I just read the 32-page report on “Model Standards” for the teaching and learning of character and social-emotional development.  These standards “provide a roadmap for school leaders and teachers to help children and teens understand, care about, and consistently practice the SEL skills and character strengths that will enable them to flourish in school, in the workplace, and as citizens.”

https://www.character.org/model-standards

My intent is to provide an overview of a few major points in the report.  I encourage you to read this report, reflect on it, discuss it with your colleagues and others, and then use the ideas to develop your own school and district’s character and social-emotional programs and initiatives.

The Model Standards address four dimensions of character-strengths – moral character, performance character, intellectual character, and civic character – and five skills of social-emotional learning – self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, interpersonal/relationship skills, and responsible/ethical decision-making.

These “character strengths” and “social-emotional skills “are based on Six Core Beliefs.  In summary, they are:

1. The family is a child’s first character educator.
2. These strengths and skills are not add-ons, but rather add significant value to student success.
3. A positive school climate is critical to fostering the whole child. 
4. Character and social-emotional development requires thinking, feeling, and doing.
5. The character strengths should be taught, caught, and sought.
6. The “model standards” align with the fill-range of classroom and school-based initiatives.

The report includes a section describing “a conceptual framework” that includes:

• The Developing Child and Teen – There are essential building blocks of development.

• Caring and Supportive Environments – Our role as adults is to offer and provide a “constructive web” for every child and teen to learn and practice the SEL skills and character strengths.  

• Opportunities to Learn and Practice – Research confirms that well-scaffolded, engaging and evidence-based instructional and curricular design can impact the development of self-regulation and executive functions.   

• A Thriving/Striving Person of Character – Raising or graduating smart teenagers – to be kind and honest, and individuals who other people trust – a good person.

Section 4–Part 1 of the model defines and describes the four character dimensions – moral, performance, intellectual, and civic.  Each dimension is defined with outcomes by grade and age level, examples and resources. 

Let me share one example from Part 1.  

I selected “performance character” defined with grades 9-12, ages 14-18+.  There is an “outcome” statement, and then there is a list of six activities about what should be learned and practiced.  I listed three so that you’d get the idea.

• Give an example of a habit you have developed because you wanted to become a better person.   
• Explain the relationship between being responsible and a person’s reputation.   
• Explain a time when you had a ‘setback’ but your grit kept you motivated.

Section 4-Part 2 defines and describes the five skills of social-emotional learning – self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, interpersonal /relationship skill and responsible and ethical decision-making.  Each defined.  Each with outcome statements.  Each with age and grade levels.  Each with a list of resources.

I selected the skill of “self-awareness” with Grades 6-8, ages 11-13.  There are seven activities that should be learned and practiced.  I have selected three to share.  

• Describe how different thoughts, situations, and behaviors affect your feelings and emotions.
• Recognize the times when you exaggerate the severity or consequences of mistakes, embarrassing moments, failures, rejections and other negative events (e.g., “I can never face them again.” “Everyone thinks I’m stupid.”)   
• List and explain the different external supports you have used when feeling stressed or anxious (e.g., family, friends, teachers, neighbors).

In Section 5, the authors wrote in summary:

“We believe the SEL skills enable and support a young person’s determination and commitment to be a person of character.  The SEL skills help students consistently be honest and trustworthy, caring and compassionate, self-disciplined, intellectually curious, fair, and respectful.  The CSED Model Standards provide school leaders with a unifying vehicle that will bring the staff together toward a shared goal and purpose: supporting students as they strive to become young people of character who will flourish in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as citizens.”

As a postscript to this report and to satisfy my curiosity, I wondered how others identify “character strengths.”  Here are three examples.

From T. Lickona and M. Davidson, Smart & Good High Schools: Integrating Excellence and Ethics for Success in School, Work, and Beyond (July, 2005) (www.cortland.edu/character).

8 STRENGTHS OF CHARACTER:

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, committed to consistent moral action.
6. Self-disciplined person who pursues a healthy lifestyle.
7. Contributing community member and democratic citizen.
8. Spiritual person crafting a life of noble purpose.

