Building Character in Schools Resource Guide [Paperback]

Building Character in Schools Resource Guide offers school administrators and teachers a practical handbook for developing, assessing, improving, and institutionalizing character education in their schools. It is filled with real-life examples-- both successful and unsuccessful-- of character education efforts; it clearly illustrates the differences among values, virtues, and points of view; and it presents guidelines for designing effective lessons, units, assessment, and classroom activities.

Preface xi

1 Character Education: What Is It and Why Is It Important? 1

2 Views, Values, or Virtues 10

3 Building a Community of Virtue 30

4 Cultivating Character Through the Curriculum 38

5 Engaging Parents in Character Education 51

6 The Teacher's Work: Nurturing Character 64

7 Helping Students Take Command 74

Appendices Part 1: Good Ideas 83

A The Character Education Manifesto 85

B Character Education Reading List 89

Appendices Part 2: Action Strategies 93

C Internalizing Virtue: An Instructional and Schoolwide Framework 95

D 100 Ways to Bring Character Education to Life 97

E Friendship and Character in Film 105

F Virtue in Action: A K-8 Guide 107

G Helping Younger Students Understand the Virtue of Respect 109

H Columbine Elementary School, Grades K-5: Personal and Social Responsibility Standards 111

I Stepping Stone Activities for Grade 7: Justice 119

J Benjamin Franklin Classical Character School Discipline Reflection Form 121

K Sample Survey of Perceived School Environment: For Teachers, Parents, and Students 123

Appendices l£º