Why Character Ed?
Mission: School and Community Citizenship
State
Superintendent Jack O'Connell Addresses Character Education in his
State of Education Speech
Click the link above for the text of his address and related resources.
(He addresses character education at the close of his address, in
the last 12 paragraphs).
CPCE Compass
Key Assumptions
for Achievement, Character and Good Citizenship
Conditions and Challenges
The achievement bar for students has been raised. All students are
expected to meet a standard for reading and math that prepares them
for literacy and learning other core academic subject matter (i.e.
social and hard sciences). Educators have a longstanding tradition
of positively impacting individual student achievement, character
and good citizenship. However, instructional success today is measured
by how well the grade level groups within a school make progress.
In order for educators to meet this new challenge, they must build
on their existing strength of impacting individual student achievement
and character while working collaboratively, strategically and systematically.
Educators must help each other to instill in students and families
the importance of commitment and discipline needed for success and
minimizing the distractions and barriers to the learning environment.
Blending character and good citizenship into the academic
program is a natural and essential common focus agenda for school
staff, parent and community partnerships.
Making significant improvements in achievement for all students
takes group collaboration. …“no longer can it be done
alone”.
Achieving group success requires character, positive relationships
and working together.
Working differently requires new skills, attitudes and tools (i.e.
common language, agreements etc.), used collaboratively and systematically.
Training, practice and ongoing support must help all partners learn
and adopt new behaviors supportive of developing character and good
citizenship and new ways of problem solving and working together
for success.
Developing and expanding leadership builds the capacity to address
change and provide renewal.
Small steps built on positive and proactive approaches and good
communication work best to get results and sustain morale.
A partnership approach increases the likelihood of project success
and stability, as well as opportunities for adapting “what
works” for other schools and communities.
Assessment and reinforcement should be frequent, meaningful, and
ongoing.
For the authority base for integrating character into the California
school program and academic program, please see CPCE’s Foundations
for Teaching Character-Based Citizenship®
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