From the perspective of positive psychology:  The Values in Action (VIA) Project – a starting point for the systematic scientific study of good character.  The VIA Classification consists of 24 widely-valued character strengths, organized under six broad virtues: 

1. Wisdom and Knowledge 
2. Courage  
3. Humanity 
4. Justice 
5. Temperance 
6. Transcendence

(Park & Peterson, 2006b; Peterson & Seligman, 2004)

From the North Carolina State Board of Education’s Character and Civic Education Handbook and Guide:  

Respect – Trustworthiness – Responsibility – Fairness – Caring – Citizenship – Accountability – Integrity.

“Character education is the component of social and emotional learning that promotes core virtues, moral sensitivity, moral commitment, ethical reasoning, and personal growth aspirations.”
 – Yael Kidron, Director of Character Education, Santa Clara University

Ed DeRoche, Director, Character Education Resource Center 

University of San Diego, BLOG, September 2020

Background:  Early in my teaching career, I was a junior high school social studies teacher.  Part of my teaching assignment was teaching a “current events course.”  The texts I used were the local and state newspapers.  Our intent, at the time, was to engage students in a study of and conversations about what was going on in their community and in the world, and why. 

As a result of these experiences, I wrote three books on the use of newspapers in classrooms:  Project Update: The Newspaper In The Elementary And Junior High Classroom, Character Matters: Using Newspapers To Teach Character (co-authored), and The Newspaper: A Reference for Teachers and Librarians.  

WHY Teach Current Events (CE)? 

Here are six reasons for having CE become a key part of your classroom and school’s curriculum.

1. Your students are already talking about what is going on in their world and the “real world” anyway, so under your guidance, take time each day to let them talk about current events—hearing and discussing multiple issues respectfully.
2. A CE curriculum will introduce your students to a wide range of new content—the more you know, the more you grow.
3. A CE curriculum will contribute to creating, hopefully, students who are informed, engage, active citizens as well as lifelong news readers.
4. A CE program will provide the opportunity for teachers to help students develop digital media literacy skills, improve reading comprehension, critical thinking, problem solving, oral expression, and listening skills.
5. A CE program will encourage your students to improve their language, vocabulary, and writing skills especially using the “news style “—Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How—also an important skill for summarizing and interpreting digital content.
6. Most CE teachers report that they tend to use a variety of grouping methods in their classroom as student collaborate to study, discuss, and debate issues and events.

Prior to the advent of digital media and technology, research using newspapers (the print copies) and current events in classroom showed: 

• Students who use newspapers tend to score higher on standardized achievement tests—particularly in reading, math, and social studies—than those who don’t use them.
• Newspaper use helps teach students to be effective readers. 
• Reading newspapers can help develop and improve student vocabulary, word recognition skills, and comprehension. 
• Newspapers are effective tools for teaching many math concepts, particularly fractions, decimals, currency, and averages.
• In surveys, students overwhelmingly support the use of newspapers in the classroom and have a positive attitude toward reading newspapers.  
• Using newspapers increase awareness of and interest in current events. 
• Students who read newspapers in school tend to continue reading them when they become adults.   

My original guess was that the findings above would be the same for students in today’s schools and classrooms where using technology (online learning), digital media, and social posts, for the teaching and learning of currents events and citizenship is common. 

I was wrong. 

One of my colleagues sent me an article with the headline: “Study: U.S. adults who mostly rely on social media for news are less informed, exposed to more conspiracies.”

Another suggested that I look at the Pew Foundation study that found “more Americans get their news from social media than from newspapers, that people who use social media for news are less knowledgeable than other news consumers, that they are also more likely to see and believe misinformation, and are not as concerned about it as people who consume news elsewhere.”

If that was not surprising enough, a CERC advisory committee member sent me an article on the “state of civics instruction” in which several surveys found that “barely one in four Americans could name the three branches of government,” that “just one in three Americans could pass the nation’s citizenship test,” and that “less than one-fourth of eighth-graders were judged proficient on the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress civics test.”

Two HOW Ideas!

One idea:  In her article, “The Best Way to Teach Current Events? Let Students Lead,” Meghan Selway, notes that one of the problems teachers have in teaching current events is that students lack the background knowledge required to understand news events. 

