Character Education Conference Report

Character Education Partnership Forum 11/14/07

I just returned from the annual National Forum on Character Education sponsored by Character Education Partnership in Washington, DC. As a first-time attendee, I really didn't know what to expect. It far exceeded my expectations! I am so grateful for learning about the incredible work going on around the U.S. in schools, universities, and organizations helping kids be the best they can be. I have summarized my experience and some of the highlights of this excellent conference.

Character Education Partnership (CEP) is a national advocate and leader for the character education movement. Based in Washington, DC, it is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian, coalition of organizations and individuals committed to fostering effective character education in the U.S. K-12 schools.

The 2007 three day conference featured pre-forum workshops, 60 breakout sessions, nationally known keynote speakers and workshop presenters, 2007 awards to National and State Schools of Character, and networking with about 1000 educators, counselors, researchers, and community leaders.

CEP Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education

These principles provide criteria that schools and other groups can use to plan a character education effort and to evaluate available character education programs, books, and curriculum resources.

1. Promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character
2. Defines character comprehensively to include thinking, feeling and behavior
3. Uses a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach to character development
4. Creates a caring school community
5. Provides students with opportunities for moral action
6. Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them succeed.
7. Strives to foster student self-motivation.
8. Engages the school staff as a learning and moral community that shares responsibility for character education and attempts to adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students.
9. Fosters shared moral leadership and long-range support of the character education initiative.
10. Engages families and community members as partners in character-building effort.
11. Evaluates the character of the school, the school staff's functioning as character educators, and the extent to which students manifest good character.

Developed by Tom Lickona, Ed.D, Eric Schaps, Ph.D., Catherine Lewis, Ph.D. A more detailed report of these principles and many other resources, including school climate surveys, are available at http://www.character.org

Smart and Good High Schools

I attended a workshop with Dr. Tom Lickona and Dr. Matt Davidson of The Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (Respect & Responsibility) at the State Univ. of NY at Cortland. They have written several books based on research about character education and development. Their most recent book, Smart & Good High Schools, Educating for Character is a must-read. Their work includes focusing on two aspects that make Smart & Good Kids.

Performance Character: Focusing on those virtues and practices that contribute to excellence in education-virtues such as diligence, excellence, responsibility to one's own learning, and doing your best.

Moral Character:
Focusing on doing the right thing, virtues and practices such as honesty, integrity, caring, kindness, compassion, fairness, and respect.

Their study included site visits and research in 24 high schools in every region of the U.S., urban, suburban, and rural, affluent and poor, public and private. Each one of these schools received external recognition in character development. Their research demonstrates what makes smart and good kids. Lickona and Davidson identify and define 8 Strengths of Character that help youth lead productive, ethical, and fulfilling lives. These strengths must be developed in an Ethical Learning Community of students, parents, and faculty and staff and wider community:

1. Lifelong learner and critical thinker
2. Diligent and capable performer
3. Socially and emotionally skilled person
4. Ethical thinker
5. Respectful and responsible moral agent
6. Self-disciplined person who pursues a healthy lifestyle
7. Contributing community member and democratic citizen
8. Spiritual person engaged in crafting a life of noble purpose

This study and basic research has application for elementary and middle schools also.

The Center for the 4th and 5th Rs: http://www.cortland.edu/character

Measuring and Improving School Climate

Dr. Jonathan Cohen and Dr. Lena Wallerson of the Center of Social and Emotional Education (CSEE) presented on Measuring and Improving School Climate. Topics included many strategies and tools in research, school climate improvement process, barriers to the planning process, action planning, implementation and evaluation. Particularly interesting to me were the many varied evaluation tools recommended to evaluate school climate:

1. Comprehensive survey (whole audience or mini-surveys)
2. Focus groups
3. Targeted interviews
4. Town Hall discussion
5. Open Mike dialogue for students
6. Study Circles for teachers
7. Mini-courses
8. Participatory Action Research
9. Newsprint Open Discussion
10. Logs, list serves
11. Student essays, poetry slams

After all is said and done, * "It takes the magical person to help the disconnected child. It only takes ONE caring adult." *

CSEE can be reached at http://www.csee.net/climate. They provide school climate surveys and services.

