The Library is Key to The Library is Key to Character EducationCharacter Education

Presented by Valarie Hunsinger

Research and Defend Project

April 21, 2013

““Intelligence plus character-that is the Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.”goal of true education.”

- Martin Luther King Jr. - Martin Luther King Jr.

What is Character EducationWhat is Character Education

“Character education is a national movement creating schools that foster ethical, responsible and caring young people by modeling and teaching good character through emphasis on universal values that we all share. It is the intentional, proactive effort by schools, districts and states to instill in their students important core ethical values such as caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility and respect for self and others.

- Character Education Partnership

History of Character EducationHistory of Character Education

As of 2009, 15 states have mandated As of 2009, 15 states have mandated character education legislation. character education legislation.

20 states encourage and support character 20 states encourage and support character education. education.

27 states received grants from the U.S. 27 states received grants from the U.S. Department for Education.Department for Education.

How Schools AdoptHow Schools Adopt Character Education Character Education

Schools first need to create an ethical school Schools first need to create an ethical school environment by connecting character to education to environment by connecting character to education to academic learning, infusing values in content and academic learning, infusing values in content and practice. Once this is accomplished, students should be practice. Once this is accomplished, students should be given the opportunities to serve others, to develop and given the opportunities to serve others, to develop and

reinforce a lifetime of charity and ethical behavior.reinforce a lifetime of charity and ethical behavior.

- Freedom Forum - Freedom Forum

How the Library is Key to How the Library is Key to Character EducationCharacter Education

I. Standards Set in the LibraryI. Standards Set in the Library

II. Collection DevelopmentII. Collection Development

III. Digital Citizenship III. Digital Citizenship

IV. Further Promotion IV. Further Promotion

Standards Set in the LibraryStandards Set in the Library

1)1) Library policies help students Library policies help students foster responsibility as they care foster responsibility as they care for library materials. Students for library materials. Students must follow and respect return must follow and respect return policies, care for the library, policies, care for the library, paying fines, and being paying fines, and being responsible for books checked responsible for books checked out. out.

The principles and rules set forth in the library The principles and rules set forth in the library support character education:support character education:

Kyara, “The library has taught me to be responsible”.

Standards Set in the LibraryStandards Set in the Library2) Libraries should introduce students to a high level of 2) Libraries should introduce students to a high level of

academic standards and create policies that hold academic standards and create policies that hold students accountable for their actions. Libraries that students accountable for their actions. Libraries that begin each year with classes on internet etiquette, begin each year with classes on internet etiquette, plagarism, and copyright laws reinforce the importance plagarism, and copyright laws reinforce the importance of integrity. Libraries can support this integrity by of integrity. Libraries can support this integrity by posting copyright laws and research etiquette posting copyright laws and research etiquette throughout the library. throughout the library.

3) Overall the standards of the library create a character 3) Overall the standards of the library create a character norm for all those who use the library, which can help norm for all those who use the library, which can help further support a school wide character education further support a school wide character education program. program.

Standards Set in the LibraryStandards Set in the LibraryWhat students at the Hyde Leadership

Charter School in Bronx, New York have to say about how they have developed

character in the library:

The library makes you curious and also helps you

learn how to take care of stuff. –Abdoul

I have learned how to be a leader

through joining the library team. – Chelsea

So many people in the world don’t have books and we are so lucky to have a great library so we must take care of it and be responsible with each book.

– Angela

Character taught throughCharacter taught through Collection Development Collection Development

Implications for literature’s role in character education are great:Implications for literature’s role in character education are great:

- Authors have repeatedly affirmed the need to integrate character education Authors have repeatedly affirmed the need to integrate character education through the school day if we hope to influence the behavior of students (Leming, through the school day if we hope to influence the behavior of students (Leming, 2000; Noddings, 2002; Ryan, 1996).2000; Noddings, 2002; Ryan, 1996).

- To teach character education we must tie it to curriculum and one of the most To teach character education we must tie it to curriculum and one of the most

effective ways is through literature.effective ways is through literature.

Character taught through Character taught through Collection DevelopmentCollection Development

-Kilpatric, Wolfe, and Wolfe (1994) cited reasons for using literature -Kilpatric, Wolfe, and Wolfe (1994) cited reasons for using literature study as a prime place for character education, including the fact that study as a prime place for character education, including the fact that stories provide good role models for behavior as well as rules to live bystories provide good role models for behavior as well as rules to live by. .

-O’Sullivan (2002) claims, “that a wide variety of children's literature -O’Sullivan (2002) claims, “that a wide variety of children's literature can be used for character education as long as teachers [librarians] can be used for character education as long as teachers [librarians] choose worthwhile books, move beyond literal to critical understanding choose worthwhile books, move beyond literal to critical understanding of these books, and are intentional in focusing on the development of of these books, and are intentional in focusing on the development of characters during literature study”.characters during literature study”.

Character taught Character taught throughthrough

Collection Development Collection Development

Librarians should focus on purchasing and featuring literature that supports character education. The following types of books should be included:

Well- written books containing moral dilemmas

Books with enough depth to allow moving beyond literal comprehension

Books with admirable but believable characters about the same age as students

Books across a wide range of cultures, and with both boys and girls as lead characters.