She asked her seniors what would make current issues more meaningful to them and they said they needed time to learn about the issues and events.  Her solution?

• Give students choices—have them select two topics from a list she provided.  

• Next she created “Current Issues Groups” of three to five students based on their interests.  The groups met in class every other week to read the articles and then discuss the news events posted for their topic with their peers.  

• Then, she tracked student participation by “creating a website for each class on Google Sites where students posted relevant news stories bi-weekly on a blog with accompanying questions.” 

http://www.kqed.org/education/531646/the-best-way-to…

Another idea:  Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher and PBL coach.  In “Teaching Current Events in the Age of Social Media,” she writes that [edited]: 

“Students have to know about the world around them, and part of our job as educators is to prepare them for the realities of the world outside the classroom walls.  We need our students to leave classrooms knowledgeable and critical but also hopeful.  Make your classroom one of positivity so that they have a place to go to feel that the state of the news is not necessarily the state of their own lives.”

She describes four resources that will help you.

1. Utilize resources that differentiate informational reading levels. 

Look at resources like Newsela to filter news stories not by topic but by grade level, so that articles are suited to your students’ emotional stages.

2. Create an archive of resources that focus on more positive stories.

• Start with Common Sense Media’s list of news sources for kids.  Remember, however, that every site has articles that need to be vetted.   
• DailyGood: This is a great resource of straightforward pieces with an emphasis on the amazing and interesting.  
• Yes! Magazine: The tagline for this magazine is “Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions.”  It focuses on problems, yes, but also on how people are solving those problems.  
• Positive News: This site focuses on challenging stereotypes and sharing what people are doing to tackle the world’s challenges. 

3. Help students read critically to tease apart the true from the questionable and the false. 

From PBS to KQED, from Common Sense Media to The New York Times, there are many outlets out there to help teachers tackle this challenge.

4. Teach students the necessity of unplugging sometimes.  

Teach students that unplugging is healthy for their hearts and heads.  Unplug, recharge, and oxygenate your brain with exercise. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-current-events-age-social-media

Three Additional Resources

Besides using your local news sources, here are a few sites that will help you plan with a current events curriculum and instructional activities.

Twenty-five great ideas for teaching current events http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson072…

NEA – Teaching With The News http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/64789.htm

Cnn Student News Today www.info.com/Cnn Student News Today

Ed DeRoche,
Director, Character Education Resource Center
University of San Diego

BLOG, August 2020

In the Center’s July newsletter, we described 25 Steps on becoming a culturally response teacher.  Several responses and questions helped me develop the content for this blog.  A few respondents believed that “civility is on the decline “and one teacher wrote: “We need a citizens’ peace treaty.”  

I had my topic for this blog.

“If we are to reach real peace in this world, we shall have to begin with the children.”  –Mahatma Gandhi

P = PERSEVERANCE

“Perseverance” is the ability an individual or group has to keep going to reach a goal in spite of how hard it is to attain or how many obstacles one faces.  

Perseverance builds self-confidence, improves performance, creates trust, helps one work through relationship issues, and opens the door to “resourcefulness.”

Angela Duckworth calls it “grit.”  To encourage “grit” among students, she suggests that teachers “MODEL IT!  CELEBRATE IT!  ENABLE IT!”

“Grit predicts accomplishing challenging goals of personal significance.  In most research studies, grit and measures of talent and IQ are unrelated, suggesting that talent puts no limits on the capacity for passion and perseverance.”

(https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance)

E = EMPATHY 

Psychiatrist Alfred Adler defined empathy as “seeing with the eyes of another, hearing with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.”

Sam Chaltain (www.samchaltain.com) developed “The Empathy Formula” noting three types of empathy:

1. Cognitive empathy—the act of knowing how another person feels. 
2. Emotional empathy—the capacity to physically feel the emotions of another.  
3. Compassionate empathy—the combination cognitive and emotional empathy; to take action about what one feels and thinks. 

Michele Borba says this about writing her book, UNSELFIE: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World.

“My goal was to create a conversation that makes us rethink our view of success as exclusively grades, rank and score and includes traits of humanity!  It’s time to include empathy in our parenting and teaching if we hope to prepare children to succeed and thrive in our global new world.”

