Character Development: The Other Side of the Report Card
By Maurice Elias
3/5/08
Both in school and after school, teachers, administrators, and staff feel as if they are working harder and harder without seeing proportional results. Frustration is mounting, especially in low-performing districts, over fleeting academic gains despite the ever-increasing efforts teachers make to improve test scores.
Along with that discontent, there's a growing backlash: We are too focused on preparing students for a life of tests rather than for the tests of life. Does anyone really want to put on a résumé that he or she provided tremendous intellectual tools to students, but did not offer strong positive moral values and a sense of human decency and civic commitment?
Research, observation, experience, and common sense have converged to suggest strongly that student success, which includes but is not limited to academic learning, depends a great deal on the other side of the report card. Students who are actively engaged in class and come prepared, who cooperate with their peers, who resolve conflicts peacefully, who complete their work, who attend school often and are not tardy, and who demonstrate initiative and leadership are more likely to succeed in school and, ultimately, in life.
An author first made the case for the other side of the report card in an article in the American School Boards Journal in 2002, but it may have been a bit premature. Now, however, the time for this topic has arrived.
The next time you lead a meeting of parents or school board members -- this activity works especially well at Back-to-School Night -- encourage people to answer the following questions honestly and to share their responses among themselves before having an overall group discussion:
- Do you want your children to become knowledgeable?
- Do you want them to be responsible, nonviolent, drug free, caring?
- If I were to tell you that the curriculum is too crowded to teach them all of those qualities, which ones would you give up?
When we ask teachers and parents in New Jersey -- as well as around the United States and throughout the world -- that final question, they recognize how difficult a choice it is. Actually, it is an impossible one. We cannot prepare children to assume their adult roles and the mantle of civic leadership unless they emerge from their school years with all of these attributes.
Educators now have a few names to describe skills such as sound character and citizenship: emotional intelligence, social and emotional learning (SEL), or, as we now say in New Jersey, social-emotional and character development. SECD is truly a blend of social and emotional learning and character education, created based on educator input after a decade of implementing the two approaches separately. Teachers now recognize that successful academic performance by students depends on the following:
- Students have social and emotional skills.
- Students approach education with a sense of positive purpose.
- Teachers find and nurture children's strengths.
- Teachers offer students opportunities to develop every day.
- Teachers allow kids to express their own unique abilities, exercise sound character, and contribute positively to the classroom, school, or community.
- Students have a safe, supportive school climate that fosters a respectful, challenging, and engaging learning community.
So ask yourself, what are you doing to build SECD among the students in your school? Just as important, ask yourself what the teacher in the classroom next to you is doing. Do you know what teachers are doing in the grade level prior to yours? How about in the next grade level? Do you know what your school's overall plan is for building students' SECD?
If we are not systematic in building students' SECD skills, we will face the consequences of social-emotional illiteracy and lack of character proficiency just as we would face illiteracy if we failed to build reading skills systematically. What are you doing at your school to foster these skills in your students?
Character Development
Submitted by Rob B. (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 16:32.
I couldn't agree more with this article. I find that teaching has become almost entirely focused on standardized testing. As a second grade teacher, you would expect to have time to touch upon basic character development. I recently had to have a long conversation with a student regarding his anger. The student became angry and decided to break his pencil. He was completely unaware that breaking things is an unacceptable way to deal with anger. It blew me away that he would not have this knowledge. Now reading this article, it makes me wonder if the reason for his lack of knowledge has to do with no one actually taking the time to teach him. I am assuming he is seeing this type of destructive behavior at home, and would probably not learn the appropriate ways to deal with anger in any other setting outside of school. This saddens and worries me in regards to the future of our society.
Building Character
Submitted by Sophia Coxson (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 15:58.
I am so thrilled that I stumbled upon this blog. In my classroom I spend a great deal of my time building character. I want to equip my students with morals, values, responsibility and independence. Isn't it our jobs to supply our students with the necessary tools to being successful in life? So many of our students are not getting those values, morals and responsibilities that they desperately need, at home. That's why they come to school unprepared and without the knowledge of conflict resolution. I believe SECD is one of the most important things our students need. When I think about some of the questions raised about whether it is being taught all over the school I currently work at I am truly sadden. Like so many of my peers and colleagues I spend a tremendous amount of time preparing my students for the tests. I believe if we as a whole exert as much energy into preparing our students for life as opposed to just preparing them for promotion, we will have a better student success rate.
Character Development
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 06:24.
I could not agree more with your article, Maurice. I am currently a graduate student as many others mentioned and a first grade teacher. It seems teachers are feeling the pressure of "teaching to the test" at even the youngest of grades now.
Similar to a few other posters, I spend a good bit of time on character development in my classroom, especially at the beginning of school. We do many activities to model how we should treat others, being a good friend, making the right choices, and many other important life skills or character traits. I believe it is very important to model and show the young students in my class how to build and use good character choices.
As a school, our school also works to build good character in our students. Each week we have a life skill or character trait that we focus on. They announce the trait in the morning announcements and give an example of it. After the announcements we are able to discuss the trait together and give other examples that show good use of the trait. We also have a student of the week in each grade level. This student is recognized not only for academic success but for showing good character. Our students of the week do not have to be limited to just those that do well on a test.
Through my graduate studies, it has been confirmed that having these good character traits leads to being more effective as a teacher. The first few chapters of the book, On Being a Teacher the Human Dimension, discusses how important it is for teachers to have the character traits of honesty, compassion, patience, sense of humor and more. It states in order to be effective we must have more than book knowledge (Kottler, J., Zehm, Kottler, E., 2005). I believe as you stated above this also applies to our students. Our students need to gain more than just book knowledge from us as educators.
