Building a District of Character

Presenter: Richard Benjamin CEP Senior Consultant rbenjamin@character.org

Mapping your Character Journeythrough the Eleven Principles

Birmingham MI Public SchoolsPresentationAugust 2011

"Inspiring Learners Through Educational Excellence for a lifetime of global opportunities."

Agenda

August 7 - Morning Overview / Introduction

Great-To- Great Dilemma

Character Education Partnership

11 Principles of Quality Character Education

Break Moral / Ethical Leadership WOTS Up Analysis What do you want to

Learn? (Set Objectives)

August 7 - Afternoon Leadership by Job-Alike

Groups Leadership by Cross-

Teams Encouraging Teacher

Leadership Team Presentations Closure

Special Recognition This is to recognize the quality work of Dr.

Eileen Dachnowicz, who prepared the initial plan for the Birmingham Public Schools workshop. The illness of her husband prevented her from presenting.

Marvin is home now, but still requires close care.

Eileen researched BPS and had great suggestions for ‘customizing’ this presentation – We thank her very much….

Crucial Step in YOUR Journey: Taking a Snapshot of Your School/District

WHAT is special about

your school/district in

its character journey?

WHERE would you like

to go?

Creating a District of Character

How does character education impact academics?(distract, neutral, accelerate / deepen learning?)

How do the Eleven Principles provide a framework for teaching character and deepening learning?

How can character be embedded into everything we do? ( (NSOC Examples))

What should a school/district of character look like? (NSOC Examples)

How can we apply what we learned today to our district, school? (Imagination / Innovation)

Essential Questions: Your Character Journey

Leadership….

Key Issues Concepts:

Moral ValuesPerformance Values Intellectual ValuesEncourage/DemandHuman PotentialClimate / CultureBalance / SynergyOther….

Strategies:Modeling (Respect)Opportunities for

Moral ActionCaring CurriculumValues EducationDinner DilemmasStorytellingOther….

Leadership: What are we doing?(Laying bricks or building a cathedral?)

Pins / balloonsGood-To-GreatAssess-to-21st Cent

Skewer / BalloonAcademics

Balance YardstickAcademics / 21st

Century & Character

Will PowerTest for 4-year oldsChina – single child

Intrinsic Motivation Empathy

Evidence that Character Education Improves Academics in 2011 NSOC:

Primary Level: Renfro, RooseveltK-5 Economically Disadvantaged: Walnut St., Oakwood, Union K-5 Affluent: Duffy, Bingham Farms, Pierce, PembrokeMiddle School: Carusi, FoxHigh Schools: Lindbergh, South Brunswick

Helpful Guides in Mapping Your Character Journey

Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education (www.character.org)*

Capsule Summary Sheet of

11 Principles (includes revisions)

Quick Overview of Revisions

District Guidelines

*Web site: You can download the revised 11 Principles as well as Sourcebook Connections pages of topics for each Principle. Also, look at NSOC videos, lesson plans, research articles.

Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education: An Overview

Principle 11: Assessment

Where are we now?Where do we want to go?How well are we doing?

Principles 1,2,3What is quality

character education?

Principles 4,5,6,7What does a school or

district with quality character ed

look like?

Principles 8,9,10Who should be involvedin character education?

CEP Framework for Effective Character

EducationThe Eleven Principles Family &

Community Partners

10

ComprehensiveIntentionalProactive

3 MeaningfulAcademicCurriculum

6

SelfMotivation

7

Thinking(Cognitive)

StaffLearning

Community8

CaringCommunity

4

MoralAction

5

SharedMoral

Leadership9

Feeling (Affective)

Acting(Behaviora

l)

2CharacterFormation

Assessment 11

1Core Values

Ethical

Next

Old-timers: Check the Overview of 2010 Revision to See Changes to 11 Principles.

Advantage of 2010 Revision: Process no longer competitive Schools/districts show a level

of excellence Annual Publication honors SSOC and NSOC More space to write Fewer pages of artifacts YOU decide what’s more

important to highlight.