A = ATTITUDE 

Bruce Tulgan is the founder and CEO of RainmakerThinking, a management research and training firm.  In an article, Teaching Positive Attitude, he offers this advice that is applicable to educators.

“Research shows that if you make an effort to display positive words, tones, and gestures on the outside, it has a positive effect on your internal brain chemistry and it actually makes you feel better on the inside.  Good attitudes can be a self-fulfilling prophesy: Behave as if you feel positive, and you will eventually begin to genuinely feel positive—and experience positive results.”

https://www.td.org/insights/teaching-positive-attitude

Here are five reminders about the importance of helping your students learn how to develop positive attitudes [edited]:

1. Positivity makes it easier to ask for help.  When you see an obstacle in your path, you’re more likely to reach out to a teacher or parent for advice.
2. Positivity can even improve your health—by lowering your blood pressure and heart rate.
3. Positivity increases your satisfaction in life and school.  When you choose to embrace positive thoughts and focus on the things you’re grateful for and successful at, you stop comparing yourself.
4. Positivity helps you grow.  Positivity can be useful by prompting students to take risks and try new things in the classroom and at home.
5. Students who learn from their mistakes can still focus on the positive side of things.

https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2019/02/26/the-benefits-of-positive-attitudes-in-students/

C = COLLABORATION

Collaboration requires commitment.  Commitment requires courage.

Canice Nuckols says there are “2 critical factors” and suggests four ideas with regard to teacher collaboration [edited]: 

The critical factors: 

• The first is teachers’ “buy in to the idea of collaboration.”   
• The second is that teachers understand “how to effectively engage in collaborative work with fellow teachers is critical to the process.”

Her four collaboration ideas are:

1. Create a shared vision.  Develop statements addressing the group’s vision, goals, and an assessment plan.  This connection between the shared vision and subsequent goals (and assessment) will define the work of the team and ensure ownership on the part of each individual.   
2. Develop a collaborative community.  Mutual respect and trust for each other can be gained by getting to know each other on a personal as well as a professional level  This will take time to develop and will require a lot of work among the members—attending all meetings, being an active, contributing member, and accepting of the ideas of others.
3. Establish protocols.  In order to progress towards the goals established by the group, teachers/members will need to develop protocols to ensure the smooth functioning of the group—defining roles and responsibilities, how the group will communicate thoughts and ideas, and defining time parameters.
4. Proactively manage conflict.  The group should establish a conflict management plan that includes providing support and time for individuals to work through the reasons that are causing conflict.  All members of the group should be vigilant with regards to managing their own responses and interactions with their colleagues.
   

 http://www.grafton.org/the-benefits-of-collaboration-in…

E = EQUITY vs. EQUALITY

In its June 17^th, 2020 issue, Education Week ran this front-page headline:

“Are America’s Schools Ready For Tough Talk on Racism?  We want equality is easier to say than We stand against racism.”

I don’t know the answer to the question.  I do know that I need clarity on the meaning of the two words “equity and equality.”  You might as well. 

Robert Longley, a history and government expert, says:

“In education, equality means providing every student with the same experience.  Equity, however, means overcoming discrimination against specific groups of people, especially defined by race and gender.”

http://www.thoughtco.com/equity-vs-equality-4767021

In an article titled, Racial Equality or Racial Equity? The Difference It Makes, author Paula Dressel, Ph.D., writes [edited]:

“Racial equity results when you cannot predict advantage or disadvantage by race.  But the route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally.  It will be achieved by treating everyone equitably, or justly according to their circumstances.…This is why we advocate the dual aspirations of raising the bar and closing the gaps.  Yet, when resources are limited, as they often are, it is critical to invest in ways that erase those gaps that for too long have compromised the promise of children, families, and communities of color.  Racial equity matters.”

https://viablefuturescenter.org/racemattersinstitute/2014/04/02/racial-equality-or-racial-equity-the-difference-it-makes/

“If you are a parent [or teacher]—regardless of your race or the race of your child—ask your child’s teacher or principal: ‘What is the school doing to ensure all students, especially Black and Latino students, are getting access to rigorous academic experiences?’”

