Character Education
August 11, 2006
|
Character education is about celebrating what's right with young people while enabling them to develop knowledge and life skills for enhancing ethical and responsible behavior. Growing Responsible, Respectful Children
Today, the vast majority of Americans share a respect for fundamental traits of character: honesty, compassion, justice, courage, and perseverance. Yet, in today's world, all children face great uncertainties in a complex and sometimes troubled society. These traits are not always readily apparent and easy to grasp or learn. Therefore our challenge is to provide youth with the self-esteem, stamina, and support they need to survive, be successful, and develop into strong, competent, caring, and responsible citizens. What Does Character Education Look Like? How Does It Feel?Character education looks like young people learning, growing, and becoming good citizens. It feels like strength, courage, possibility, and hope. Giving life meaning, purpose, and a future is the collective message educators are sharing with youth in a curriculum that ultimately says, "Together we can." Embedded in character education are guidelines for successful living. The language of respect and responsibility navigates the journey to ethical fitness. Students explore education as life and life as learning positive approaches for setting and achieving goals. Students learn that living each day to its fullest means more than waiting for moments here and there. Character education presents life with context, inviting students to listen, share, explore, and reflect. Cultivating knowledge for purposeful living, students learn through literature, art, humanities and throughout the existing school curriculum the benefits and consequences of behavior. They learn the power of choice. They learn to appreciate the qualities of being a compassionate human and to share their appreciation at home, in school, and in the community. |
||
Our PurposeOur purpose is to assist educators in exploring teaching and learning that often reaches beyond the goals, touching the hearts, minds, and lives of students in far-reaching ways that can transform a future of failure to a life of success. Understanding that some goals cannot be fully measured during our tenure as educators, however, we continue to plant seeds of integrity, honesty, respect, self-discipline, and responsibility. We work together as collaborators in creation, knowing that there will be a reciprocal return on our investment in current students, future generations, and society. We teach young people to:
How to Become InvolvedWorkshops and staff development training are available to school districts, community organizations, principals, teachers, and parents interested in learning more about character education. To inquire about available workshops, please contact: Kim Wilks or Jill Miller Eastwood School 1030 Third Street East Alton, Illinois 62024 |
||
1. Slow down the action. Many fights and arguments get out of control very fast. Before reacting, take a deep breath, count to 10 to buy time to think. If possible, find a way to excuse yourself from the situation for a moment so that you can collect yourself.
2. Listen well. Don't interrupt. Hear the other person out. Making eye contact, nodding, and saying "uh-huh" are ways to show you are listening. It helps to paraphrase or state in your own words what you hear the other person saying.
3. Give the other person the benefit of the doubt. In a conflict between two people, each person has feelings, each person has a point of view. You may not agree with the other person, but try to understand where s/he is coming from. Ask open-ended questions to get information about how the other person sees things. Try to listen with an open mind. If you see that you have done something wrong, don't hesitate to apologize.
4. Acknowledge the other person's feelings. When people believe they've been listened to, they generally become less angry and more open to listening to what the other person has to say. Statements like "I can see you're angry" or "You really feel strongly about this" tend to diffuse the anger and open up communication.
5. Be strong without being mean. Express your needs and your point of view forcefully, but without "dissing" or putting the other person down. Use "I-messages" to communicate how you are feeling rather than "You-messages" that put the blame on the other person. Name-calling, blaming, bossing and threatening tend to block communication and escalate conflict.
6. Try to see a conflict as a problem to be solved, rather than a contest to be won. Attack the problem, not the other person. Try to get away from fighting over who's right and who's wrong. Ask instead: What do I need? What does the other person feel they need? Is there a way we can both get what we want?
7. Set your sights on a "win-win" solution. In a win-win solution, both parties get what they want and come away happy. This requires good listening on both sides and creative thinking. If a win-win solution is not possible, you many have to settle for a compromise, where each person gets something and gives up something. A compromise is a lot better than violence.
8. If you don't seem to be getting anywhere in solving a conflict, ask for help. Of course, you'll need agreement from the other person that help is needed and you'll have to agree on who the third party should be. But a third party can be helpful. Try to find someone who is a good listener. Tell the third party their role is to help the people in the conflict talk with each other, not to take sides.
9. Remember that conflict, handled well, can lead to personal growth and better relationships. Try to see the conflict as an opportunity. Working through the conflict with a friend can lead to greater closeness. Hearing other points of view can introduce us to new ideas and increase our understanding of ourselves and other people.
10. The true heroes and sheroes of today's world are not the Rambos. They are those who have the courage and intelligence to deal with conflict in creative, nonviolent ways.
