{"id":694,"date":"2021-09-01T09:52:49","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T17:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.sandiego.edu\/character\/?p=694"},"modified":"2021-09-01T09:52:49","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T17:52:49","slug":"character-related-acronyms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.sandiego.edu\/character\/blog\/2021\/09\/01\/character-related-acronyms\/","title":{"rendered":"Character-Related Acronyms"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ed DeRoche
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nA friend of mine, a writer\/lecturer on topics of leadership in business, sent me this \u201cbusiness model\u201d asking if I thought it might be relevant and useful to P-12 educators \u201cparticularly those interested in the character development of children and youth.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In his research he came across this acronym:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

KASH<\/b> – Knowledge, Abilities, Skills and Habits.\u00a0 <\/span>All four directly affect the performance of an individual as well as an organization.<\/p>\n

K<\/b>nowledge:<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>condition of being aware of something
\nA<\/b>bilities:<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>feelings or emotions about someone or something
\n<\/span>S<\/b>kills:<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>physical ability to perform tasks
\n<\/span>H<\/b>abits:<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>repeated and consistent behavior<\/p>\n

In previous blogs, we have discussed the nature of \u201ccharacter\u201d and \u201ccharacter education\u201d including knowledge (a compelling curriculum that puts character at the core), abilities (competencies and capabilities), skills (social and emotional), and habits (of the mind and heart).<\/p>\n

This blog continues the acronym theme.\u00a0 <\/span>Let\u2019s look at a few.\u00a0 <\/span>I will leave it to you to decide how best to use them in your school and classroom.<\/p>\n

The RULER<\/b> MODEL\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence notes that there are five skills of emotional intelligence:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

R<\/b>ecognition of emotions
\nU<\/b>nderstanding of emotions
\nL<\/b>abeling emotions
\nE<\/b>xpression of emotions
\nR<\/b>egulation of emotions<\/p>\n

YCEI is quick to point out that RULER<\/b> is not a program.\u00a0 <\/span>It is \u201can approach<\/i> for infusing emotions into the DNA of a school…providing training to school administrators, teachers, staff, students, and families, helping them to understand and apply key lessons from the research.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/i>http:\/\/www.rulerapproach.org<\/a><\/p>\n

When regulating or managing emotions we discovered the use of another acronym, PRIME.<\/b><\/p>\n

P<\/b>revented (e.g., frustration avoided)
\nR<\/b>educed (e.g., rage lessened to annoyance)
\nI<\/b>nitiated (e.g., happiness generated, feelings of optimism)
\n<\/span>M<\/b>aintained (e.g., pride preserved\/self esteem increased)
\nE<\/b>nhanced (e.g., joy increased to elation)<\/p>\n

You have heard about the SMART<\/b> acronym. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SMART<\/b> refers to goals as being [edited]:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

S<\/b>pecific:\u00a0 <\/span>Explicit and precise with no wiggle room when asking who, what, when, where, or why.
\n<\/span>
\nM<\/b>easurable:\u00a0 <\/span>Ways you can measure progress at any point along the way.
\n
\nA<\/b>chievable:\u00a0 <\/span>Working toward your goal can either lead to satisfaction or it will lead to frustration.\u00a0 <\/span>How realistic it is to attain your goal?
\n<\/span>
\nR<\/b>elevant:\u00a0 <\/span>Do your goals really matter to you?\u00a0 <\/span>Are they relevant, worthwhile, timely?
\n<\/span>T<\/b>ime-Bound:\u00a0 <\/span>Set deadlines.\u00a0 <\/span>Stay focused and prevent distractions.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I asked myself this question:\u00a0 <\/span>Why is it important for teachers, students, and others in schools to develop and use SMART goals?\u00a0 <\/span>The answer: \u201cAccording to educational research, educators who establish goals notice a significant improvement in their classrooms and their self-perception.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.talesfromaverybusyteacher.com\/2021\/06\/creating-smart-goals-with-your-students.html<\/i><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

VAMP<\/b><\/p>\n

Did you know that many schools and school districts use \u201cVAMP\u201d to frame their character education programs? \u00a0 <\/span>VAMP<\/b> is an acronym for the \u201cVirtues \u2013 A \u2013 Month Program.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

VAMP helps all school personnel, students, and parents\/guardians to focus on a specific virtue. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

VAMP encourages everyone to be on the same page in the teaching, learning, and practicing of a particular monthly virtue.\u00a0 <\/span>It does not mean the other \u201chabits of the heart\u201d (respect, empathy, perseverance, etc.) are ignored.\u00a0 <\/span>All virtues are interconnected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many teachers and schools coupled the VAMP character education framework with an \u201cevents calendar.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>That is, how can and does a monthly calendar event (special day), being observed and celebrated, support the virtue of the month and other virtues. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cobb County (Georgia) Character Education program is centered on a monthly virtue program; that is, over a four-week period the intent is to infuse a specific virtue into the total school environment, and the community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, for the month of September, the virtue is RESPECT.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another example of VAMP<\/b> is one I noted in my June Blog.\u00a0 <\/span>The Kent City School District (OH) has teachers focus lessons on a particular character-related virtue each month of the school year.<\/p>\n

September \u2013 Work Ethic and Responsibility\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

October \u2013 Respect for Self and Others<\/i><\/p>\n

November \u2013 Compassion<\/i><\/p>\n

December \u2013 Self-Control<\/i><\/p>\n

January \u2013 Tolerance<\/i><\/p>\n

February \u2013 Trustworthiness<\/i><\/p>\n

March \u2013 Cooperation<\/i><\/p>\n

April \u2013 Respect for Community\/Environment<\/i><\/p>\n

May \u2013 Commitment\/Dedication<\/i><\/p>\n

June \u2013 Fairness\/Justice \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Each virtue is followed by descriptors.\u00a0 <\/span>Here is September as an example.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

September \u2013 Work Ethic and Responsibility\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Students should:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n