Try the 11 Principles Capsule Summary Sheet

(with revisions)

Wow! This is a great short cut!

Where are YOU on this road?

Fill in the empty boxes. Where is your school/district in your character

journey?

A Tale of Three Districts: Putting the Pieces Together

Fox C-6 District School District of Jefferson Peters Township School District

What did you learn that could be applied to Birmingham?

Principle 1: Promotes Core Ethical/Performance Values

AARP: ALL agree/affirm ALL actions (common

language; staff model; staff hiring, training)

Revisit annually Promote everywhere

Mill Pond School, MA:

Bingham Farms, Pembroke, Pierce: Touchstones

Our Core ValuesHead – Heart – Hands / Behavior

Leadership

Beyond the CORE(Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Caring, etc.)

Character strengths such as empathy, fairness, trustworthiness, generosity, and compassion are aspects of our capacity to love. These qualities make up what we could speak of as “moral character”; they enable us to be our best ethical selves in relationships and in our roles as citizens.

Character strengths such as effort, initiative, diligence, self-discipline, and perseverance constitute our capacity to work. These qualities make up what we could speak of as “performance character”; they enable us to achieve, given a supportive environment, our highest potential in any performance context (the classroom, the athletic arena, the workplace, etc.).

BPS - CORE VALUE STATEMENTS Birmingham Public Schools value: Strategic Plan

Individuals We value and respect each member of our community and are committed to each individual’s growth and development.

Diversity We celebrate and embrace the unique qualities each person contributes to our global community.

Collaboration We foster collaboration through engagement and effective communication in all of our interactions, in preparation for developing partnerships throughout the world.

Innovation We nurture innovation and change by modeling courage, resilience, curiosity, creativity, risk-taking, exploration, and reflection.

Excellence We inspire academic excellence by challenging all learners to exceed expectations.

Leadership We empower all learners to demonstrate strong character as they lead and mentor within the school and the community.

Learning We instill passion and excitement for continuous learning through an intellectually rich, engaging and safe learning environment.

Civic Responsibility We foster civic responsibility by engaging students in community service learning and inspiring them to become involved in local, national, and international topics.

Principle 2: Involves thinking, feeling, doing

URP Understand values Reflect on them Practice them

Roosevelt Primary School, Ferndale, MI: providing the road map from the earliest days.

Principle # 3 -

Spirit - Covey

Head – Thinking – Moral Reasoning

Heart – Feeling – Moral FeelingsHands – Acting - Moral Behavior

Also: Consider the Organizational Chart, and Servant Leadership?

Principle 3: Comprehensive, Intentional, Proactive

Four I’s: Intentional

Integrated into academics

In daily routines

Infused in school life

Orrs Elementary School, GA: Character-building shapes the students’ lives.

Leadership in Birmingham Schools….Perhaps a 5th ‘I’ - Innovation…. of Strategies

Clarity of shared values

Focus on high levels of achievement

Courage to seriously pursue broader (character) objectives

Artful Leadership? Next Slide

Culture of Continuous Improvement

Encouragement of trying experiments

Taking risks...even in a very good school….direct assault on the ‘good-to-great’ barrier

Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership by Lee Bolman & Terry Deal

“…Artistic leaders…help us see beyond today’s reality to new forms that release untapped individual energies and improve collective performance. The leader as artist relies on

images as well as memos, poetry as well as policy, reflection as well as command, and reframing as well as refitting.” p 18

Look at your journey in terms of

Principles 1 through 3.

What new insights about shaping your journey did you get?

