful
Golden Rule PlatinumRule
Step 4
Make Character Education
intentional proactive
effectivePrinciple 3
“What you do on the first days of school will determine your success or failure for the rest of the year.”
Harry and Rosemary Wong
“Most of the work of integrating character into the curriculum is done in the first two weeks of school.”
Hal Urban,
Lessons From the Classroom20 Things Great Teachers Do
FHMS JAIL WORDS
Caution, this slide is rated PG-13!All CUSS Words +
Screwed, Butt, Pissed, Stupid, Idiot, Dip, Retarded, Dork, Dumb, Dumb Blonde, Loser, Nerd, Fat, Chubster, Fart, Crap, Sucks, Kill, Gay, Fag, Queer, Homo, Shut-Up, I Hate You, This is Lame
Make Time for Character
Character Connection 20 minutes a day 15 - 17 students Mixed grade levels
CCC Activities
Class meetings Community Service Fund Raisers Appreciation Activities Celebrations Moral Dilemmas
Step 5
Teaching character includes
thinking feeling
behaving
Principle 2
Schools committed to character development look at everything that goes on in school.
Social interactions Hidden curriculumAcademic curriculum
Extracurricular programs
Hidden Curriculum
says more about the school’s beliefs and values than anything in print.
Instructional practices, relationships and expectations can create or destroy a sense of respect, belonging and cooperation.
“What we accept we teach.” Hal Urban
Student/staff relationships
Students need to KNOW that
peers will not make fun of them and
teachers will not humiliate them.
“Be kind because
everyone you meet is fighting a battle.”
Plato
Step 6
Provide students with opportunities for moral action.
Principle 5
Doing “the good” now
Research indicates that civic engagement during high school predicts engagement up to three decades later.
Defining Moral Action
Students face opportunities for moral action every day.
Cheat or not to cheatShow respect or disrespectHelp themselves or help others
We must help students learn fromthese experiences.
Service Learning
Service involves helping the community address real needs.
Activities are integrated into the curriculum.
Provides opportunities to use new skills.
Fosters a sense of caring for others.
Community Service
What are the needs of your community?How can your school help meet those needs?
Step 7
Offer a meaningful, challenging curriculum respect all learners, develop their character, help them succeed.
Principle 6
Do students Believe in themselves?
Students become competent
by taking advantage of repeated opportunities to
develop new skills and to polish existing ones.
De-emphasize competition
When students feel supported and cared for by their peers, they are more apt to feel safe in taking on academic challenges.
Students who can’t or won’t learn
When character education is part of a school’s culture,
“What will you do for the students who aren’t learning?” is answered with compassion and concern
instead of resentment and
frustration.
Step 8
Strive to foster students’ self-motivation.
Principle 7
Do they BELIEVE they have a place in school?
When schools do not meet students’ need to belong, they are more likely to feel alienated and to engage in at-risk behaviors.
Student Voice and Choice
When students have a say, they become much more invested in academic work and in helping maintain a positive school climate.
Rules – Relationships = Rebellion
Rules + Relationships=Respect
“Moral behavior is based on relationships, not rules.”
David Walsh
Step 9
Engage families and community members as partners in the character-building effort.
Principle 10
Why Involve Parents?
From birth to age 18, children spend only about 9% of their time in school.
The single best predictor of student success is the level of parental involvement in their children’s education.
“Children are in crisis because families are in crisis.”
David Hamburg
President of the Carnegie Corporation
PIT Crew
Parent Involvement TeamAdopt-A-TeamBook StudiesStudent RewardsData Base of VolunteersSummer Survival SeriesInvolvement in improvement goals
www.partnershipschools.org
Step 10
Evaluate the school’s character, the staff’s functioning as character educators, and how well students manifest good character.
Principle 11
So Why “Go There”?
You have tremendous influence in the lives of your students.
You have countless opportunities to shape lives and design futures.
Deliberately teach good character;
deliberately change your school!