References:
Kottler, J. A., Zehm, S. J., & Kottler, E. (2005). On being a teacher: The human dimension (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Developing character
Submitted by Kelly (not verified) on March 24, 2008 - 17:46.
As a first grade teacher, I agree that we need to spend time developing character in children at an early age. I believe that early character development is vital, if a student is going to be successful in or out of the classroom. To ensure character development in students, I also believe that educators must model character development in their personal lives if it is going to be successful in the classroom. As teachers model character development traits, students are able to build relationships with teachers. Children learn by example.
I teach in a school where character development is a priority. We use the Pillars of Character to teach students. Each month the school focuses on a pillar. For example, during the month that we focus on Citizenship, the students are encouraged to perform acts of good citizenship at school, at home, and in the community. Some teachers implement class projects for monthly character pillars. My school works diligently to instill character development in students so that they will be productive citizens.
In my opinion, integrity is the foundation of character development. Integrity is personal honesty. If individuals cannot be honest with themselves, it will be difficult to be honest with others. As teachers model a life of integrity, hopefully students will follow by example and they will have a brighter future.
Social and emotional learning and character development
Submitted by Erin Gatto (not verified) on March 24, 2008 - 12:03.
I couldn't agree more about the importance of SECD! My very first year of teaching my school sent me to the "Don't Laugh At Me" two day workshop for a Character Education program. It was October of my first year of teaching and I immediately saw the need to fit this into the curriculum. We all feel the time crunch, but I believe this is not an option to leave out of the schedule. I plan specific lessons around SECD and find ways to sneak it into other curriculum areas.
I am at a brand new school in our district this year. It was decided to see how the first year progressed before deciding on a character education program. As part of our "Principal's Advisory Council" I brought up the program I have been using for several years. I have heard from numerous parents, students and specials teachers that my class has a different feel to it than others. They say the cooperation is different, the understanding is greater, and the awareness that they are each accountable for helping or hurting the situation is noticed. SECD is not something we can afford to leave out of our day. The thing that I have found is that it can be sprinkled into all other areas of the day!
Thank you for your insight. I look forward to sharing your thought provoking questions with my Principal's Advisory Counsil.
You are not alone!
Submitted by Maurice Eliasrut (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 02:14.
Many who embark on character education/SEL/SECD are pioneers in their schools. But you are not alone! If you are uncomfortable posting your location, please feel free to go to www.teachSECD.com or email at dsacs.admin@gmail.com and let me know where you are located. There may be some other pioneers nearby with whom you can join and have collaboration and support.
Character development
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 22, 2008 - 12:46.
What an interesting blog! When I first read your comments, I immediately recalled a conversation I had with a friend when my daughter was a baby. At that time I was a new teacher and mother, and was particularly distressed about the lack of respect that I had witnessed among students in my school. I believe my exact words were, "I don't care if my baby grows up to be as dumb as a rock...SHE WILL BE polite and respectful to others." Obviously, my statement was a bit exaggerated. I did not want my baby to grow up to be as dumb as a rock (and she isn't by the way) but I was very sincere in my feelings about how she would behave socially.
In regard to your question about what are we doing specifically to improve social and emotional learning, two particular things came to my mind. First, I try to model as many of the desired behaviors to my students. I show respect and concern for them as individuals, I ask that they not be judgmental when others are sharing opinions, and I try to work on personal etiquette (such as waiting your turn instead of interrupting another person). Secondly, I also reiterate the importance of being honest and doing your best work. It seems that cheating has become so acceptable and common place in the classroom that students are completely unabashed about how much they rely on it. I really try to encourage them to take pride in their own work and while collaboration is a wonderful tool, cheating is never acceptable.
Spend more time on character development
Submitted by Molly H. (not verified) on March 22, 2008 - 10:06.
I agree that we need to spend more time on character development. I teach third grade and sometimes I can see students trying to decide whether to do the right thing, or the easier, wrong thing. I think this age can be a turning point for children. They can really start developing the habit of making good choices and recognizing when their friends make good choices. They are also very interested in community issues at this age. They ask lots of questions about things they hear in the news. With all of the "academic" demands, testing, and "specials" it is hard to squeeze in time for these types of lessons, but where there is a will there is a way.
Character development
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 21, 2008 - 12:25.
It seems we are at odds with what is important for the child and what is important for schools to have the appearance that improvement is being achieved. My son said that the teachers at his school talk all the time about having and showing good character. Being students that care about one another. Being part of a community of learners that can make a difference. But then, what really appears important is that students take higher level classes so the school has more students taking placement tests to make the school look good. Or teachers talking about how the students have to pass the high school tests so they don't have to take the class over. "it's all hype over test scores and appearance" he said. Is that really the message schools want to send to the next generation of thinkers, workers, and tax payers? Your safety and well being are important because we need you to do well on the tests. It's sad that that is how he sees what is important at his school.
Character Development
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 24, 2008 - 17:31.
If every student practiced good character, we wouldn't have to worry about test scores. A responsible student and parent would be one that would go home and prepare for tests and quizzes. If the student is below level, responsible would mean coming for help after school or a parent helping at home. If more students were respectful and caring, more time would be spent on instruction in the class than discipline. Students would assist each another. But we don't live in a perfect world!! Even when we model positive behavior, students may make poor choices. At our school, we have PBS (Positive Behavioral Support). When student exhibit positive behavior, in essence good character, we reward them. We give them a raffle ticket that is selected every month. However, I don't see that it has helped. Even when we offer rewards it doesn't have a huge impact. The students that would display positive behavior without the rewards will continue to do so. Very little students, I feel, are inclined to display good character for a raffle ticket. Why should we reward them anyway for something that they should be doing all along??? Society doesn't reward us for being kind or respectful. Good character simply makes you feel good about yourself. Other people may seem you as a good person. This will in turn help you to succeed in life - that's what matters.
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