Principle 4: Caring Community

Four Kinds of Caring: Adults for kids Kids for kids Processes in place

that help kids to care Adults for adults

Fuguitt Elementary School, Largo, FL:

Character CoachesLargo, Pinellas County Schools

Principle 5: Opportunities for Moral Action

Moral Actions & Service:

Opportunities for showing character: sportsmanship conflict resolution, academic integrity; service learning

Service Learning in school: connected to curriculum ASL

Service Learning in community: students assess community needs

Greenfield Elementary: Red Carpet Gala

SIX Parts to Service-Learning:IPARDC

Investigating an Issue Preparation Action Reflection Demonstrating to

Wider Audience Celebration

QUICK REVIEW

What core values does

each of these steps develop?

What core values does

each of these steps develop?

Academic Service Learning - China

Principle 6: Meaningful Academics

Curriculum: Engaging,

interactive Accommodates

differences & helps ALL achieve

Performance values: thinking working social habits academic integrity

Academic Integrity in the Digital World: Birmingham Covington; Beverly,

Birmingham Public Schools, Michigan

CEP - Principle 6 Providing A Meaningful Academic Curriculum

When teachers bring to the fore the 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. p1

How can schools harness the time and energy going into academics to simultaneously (and naturally) promote character development? p2

How can schools enhance academic learning through character development? p2

21st Century Teaching & Learning in the Birmingham Public Schools

Principle 7: Develops Students’Self-Motivation

Moral Action for its own sake

Intrinsic not extrinsic rewards

Behavior management tied to values vs Rules

Academic Integrity stressed

Milwaukee College Prep, WI: Students striving to be the very best they can be

Intrinsic Motivation

Lesson Design Rubric

Drive by Daniel Pink Bill Scott Dissertation

STOP! Look back at your journey. Which programs

worked for you?Let’s SHARE our successes.

Name of Program

Description Level Contact

Dr. David Larson, Superintendent

Academic Achievement

Each BPS graduate understands the core elements of what makes a person of strong character.  (integrity, respect, kindness, responsibility)

Our graduates also understand what it means to be a 21st Century Learner.  (problem solvers, critical thinkers, and proficient communicators)

Finally, our graduates understand what it means to be a balanced and complete individual. (sports, visual and performing arts, and service projects)  

Principle 8: Staff shares responsibility for

character education & models it.

Staff models values Training for ALL staff Staff as ethical

learning community Adequate time for

planning, trainingCross Bayou

Elementary School, FL; Pinellas County

Schools, FL

Pinellas County

Modeling! (Like a Mobius)

Internal Growth Becoming more like the

person you want to be

Influencing the Culture, with others

Managing Trust & Agreement – Peter Block

How do you plan to deal with: Cynics Victims Bystanders

Principle 9: Shared Leadership

All Involved: Principal, leadership group;

students; CE will continue if principal leaves!

Rockwood Public Schools, MO: Everyone’s involved!

Shared Leadership Servant Leadership –

Greenleaf / Spears

Transformational Burns / Bass

Principle-Centered Covey

Moral – Sergiovanni

Invitational Purkey / Siegel

Teacher Leadership Modeling / Staff

Meetings?

Student leadership Academic Service

Learning

Parent Leadership Community Leadership School Board

Leadership / Modeling

Principle 10: Family & Community as Partners in Character Education

Recognize families as partners Two-way communication between families/school Recruit & include business, faith, civic, youth in wider community/integrate values in their work

Lindbergh School District: Hearts to Serve, Hands to Help

Calling All in the

Community

Learning Communities -

Who do the Schools Belong to? My School??? Our School Your School

Brought 72 Chinese teachers to visit Stephenson High School Dufour & Eaker Through New Eyes

Charles Darwin HS How do you plan to

deal with students who fall through the cracks?

Dinner Dilemmas – Each Month / In English & Spanish

Pinellas County (FL) Schools – Character Education Partnership – Commitment To Character

Dinner Dilemmas – Writing Prompt Caring – Week Four Situation: It is Monday morning and the student responsible for cleaning the

cage and feeding the class pet is absent. Dilemma: On the one hand Sam does not like to clean the pet’s cage and

knows it is not his job this week. On the other hand Sam knows someone needs to volunteer to care for the pet.