–Gloria Lee, founder and CEO of Educate78

Ed DeRoche, Director,
Character Education Resource Center
University of San Diego
BLOG, July 2020

It is the month of June, the month of leaves and roses, when pleasant sights salute the eyes, and pleasant scents the noses.     ― Nathaniel Parker Willis

With my camera in hand, I visited the character education gardens where “everything was coming up roses” and took these snapshots for my scrapbook.

Snapshot 1:  TEACHING CHARACTER AND CIVILITY

“Civility goes beyond being polite and courteous; it involves listening to others with an open mind, disagreeing respectfully and seeking common ground to start a conversation about differences.  Acting with civility requires children to be respectful, reflective and self-aware.  Learning the skills of perspective taking, empathy and problem-solving helps children understand that their actions and words affect individuals as well as their entire community, encouraging them to rise up and act with civility in tough situations….By teaching skills like empathy, problem-solving and perspective taking, we can help nurture civility in our children.”

Melissa Benaroya, How to Teach Civility During Divisive Times, Committee for Children, February 24, 2017

Snapshot 2:  THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REPORT CARD

The “citizenship” side of the report card should not take second place in the “race to the top.”  Why?  The Josephsen’s Institute’s annual poll of teens reveals a rather high percentage of teens who cheat, steal, lie, and exhibit a “propensity toward violence” including bullying.  Teacher polls show that teachers find students to be less respectful, more aggressive, more impulsive and impatient, and display more inappropriate language.  One observer of the youth culture noted that the mantra of the “ME” generations appears to be: “I Know My Rights – I Want It Now – Someone Else Is To Blame – I’m A Victim.”  Let us join the many schools and communities in this county who are attending to the “citizenship” side of the report card by implementing programs designed to teach students democratic values, prosocial skills, emotional control and anger management, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and what it means to be a good citizen.

Snapshot 3:  MORAL AND CHARACTER EDUCATION: THE CONNECTION

“Character education has reintroduced one important aspect of moral development…namely, socialization—helping the young learn how to live cooperatively, caringly, and civilly.” (Paraphrasing our colleague, Professor Kevin Ryan)

Lickona and Davidson have made the case that there are two types of character—“moral character” and “performance character.”  They write: “Moral character [values/virtues and ethics] is necessary for successful interpersonal relationships and ethical behavior.”  The characteristics of moral character encompass such virtues as integrity, caring, respect, generosity, responsibility, cooperation, and the like.  The companion to moral character is “performance character – a needed characteristic for reaching one’s potential in school, the workplace, or any area of endeavor.”  Performance virtues include diligence, perseverance, ingenuity, self -discipline, grit, optimism, and more.

Snapshot 4: CHARACTER EDUCATION: THE TRUE COMMON CORE

Attending to the character development of students in our schools supports academic achievement and social-emotional skill development.

“Character and citizenship are the critical elements of a positive school culture and climate.”      -M. Elias, (2008)

“Character education positively influences academic achievement; and has a broad impact on a wide variety of psycho-social outcomes, including sexual behavior, problem-solving skills, relationships, and attachment to school.”

–Berkowitz and Bier (2005)

“Integrated character education resulted in an improved school environment, increased student pro-social and moral behavior, and increased reading and math test scores.  In addition, schools became more caring communities, discipline referrals dropped significantly—particularly in areas related to bullying behavior—and test scores in moderately achieving schools increased nearly 50%.”

-Marshall, Caldwell, and Foster (2011)

Snapshot 5:  CHARACTER EDUCATION: SIX STANDARDS

Standard One: Mission-Core Values-Goals

• Exemplary character education programs have a clear set of core values/virtues, including a mission statement and specific goals.

Standard Two: School Culture

• Exemplary character education programs address a school’s culture and its effectiveness to provide a safe environment, character development, community involvement, and student achievement. 

Standard Three: Value Formation-Moral Action

• Exemplary character education programs nurture and foster students’ interpersonal values, intrapersonal values, and civic virtues.

Standard Four: Staff Development

• Exemplary character education initiatives include professional development training, workshops, seminar, etc. 

Standard Five: Curriculum-Programs-Partnerships

• Exemplary character education efforts focus on integrating character education into the full spectrum of school activities and school life.