Inspirational Biographies

Character taught throughCharacter taught through Collection Development Collection Development

Some great character education literature resources:Some great character education literature resources:

Perma-bound: Perma-bound: http://www.permabound.com/SearchTopic/%22Character%20Educahttp://www.permabound.com/SearchTopic/%22Character%20Education%22tion%22

The Best Children’s Book: The Best Children’s Book:

http://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/Character-Education-boohttp://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/Character-Education-books.htmlks.html

My Most Popular Book Set:My Most Popular Book Set:http://www.perma-bound.com/ViewDetail/1038801-character-building-bookshttp://www.perma-bound.com/ViewDetail/1038801-character-building-books-rosen-rosen

Digital Citizenship is Character Digital Citizenship is Character Education for the Digital AgeEducation for the Digital Age

Jason Ohler says, “ The Digital age beckons us to usher in a new era of Jason Ohler says, “ The Digital age beckons us to usher in a new era of character education, aimed directly at addressing the opportunities and character education, aimed directly at addressing the opportunities and challenges of living a digital lifestyles”. challenges of living a digital lifestyles”.

Ohler also says, it empowers librarians and teachers to actively train students Ohler also says, it empowers librarians and teachers to actively train students in the opportunities and ethics of digital activities, from searching for reliable in the opportunities and ethics of digital activities, from searching for reliable information to understanding and avoiding cyber bullying. information to understanding and avoiding cyber bullying.

Digital Citizenship is Character Digital Citizenship is Character Education for the Digital AgeEducation for the Digital Age

The New York Department of Education says: Our students spend a significant amount of time in the online

environment every day for both personal and academic reasons, and it is the responsibility of our schools to ensure that students are prepared to participate effectively and ethically.

School librarians are most attuned to the need for students to receive formal instruction in the ethical and responsible use of information and social networking tools; the addition of the following lesson plans (see below) and resources will build on what we already do to

deliver robust instruction and assessment in digital citizenship to student

Digital Citizenship Curriculum http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/3CA0188D-66A2-490C-9E90-1EFCADA92F8C/0/Citizenshipinthedigitalage.pdf

Digital Citizenship Digital Citizenship

Librarians can teach:Librarians can teach:PlagiarismPlagiarismAttributionsAttributionsCiting sourcesCiting sourcesIncluding multiple point of views for research Including multiple point of views for research projectsprojectsUnderstanding digital footprints and social mediaUnderstanding digital footprints and social mediaProtecting personal informationProtecting personal informationCyberbullying Cyberbullying 

   

Additional Ways the Library Can Additional Ways the Library Can Radiate Character Values Radiate Character Values

• Allow students to be library leaders by creating a library team ( a very successful program at Hyde)

•Highlight people of character and acts of integrity through bookmarks, bulletin boards, and display cases.

•Frame photos of community heroes in the library

•Invite guest speakers such as a doctor, firefighter, etc.

Additional Ways the Additional Ways the Library Can Radiate Library Can Radiate

Character ValuesCharacter Values

Book talks, guest authors, and even a book club can adhere to the theme of character. Focus on biographies that highlight people of great character.

Library sponsored contests are another way to promote character. Nominate a friend for acts of kindness, identify positive character traits of movie stars, etc. Have fun while reinforcing good character traits.

Discover ways to take the values they have learned in the library to apply it to the outside community.

Search StrategiesSearch StrategiesMy original goal was to show how research skills and character tie together. So I began looking through all databases available through EBSCO. I entered the following terms:

“Character Development and Research”“Research and Integrity”“Persistence and research”

I found some articles but not exactly what I was looking for (a research topic that I will explore further in my career). So I switched to looking at the many ways that character values can be taught through the library. The library is a place that can be normed for all students and really impacts all people in the school community. I then began to look through all EBSCO databases searching for:“Character values and library”“Character taught through literature”

I found so many great and interesting articles. I also used my JSTOR account to access two books that were very helpful. I needed to rely on the internet to find the history of character education. I wanted exact details of how many states had character legislation. Overall I really enjoyed searching this topic and hope to research more on how character skills and the research process tie together. This research and defend project will definitely impact how I view my own library as I work in a character-based education school. There are so many ways to infuse character throughout the library. I truly feel the library can be a key.

Works CitedWorks Cited Auciello, Joseph. "Teaching For Character: Education For English Teachers." Journal Of Education 187.3 (2006): 57-69.Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.

Brown, Donna W. "Character Education Begins In The Library. (Cover Story)." Book Report 20.3 (2001): 20.Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.

Citizenship in the Digital Age. New York City School Library System, Web. <http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/3CA0188D-66A2-490C-9E90 1EFCADA92F8C/0/Citizenshipinthedigitalage.pdf>.

"DrMartinLutherKingJr.com - The Purpose Of Education." DrMartinLutherKingJr.com - The Purpose Of Education. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

Emmons, Mark, and Frances C. Wilkinson. "The Academic Library Impact On Student Persistence." College & Research Libraries 72.2 (2011): 128-149. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.

"Chapter 13 - Character Education."  Finding Common Ground. Freedom Forum. Web. <http://www.freedomforum.org/publications/first/findingcommonground/B13.CharacterEd.pdf>.

Works CitedWorks CitedMuscott, Howard S., and Sara Talis O'Brien. "Teaching Character Education To Students With Behavioral And Learning Disabilities Through.." Education & Treatment Of Children (ETC) 22.3 (1999): 373. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.

Ohler, Jason. "Digital Citizenship Means Character Education For The Digital Age." Kappa Delta Pi Record 48.1 (2011): 25-27. ERIC. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.

Pittman, Leigh B. The Role Of The Elementary School Library In North Carolina's Character Education Curriculum. United States of America: 2003. Library

Literature & Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 14 Apr. 2013.

O'Sullivan, Sheryl. "Books To Live By: Using Children's Literature For Character Education." Reading Teacher 57.7 (2004): 640-645.Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.

Skaggs, Gary, and Nancy Bodenhorn. "Relationships Between Implementing Character Education, Student Behavior, And Student Achievement." Journal

Of Advanced Academics 18.1 (2006): 82-114. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.