"Boys and girls want to have good character," said Philip Vincent, former teacher and administrator. "They want us to help them develop the habits of doing right—so don't apologize for it!"
Vincent, now an education consultant, found an appreciative audience for his perspectives on developing character in students, which he believes starts with self-discipline. "Self-discipline is a gift we give children," he asserted, adding that teachers and students should work together to develop rules of behavior that can then be supported by classroom procedures—procedures that must then be practiced until the "behavior becomes habitual."
Vincent's belief in this process was bolstered when he had an opportunity to visit his wife's 2nd grade class. At the beginning of the year, Vincent said, she spent a lot of time talking with the students about creating a classroom environment that was respectful, responsible, and caring. Then, "they defined what they had to do in order for the classroom to be that way." When Vincent visited the classroom, he saw how one procedure—that of greeting visitors courteously—supported the rule of being respectful.
This example, said Vincent, shows how important it is for teachers to communicate to students "our expectations of how we want them to act." Rules and procedures provide a means for discussing what is considered to be appropriate behavior.
Helping students develop the self-discipline they need to follow procedures also prepares them for an education that continually fosters character development, an education characterized by "what we know are the best teaching practices," said Vincent. Teachers, he explained, can help students develop positive character traits by using cooperative learning, teaching students how to think, giving students meaningful literature, and providing students with service learning opportunities.
Cooperative learning is not just a nicety, it's a necessity for developing character. Learning how to work with others is an ability students will apply again and again once they leave school, Vincent said. "What those in industry tell me is that, 'if you can't cooperate, you can't stay here long.'"
Teaching students how to think helps them evaluate their ideas and perspectives. "It's essential that we teach students how to reflect and to reason," said Vincent. Only then, he claimed, "will they, as Plato says, `know the good.'"
Students can also "know the good" through the books they read. Vincent suggested that students read literature that offers rich portrayals of the human drama. "Children deserve to read great literature. Our children should read about people who have struggled to do the right thing. They should also read about people who have done the wrong thing." Students can then discuss those literary characters and come to an understanding of their struggles.
Still, while students can learn about charity and duty through literature, a more powerful lesson is gained when students participate in service learning programs. "Their lives can be changed through these programs," Vincent claimed. He shared the story of a boy, once a discipline problem, whose behavior changed once he became a volunteer at a "rest home" for the elderly; he told of boys and girls in 5th grade special education programs whose sense of self-worth skyrocketed when they tutored kindergarten students; he spoke of children who actually completed their school work ahead of time in order to do their service projects. "Think of this," Vincent exclaimed, "the kids are willing to work harder in school so they can go work with someone!"
And, though each is powerful in itself, these character building teaching practices don't work in isolation, Vincent cautioned. "Character education is not a program, it's a process," said Vincent. "Character education is not an add-on." It must be the ethos, the character of the school. Vincent also emphasized that a belief in the importance of character education must also be shared by teachers, parents, and other community members if such an effort is to be sustained. "Everyone matters in this effort, everyone needs to be involved," he said, because children "deserve" it. "We do not develop character in boys and girls to control them," Vincent concluded. "We have to recognize that developing good character is not punitive. Not developing character is."
Learning by Serving
Learning by Serving
Service learning makes K–12 education more culturally relevant for Native American students, said John Guffey of the National Indian Youth Leadership Project (NIYLP) at his session about the Turtle Island Project. The project is a national consortium of six tribal community schools, three schools of education serving Native American educators, and the NIYLP. Native American students participating in the project have pursued a wide variety of service projects, including tending a community garden, teaching adults about computers, cleaning ditches, planting trees, refurbishing buildings at a campground, and writing down seniors' reminiscences at a community center.
Service learning "uses the community as a resource for the classroom," Guffey said. It restores meaningful interactions between students and community members, helping to "get back to values that the school has put on hold by making the child and textbook the center." When elders are brought into the learning process as resources, they say, "Suddenly I know I'm needed here," he reported.
Among the resources Guffey cited is the National Service-Learning Cooperative, which provides support to schools, youth organizations, and communities nationwide. The Cooperative offers a toll-free hotline at (800) 808-SERV; a national database of programs and resources; a materials library including research, curriculums, and articles; an electronic bulletin board; and referrals to training and other resources.
