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More than 400 public schools in Greater St. Louis, Missouri, are voluntarily involved in CHARACTERplus, the nation's largest community-wide initiative in character education. This collaborative effort between educators, parents and business leaders started in 1988. A process evolved that generates grass-roots innovation and a reservoir of field-tested ideas for prekindergarten through 12th grade. Some of theses ideas, lessons, course, activities and approaches, are presented in this book.
This character-education guide, for grades Pre-K through 12, presents field-generated, field-tested ideas for integrating character development levels, and range from half-hour lessons at school-wide events to year-long courses. Each unit (50 in all) is built on particular character traits that were selected in a consensus-building process that involved educators, students, parents, and local community members. The first page of each unit presents a quick guide to its applications and contents, including a list of objectives and a description of the concept. Lesson plans, exercises, and handouts accompany many of the units and can be reproduced.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Forward
How To Use This Book
Grid
Elementary Level (Pre K-5)
* Evaluating Character Education
Early Childhood
* Character Plays
Primary
* The Story of Jumping Mouse
* S.H.A.R.E.
* Garden Party
Elementary
* Service in Bloom
* Rhymes & Reasons
* You Can Be a Star
* Walk in My Shoes
* Cooperation
* Respect
* Responsibility: Me Today, Me Tomorrow
* Lessons in Honesty
* Be a Goal-Setter
* Puppet Problem-Solvers
* Exercising Character as We Exercise
* Lessons for Success
* A Million Pennies
* Wackadoo Zoo
* Musical Definitions
* Power of Responsibility
* Statistics, Surveys & Personal Responsibility
Middle Level
* Evaluating Character Education
* Getting Ready: Transition to Middle School
* School Tools Store
* Responsibility on the Job
* Exploring the Future
* Peer Mediation
* License to Lead
* Lit Sets with Character
* Dollars & Sense-Ability
* Creating Meaning with an Interactive Dictionary
* Movie Matinee
* Character Education Commercials
* Character in Motion
* Healthy Self-Esteem
* Adopt-a-Student
* P.R.I.D.E.
High School Level (9-12)
* Evaluating Character Education
* Building Decision Skills
* The Right Ingredients
* Romeo and Juliet
* S.T.A.R.S.
* Grow a Row
* French Cuisine
* Senior (Citizen) Prom
* S.M.I.L.E
* Assembly Team
* Credit Union Practicum
* Ethical Decision-Making in the Workplace & Society
* Character Studies
* Ethics in Science and Technology
* Character Councils
* Project H.A.R.T.
* Service Learning
Variations On A Theme
* Comprehensive Approaches
* Positive Reinforcement
* Community Service
* Conflict Resolution
* Curriculum and Classroom Integration
* Mentoring
* Student Portfolios
* Ethics Come in Child-Sized Servings
Enriching Character Education
* What is Character Education?
* The Mission of Character Plus
* Building on Common Ground
* Components of Character Education
Resources
Praise from best selling authors and nationally recognized leaders in character education:
"Character Education Connections is clear, practical, holistic and brilliant. For parents, teachers, and community activists who want to raise emotionally healthy, civic-minded children, it is a useful and inspiring guide. I recommend this one."
- Mary Pipher,
Reviving Ophelia,
Another Country
"Character Education Connections offers a thoughtful collection of approaches to integrating character education into daily learning and school life. Well-written and organized, it provides an excellent overview of the field with a wealth of practical, specific, field-tested plans for every level from PreK-12."
- Dr. Eric Schaps,
Developmental Studies Center
"This book belongs on the desk of every teacher seriously considering the role that schools, parents and communities can play in the character development of our youth. I am especially pleased with the high school offerings.
- Dr. Philip Fitch Vincent,
Promising Practices in
Character Education
*Portions of Abstract provided by ERIC Clearinghouse on Education Management
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