Character Education in the Core Curriculum

Introductions

• Dr. Tad Savage Valley Park Middle School Principal

• Erin Steinkamp Social Studies Teacher and SLT Member

Before We Begin

• Character Education in Secondary School Classrooms….It Can Be Done!

• Information presented will work in your classroom or can be modified to fit the needs of your classroom/school

Quality Standards

• NSOC - CEP looks for schools that demonstrate the 11 Principles

• Principle 3 & Principle 6Addressed in this presentation

Principle #3

• Effective character education uses a comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approach to character development

• “To educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Principle #6

• Effective character education includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character and helps them succeed.

Performance Values

• Must co-exist with ethical values in order for our students to take their education to the next level

• CEP Position Paper on Performance Values

• Students can be respectful to teachers without having the means of getting anything done!– Life-long goals to make them more productive citizens

What is Curriculum Integration?

• Is it in addition to what I do?

• Do I need to make separate lesson plans?

• How much time will it take away from the subject matter I am required to cover? (state-wide assessments)

Concerns of Real Teachers

Things to Consider With Integration

• Begin with integrating character into existing lessons

• Provide opportunities for sharing and collaboration between teachers

• Use character related lessons to address state and national standards

• Works best with “real world” situations

What Curriculum Integration REALLY is

• It is NOT an additional assignment or lesson plan

• It is a new way to look at information with your students

• Focus on performance in the classroom, with the emphasis on “is that the best we can do?…”

• "The best and the deepest moral training is that which one gets by having to enter into proper relations with others," wrote John Dewey.

Science

• Scientific Method and Inquiry – discussing honesty in research…

• Look into possible environmental problems in the community and design experiments to try and help…

• Focus on survey results and analysis of information obtained

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Lesson Plan

Communication Arts

• Book Study – character development

• Themes in writing

• Book Trailers

• Journaling – free writing…

Social Studies

• Muslim rule

• Perspectives on the American Revolution

• Game of “Life” for high school personal finance courses

Physical Education

• Sportsmanship – it’s a natural fit!

• How to lose with dignity…and then what? (Lessons in perseverance)

Health

• Play 60/Josh Brown

• VPMS NSOC Hawk Run / Hoops 4 Heart

• Real life choices that effect your health

Math

• Work with business on projects

• Buddy Program to improve math skills

• Study of interest rates / truth in lending study

• Pick different ways to approach how to learn and assess topic (class meetings)

Class Meetings

• Can do it in all subject areas and at any grade levels

• Video from CSD

• Examples of uses for class meetings with strategies

Other Ideas to Integrate Character Education…

• Integrate into the daily routine: set aside time every day for character education

• VPMS did this through advisory

• Book Study – Crossing Jordan

• Hawk Time Schedule

• Link to Seedfolks plan on CEP site

Resources

• Character Counts!

• Hamilton Township (North Carolina Schools)

• Huddle Up Lesson Plans

• CEP Lessons

• CSD Replication Guide

• VPMS Students and Faculty

Hawk Time

• Monday: Read 4 Character

• Tuesday: Character Education Lessons

• Wednesday: Service Learning Days (break into communities)

• Thursday: Academic Assistance

• Friday: Team Activities/Character Education