Discussion: What is your advice to Sam? Task: Write about the dilemma, identifying three or more ways to address

the dilemma, and, telling why it might feel like a real dilemma to Sam, and clearly letting Sam know what you think he should do, and why. Be sure to practice good writing skills, and turn in a paper you have proofread with another student and revised until it is very good.

Principle 11: Assess character of school, school staff, and students

Evaluate performance, discipline data, growth

Survey teachers, staff, students, parents: shape plans accordingly

Staff reflects on self, student perceptions & reports to community

Alan B. Shepard Elementary, Old Bridge, NJ: Uses survey results, CEP Feedback to design new programs.

School Transformation

Transformational Leadership Transformational vs

Transactional Ethical Invitational Moral Principle-Centered

School Level Transformation Rubric

Classroom Level Transformation

Let’s talk about teamwork: What should a school, district of character look like?

Principles 8, 9,10 are about teamwork, and Principle 11 is about assessment. Each table agrees on what should be included in transforming a school or district into a true model of character?

School Transformation / Transformational Leadership

Transformational Leadership

Transformational vs Transactional Ethical Invitational

Break Reflection –

What have you identified, during the morning, that is surprising, significant, or helpful?

Please be ready to share….

Planning – What would be the best

next steps for you? What would be the best

next steps for your School or Department?

What would be the best next steps for the Birmingham Public School System / Community?

Using the Principles to Chart Your Journey TIME FOR REFLECTION: WHICH Principle will be your

“area of growth”?

TIME FOR ACTION: (This can be done later)Design a plan of action for the Principle which is your “area of growth.” WHAT will you do and WHO will be involved in order to add needed chapters to your story?

Attack the TargetHead-on!

Let’s see what we learned today:

What does a district/school of character look like?

How do the 11 Principles apply to our district? Our jobs?What does the role of an administrator look like in a district of character?Despite our workload, how can we integrate character into what we’re doing? Pulley MetaphorHow do we do it so people see it as a way of life not an add-on?

Classroom ‘Leverage’ From Student Engagement

What happens with little or no Student Engagement?

Teacher stilldoing all the lifting

Teacher doing all the lifting

Adding ‘Technology’

Classroom ‘Leverage’ From Character Education & Student Engagement

Teacher – Role Change - Identifies, needed inputs, strategies (Then Get Out Of the Way)

Teacher adds one single and one double pulley….Reducing the work to ¼ of the original effort for the same result

Double PulleyTo Do: Identify the metaphor for the ‘distance’ variable…..(Emotion)?

Classroom ‘Leverage’ From Character Education & Student Engagement

Teacher – identifies outcomes, needed inputs, strategies

Culture of Character –Respect / Responsibility, Class Meetings, Cooperative Learning, Co-Teaching

Real world application, Academic Service Learning,Drama/Performance ofTeaching other students

Character Education:Core ValuesPerformance ValuesIntellectual Character

Arts-Based, Hands On Activities, with Formative Feedback from self-assessment, And co-learning

Student – Engaged and taking Responsibility for his/herown learning……Pulling his/her Share!

Let’s see what we learned today:

Let’s put what we learned into action!What specific things can we do at our level to facilitate character education in my building?What can we contribute specifically as administrators?What steps can we take to be leaders of character?

Fitting all the pieces together is not easy, but with

the help of students, staff,

parents, it can be done.

Fitting all the pieces together is not easy, but with

the help of students, staff,

parents, it can be done. Only thing harder is to NOT

put the pieces together!

How does character education impact academics?

How do the Eleven Principles provide a framework for teaching academics & character?

How can character be naturally embedded into everything we do?

What should a school/district of character look like?

Essential Questions: Did we address them?

How can we apply what we learned today to our district, school?

Time for Review and Reflection!

Quick Review:

Cite ONE concept you will remember from today’s session.

Quick Implementation: Cite ONE strategy that you deem your school/

district needs most.