Good Kids, Hard Work, & Lots of Laughs

Dr. Hal Urban, a former high school teacher, principal, and national speaker entertains and inspires educators and students with his common-sense and humorous approach to teaching and helping kids develop character. Two of his many books include Life's Greatest Lessons and 20 Things I Want My Kids to Know. He encourages educators to teach basics such as:

1. Greeting every student at the door with a smile and handshake every day.
2. Teaching basic manners the first day of school and having high expectations of all students. Not putting up with disrespectful behavior.
3. Teaching the Golden Rule and living by it in the classroom.
4. Teaching students how to write a personal mission statement and having them do it. Writing one for the class too.
5. Using the power of visible reminders: positive posters on the wall; a spray bottle as a reminder of toxic language and behavior.
6. Sharing the good news: saying something nice about a classmate; saying something to make us laugh (not mean-spirited)

Every first year teacher, and others who want to be inspired, should read or hear Dr. Urban! http://www.halurban.com/index.html.

National Award Winners: Schools of Character

I attended presentations from two award-winning schools of character. Annual awards are given based on CEP's Eleven Principles after a very extensive application process including a portfolio and site visit. I was ready to go back into the classroom after being blown away by Birmingham Covington School of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan! This grade 3-8 school has everything wonderful I can think of in education:

1. A collaborative, inspired, enthusiastic staff where everyone is committed to the mission of student-based learning, academic excellence, collaboration, engagement, and community involvement.
2. Character education is integrated into everything they do. It is the lens through which everything is seen.
3. Parents and community members are involved at all levels.
4. All students participate enthusiastically in service learning.
5. 60% of all work by students and staff is done in teams.
6. Lots more!

Birmingham Covington School, a magnet public school where enrollment is by lottery, is offering a 2-day workshop on May 9 & 10, 2008 for any educator who wants to learn how to develop a school like this. Contact sr02bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us http://www.bcsonline.info

I also attended a presentation by Skyview Elementary School, in Lizella, Georgia. Skyview opened with core values in 2002 and has Georgia's 28 character qualities infused throughout the school community. They base their curriculum and practices on CEP's Eleven Principles (see above). Their school is truly excellent in academics and character development.

My conclusions: The principal is the leader who hires, inspires and leads staff in character education. Staff inspire, teach and lead students, parents and community members in the same way. It was really apparent to me that excellent character education also depends on getting the right people on the right bus in the right seats, as Jim Collins writes in his best-selling book, From Good to Great.

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Avis Glaze, the Chief Student Achievement Officer for the Province of Ontario was inspiring with her call to us as global citizens, making a difference in the lives of all children. She is familiar with The Virtues Project and supports it.

Dr. Robert Franklin, President of Morehouse College, a traditional Black college in Atlanta, GA, inspired and called us to carrying the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. forward. His talk was, Moral Literacy: Preparing Educated and Ethical Leaders." His number one priority is to develop character of the young black men in his charge.

Mr. Frank Keating, Governor of Oklahoma and a board member of CEP honored the National School of Character Award Winners.

Dr. Will Keim, co-founder of The Character Institute, honored the Promising Practices award winners.

The Gifts of Character: Balancing Excellence in Academics and Ethics (The Virtues Project)

I've saved the best for last! My Virtues Project colleagues, Master Facilitators Dara Feldman and Dorrie Hancock, facilitated this workshop with enthusiasm, excellence, joyfulness and purposefulness. About 80 people attended and were very excited with what they saw and learned. Their excellent power point presentation was beautiful and effective. Short video clips on the five strategies were interspersed throughout, creating opportunities for discussion and exercises. Their purposefulness was really evident as they covered all five strategies in 75 minutes, with talks, large and small group exercises, demonstrations and excellent handouts. It was very exciting to see the response of participants. Dara and Dorrie both made many contacts with researchers and the top leaders in the field of character education, many of whom offered to help with mentoring and research for The Virtues Project and Dara's organization The Heart of Education. The Virtues Project is ready for prime time! http://www.virtuesproject.com. http://www.heartofeducation.net

Conclusion

1. I highly recommend that educators interested in Character Education plan to attend the CEP Forum next year Oct. 17-19, 2008, in Washington, DC.
2. The Virtues Project meets the criteria for the CEP's Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education.
3. RESEARCH shows that Character Education IMPROVES ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. It shouldn't be either/or.
4. The Character Education Partnership provides many resources for educators, including assessment tools. www.character.org
5. It is time for The Virtues Project to go nationwide as an excellent resource for excellent Character Education.