Character Cities: Education
Integrate Character Into Learning and Life
America's schoolmaster, Noah Webster, said, "To exterminate our vices is more important to the character and happiness of our citizens than any other improvements in our system of education."
Teddy Roosevelt also realized the crucial need for character education: "to educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." School violence serves as a reminder of what happens when children and young adults do not receive a good moral foundation. However, a school-wide focus upon character development has successfully reduced improper behavior and instilled universal principles essential to effective learning and student success.
Find the Best Character Program for Your School
A community-wide character program should provide tools to saturate a whole community, from the classroom to the workplace. This approach reinforces parental involvement and ensures character education in the classroom harmonizes with character education in the family. A character education program should contain the following elements:- clearly defined and illustrated character qualities,
- an emphasis upon personal responsibility and practical commitments,
- examples of each character quality being used in real-life situations,
- a structure that promotes character as something that is "caught" as well as taught (e.g., through mentorship), and
- integrated character training in public and private schools at every level.
Reinforce Character in the Family:
Character in schools strengthens the entire community and it's families by…- facilitating a culture of character that will encourage children and young adults to make right decisions,
- training children in character from a young age, and
- encouraging parents to deepen character training in the home with the take-home resources provided.
Character First!® Education
Student cooperation. A positive learning environment. High academic achievement. Does this sound like your school? It can.The Character First!® Education website can tell you more, or you can call the Character First!® Education office: 405-815-0001