Character education gaining ground in schools

Character education is moving to the top of the school reform agenda. Sixteen states now mandate or encourage it through legislation. Thirty-six states and Washington D.C., have received grants to develop character education initiatives.

But skeptics and naysayers abound. They say character education is mostly superficial and that with all of the emphasis on testing these days, schools don’t have time for anything that takes away from academics.

This skepticism isn’t without foundation. In some schools, “character education” is nothing more than a few lessons that have little impact on the culture of the school or student behavior. It’s also true that in too many districts the pressure to raise test scores pushes everything else off the table.

The challenge for those who advocate teaching character in schools is to prove that it works—if it’s done right.

The Character Education Partnership met this challenge when it recently announced the 2000 National Schools of Character awards. Nine schools and one district were recognized for “their exemplary work to encourage the social, ethical and academic development of their studetnts through character education.”

Although most of this year’s schools, South Carroll High School in Sykesville, Md., demonstrates that teenagers aren’t too old for character education. Teaching good character begins with the principal and the teachers who take responsibility for being good role models. Moral values are then infused into the curriculum, and the issue of character becomes part of many lessons.

Does creating a moral climate in a high school do anything to improve academic achievement?  At South Carroll, SAT scores have risen steadily over the past five years. And the school won a state Blue Ribbon Award for exemplary academic achievement and a positive teaching environment.

In these and other Schools of Character, teaching and modeling core moral values such as honesty, caring, respect and responsibility are at the heart of the school’s educational mission. When done right, character education isn’t a “program,” it’s an initiative that transforms that entire school culture.

For more information, call 1-800-988-8081 or go to the www.character.org Web site. (BP)