Standard Six: Assessment/Evaluation

• Effective character education programs are assessed on a regular basis, and school personnel and others use data-driven information to make informed changes and decisions.

Snapshot 6:  CHARACTER EDUCATION AND THE ARTS

Research has shown that children who receive regular exposure to the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic excellence, to participate in a math and science fair, or to win an award for writing a poem or essay.

Recent research also shows that participation in the arts improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in on other aspects of their lives.  The ability to focus requires a balance between listening and contributing, concentration and focus, thinking about one’s role, and how that role contributes to the big picture of what is being created.  Several experts make the case for adding the ”A” to STEM and for promoting programs that develop children and youth’s artistic/performance skills and talents.

Snapshot 7:  CHARACTER EDUCATION AND SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

Jacob Francom researched the roles high school principals assume when developing, implementing, and sustaining character education efforts in their schools.  He found six main roles, three of which deal directly with leader skills and abilities: reflective leaders, collaborative leaders, and moral leaders.  These principals were also plate peddlers (get buy-in from constituents), cultural engineers (character education becomes the foundation of the school‘s environment), and champions (obstacles overcome, successes celebrated.)

“Roles High School Principals Play in Establishing A Successful Character Education Initiative,” Journal of Character Education, Vol 12(1), 2016,

pp. 17-34)

A 2012 MetLife Survey of the American Teacher found that three out of four K-12 public school principals believe the job has become “too complex,” with the majority contending that school leadership responsibilities have changed significantly over the last five years.  Nearly half of the principals surveyed indicated that they “feel under great stress several days a week.”

In a teacher survey, 21% of teachers polled completely agree that their school’s principal possesses the subject-matter/content knowledge necessary to help them improve their instruction.  Forty-one percent of the principals believe that they did.

(Education Week Research Center, 2019)

Snapshot 8:  CHARACTER EDUCATION AND TEACHING SKILLS

You may have seen the Business World’s Scorecard where people are talking and writing about “soft skills.”

“Like it or not, emotions are an intrinsic part of our biological makeup, and every morning they march into the office [and our schools and classrooms] with us and influence our behavior.  Executives are starting to talk about the importance of such things as trust, confidence, empathy, adaptability and self-control.”

–Shari Caudron, “The Hard Case for Soft Skills”

Currently we have the 21^st Century Skills Scorecard that includes:

• Ways of Thinking (creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and learning);
• Ways of Working (communication and collaboration);
• Tools for Working (communications technology and information literacy); and,
• Skills for Living (citizenship, life and career, and personal and social responsibility).

Two skills that cut across all four categories are “collaborative problem solving” and “learning in digital networks.”

The Fortune 500 Companies Scorecard identifies five top qualities these companies seek in employees: 

1. Teamwork
2. Problem solving
3. Interpersonal skills
4. Oral communication
5. Listening

And so, what is in your character education garden?

Ed DeRoche, Director, Character Education Resource Center
University of San Diego
BLOG, June 2020

“We are so powerful when we work together
and understand that we‘re all connected.

We are capable of such amazing things when we
see our differences as strengths.

Now is the time for us to come together and
harness our true power together.”    – Mindset

Wisdom of Geese – Life & Leadership Lessons

Ed DeRoche, Director, Character Education Resource Center, SOLES, USD

May Blog 2020

“Habits we train are habits we gain!”  (author unknown)

In March, the Center sponsored a full day character education program offered by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.  It was terrific—all you have to do is ask the 79 teachers who attended.

During the day, a group of teachers asked me:  “Which character traits would you recommend for a character education program?”   

A simple, straightforward question but not easy to answer.  Educators, like you, want to know exactly what strengths, skills, traits, virtues, habits, should make up the “core” of a school’s character education efforts.  

Take your pick as we start with the “character strengths” story.

Seligman and Peterson published a book titled, Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification, in which they describe 24 widely-valued character strengths, organized under six broad virtues: 

1. Wisdom and Knowledge 

• creativity:  thinking of novel and productive ways to do things 
• curiosity:  taking an interest in all of ongoing experience
• open-mindedness:  thinking things through and examining them from all sides 
• love of learning:  mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge
• perspective:  being able to provide wise counsel to others

2. Courage

• honesty:  speaking the truth and presenting oneself in a genuine way 
• bravery:  not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain 
• persistence:  finishing what one starts 
• zest:  approaching life with excitement and energy

3. Humanity

• kindness: doing favors and good deeds for others 
• love: valuing close relations with others 
• social intelligence: being aware of the motives and feelings of self and others

4. Justice

• fairness: treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice 
• leadership: organizing group activities and seeing that they happen 
• teamwork: working well as member of a group or team

5. Temperance 

• forgiveness: forgiving those who have done wrong 
• modesty: letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves 
• prudence: being careful about one’s choices; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted 
• self-regulation: regulating what one feels and does

6. Transcendence 

• appreciation of beauty and excellence: noticing and appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life 
• gratitude: being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen 
• hope: expecting the best and working to achieve it 
• humor: liking to laugh and joke; bringing smiles to other people
• religiousness: having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of life

The KIPP Schools, another example, focus on these seven “character strengths.”

Zest—Enthusiastic and energetic participation in life 

Grit—Perseverance and passion for long-term goals  

Curiosity—Eagerness to explore new things with openness 

Optimism—Confidence in a future full of positive possibilities 

Self-Control—Capacity to regulate one’s own responses so they align with short and long-term goals 

Gratitude—Appreciation for the benefits we receive from others, and the desire to express thanks 

Social Intelligence—Understanding the feelings of others and adapting actions accordingly 

Curiosity—Eagerness to explore new things with openness  

As you know, business leaders are talking and writing about “soft skills.”  Some call them “skills to pay the bills.”  Shari Caudron, in an article titled, “The Hard Case for Soft Skills,” says: 

“Like it or not, emotions are an intrinsic part of our biological makeup, and every morning they march into the office (and our schools and classrooms) with us and influence our behavior…. The ability to understand, monitor, manage and capitalize on our emotions can help us make better decisions, cope with setbacks and interact with others more effectively…. Executives are starting to talk about the importance of such things as trust, confidence, empathy, adaptability and self-control.”

In addition to the “character strengths” and “soft skills“ listed above, we could add social skills, communication skills, higher-order thinking skills (problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making) and the skills associated with self-control, self-confidence and relationships.

Let’s look at “social skills.”

The Social Skills Improvement System—Classwide Intervention Program (Elliott and Gresham) identified 10 top skills that students need to succeed, surveying over 8,000 teachers and examining 20 years of research. 

1. Listen to others
2. Follow the steps
3. Follow the rules
4. Ignore distractions
5. Ask for help
6. Take turns when you talk
7. Get along with others
8. Stay calm with others
9. Be responsible for your behavior
10. Do nice things for others. 

www.PearsonAssessments.com)• Include the weekly character trait concerts, and pep-rallies.  

“How to Build a 36-Week Character Education Curriculum” suggest 36 traits from which teachers and school leaders may choose to meet the needs of their students and educational programs.  For space purposes, I selected 10 of the 36-trait curriculum. 

(Mentoring minds.com)

• Accountability
• Bravery
• Determination
• Friendliness
• Gratitude
• Love
• Perseverance
• Politeness
• Serving others
• Trustworthiness

Whew!  Enough already. I think I answered their question.

Whoever our students may be, whatever subject we teach, ultimately we teach who we are.         – Parker Palmer, Author, Educator and Activist 

Ed DeRoche, Director, Character Education Resource Center, SOLES. USD

During the holidays, I had a conversation with a friend who is a district administrator in another state responsible for monitoring and assisting new principals and those experiencing “difficulties.“  Her story was filled with concerns about their administrative skills and leadership abilities.

In this blog, I share information with those of you who are in educational leadership (administrative) positions with a special focus on school principals.

My view about leadership in schools and elsewhere is summarized best by Zenger and Folkman (The Extraordinary Leader):

Character is the center pole, the core of leadership effectiveness.  Character traits, for our leaders and ourselves, include respect, responsibility, compassion, trust, perseverance, honesty, gratitude, self-discipline and courage.

I also like the Turknett Leadership Group’s “Leadership Character Model” (www.turknett.com).  Their view is that “Leadership is about character – who you are, not what you do.”  Their model includes three keys to character-related leadership:  

1. Integrity (honesty, credibility, trustworthy);
2. Respect (empathy, lack of blame, motivational mastery, humility);
3. Responsibility (self-confidence, accountability, focus on the whole, courage).

You may have read a few of my past blogs on school leadership such as:

“What’s Under Your School’s Character Education Umbrella?”

“The Principal: Character, Collaboration and Commitment”

“What is This Thing Called – Leadership?”  

“The Qualities of Character and Leadership” 

“Presidential Character and Leadership”

Three examples of my books on this topic include:  

Complete Guide to Administering School Services

An Administrator’s Guide for Evaluating Programs and Personnel 

Character Education: A Guide for School Administrators

In the character education guide book, we developed the idea that a principal’s leadership role must include being a visionary, a missionary, a goaltender, a standard-bearer, an architect, an educator, a communicator, a provider, and an evaluator.

Interestingly, Jacob Francom researched the roles high school principals assume when developing, implementing, and sustaining character education efforts in their schools.  He found six main roles, three of which deal directly with leader skills and abilities: reflective leaders, collaborative leaders, and moral leaders.  These principals were also plate peddlers (get buy-in from constituents), cultural engineers (character education becomes the foundation of the school‘s environment), and champions (obstacles overcome, successes celebrated.)

“Roles High School Principals Play in Establishing A Successful Character Education Initiative,”  Journal of Character Education, Vol 12(1), 2016, pp. 17-34)

Three Surveys

A 2012 MetLife Survey of the American Teacher found that three out of four K-12 public school principals believe the job has become “too complex,” with the majority contending that school leadership responsibilities have changed significantly over the last five years.  Nearly half of the principals surveyed indicated that they “feel under great stress several days a week.”

In a teacher survey, 21% of teachers polled completely agree that their school’s principal possesses the subject-matter/content knowledge necessary to help them improve their instruction.  Forty-one percent of the principals believe that they did. 

(Education Week Research Center, 2019)

A survey of the top reasons cited by principals for leaving their jobs are: poor working conditions, lack of resources, insufficient salaries, inadequate preparation and professional development, overwhelming job with inadequate support, lack of decision-making authority, and high-stakes accountability policies.  The research also shows “that principals are highly committed to their students and staff.  The root of the turnover problem is school conditions.”

(Education Dive, Roger Riddel, July 22, 2019)

Two Article Summaries

Bernard Marr, internationally best-selling author and keynote speaker, writes about the 14 Essential Leadership Skills During The 4th Industrial Revolution.  They include: actively agile, emotional intelligence, humbly confident, accountable, visionary, courageous, flexible, tech savvy, intuitive, collaborative, quick learners, culturally intelligent, authentic, and focused.

In the February 27, 2019 issue of SmartBrief, Naphtali Hoff, PsyD, writes that the “average 21^st century school leader is in over his or her head in work demands and expectations.”  

He poses this question: “What are principals to do?”  

His answer: “Become more comfortable with and proficient at delegating.”

How?  His suggestions (edited) include: 

• Remove bottlenecks, attend to the “continuity of process.”
• Focus on prioritization.
• Work only on the things that they are uniquely qualified to do. 
• Delegate tasks – delegating meaningful work that builds trust and improves morale and engagement.
• Encourage cooperation and teamwork.
• Focus on communication.
• Encourage new ways of looking at things, new approaches to problem solving.
• Be accountable and responsible in shaping employee behavior. 

The Question

The question for current school principals posed by Baruti K. Kafele, an award-winning former urban principal in New Jersey: “Is my school a better school because I lead it?”

His answer:  “It’s my strong belief that to lead your school forward, you must consider this question daily.  To answer this question affirmatively, you must be absolutely clear about who you are as the school leader, what your mission is, what purpose drives your work, and how you envision the future of your leadership and school.  These characteristics determine who you are, what you’re about, why you’re about it, and where you are going.  They serve as a mirror for why you do this work in the first place.  You must lead your school with the confidence to say, ‘Yes, my school is, in fact, a better school because I lead it.’  And when you do, students win.”

Ed DeRoche, Director, Character Education Resource Center, University of San Diego, January 2020