what is importance of character education

The Benefits of Character Education

What I learned from teaching at a "core virtues" school

When I signed on to teach English at a core virtues school, I had no idea what I was in for. I nodded and smiled in my interview when the Headmaster explained the virtues curriculum, and I parried back with everything I thought she wanted to hear; how I could infuse my lessons on To Kill a Mockingbird with discussions about empathy and courage. I may have even quoted Atticus' line about walking around in someone else's skin. I figured I could tack on some of that quaint "virtue" stuff before getting to the real meat of the lesson, the academic stuff.

And for the first year I taught at Crossroads Academy , that's pretty much what I did. I made some empty gesticulations toward the core virtues bulletin board in my classroom and made some token mentions of fortitude at obvious moments in our reading of The Illiad and The Aeneid . I was teaching literature, but I certainly wasn't doing Aristotle proud.

I mean come on. Character education? Core virtues? I teach English, not Sunday school, and besides, I teach middle school. If I were to walk into my eighth grade English class and wax rhapsodic about prudence and temperance, those kids would eat me alive. It's hard enough to keep the attention of a classroom full of middle school students without coming on like an 18th-century schoolmarm.

Somewhere along the way, someone must have started dosing me with the character education Kool-Aid, because five years in, I have come to understand what real character education looks like and what it can do for children. I can't imagine teaching in a school that does not have a hard-core commitment to character education, because I've seen what that education can mean to a child's emotional, moral, and intellectual development. Schools that teach character education report higher academic performance, improved attendance, reduced violence, fewer disciplinary issues, reduction in substance abuse, and less vandalism. At a time when parents and teachers are concerned about school violence, it is worth noting that students who attend character education schools report feeling safer because they know their fellow students value respect, responsibility, compassion and hard work. From a practical perspective, it's simply easier to teach children who can exercise patience, self-control, and diligence, even when they would rather be playing outside - especially when they would rather be playing outside.

American schools used to focus on character education and civic virtue. The founders of this country, including John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin wrote about the importance of character education in maintaining the new republic. Those founders would likely be horrified by the loss of this goal, as they all cite character education as the way to create an educated and virtuous citizenry. As Gallup polls show that over ninety percent of American adults support the teaching of honesty, democracy, acceptance of people of different races and ethnic backgrounds, patriotism, caring for friends and family members, moral courage, and the Golden Rule in public schools, it seems odd that this facet of American education has disappeared from public debate over curriculum and academic content. The core virtues -- prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice -- make it into nearly every lesson we teach at our school and every facet of our daily lives on campus. The curriculum we use, designed by Mary Beth Klee , is a non-sectarian education in intellectual, moral, and civic virtues through literature, and can be used in conjunction with any academic curriculum.

As the core virtues program uses examples to literature in order to illustrate character, I choose my texts accordingly. In my middle school Latin and English classes, we explore the concept of temperance through discussions of Achilles' impulsive rages, King Ozymandias' petulant demand that we "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair," Macbeth's bloody, "vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other."

This week, I gained a fantastic teaching assistant who has raised my character education skills to the next level, a wise teacher who has illustrated the importance of temperance far better than I -- or Achilles or Macbeth -- ever could.

A Mallard duck (Mom Mallard to our students) took up residence on our campus this week. Mallards, or anas platyrhynchos , are also known as "dabbling ducks," and this particular duck has apparently been dabbling in Aristotelian philosophy, because she's presented our students with a real-life lesson in the core virtue of temperance.

Her nest, made from feathers she's plucked off her own breast and filled with ten eggs, lies about eighteen inches from the entryway to our main building, a path our students take in out of school at least six times a day. Mom Mallard doesn't seem too worried about our students' feet...as long as they keep moving. However, the second those feet stop and one of the children pauses to take a good, long, look, she quacks angrily and abandons her nest. Her first day in residence, she spent more time off the eggs than she did on them, and we realized we were going to have to find a way to teach our students some self-control.

It just so happens that this month's virtue is temperance; stopping to think about our actions before we enact them, giving the best of ourselves, and saying "no" to our weaknesses. The middle school students use the term "temperance," and the lower school kids use the term self-control, but tomāto, tomăto, it's all the same idea.

In Stanford's famous experiment on self-control , children were faced with the immediate reality of one marshmallow versus the promise of two marshmallows if they can just wait for fifteen minutes. The children who were able to resist temptation and wait fifteen minutes for that second marshmallow had better life outcomes in the form of lower obesity rates, higher SAT scores, and higher levels of education. Self-control itself does not make a kid smarter, or fitter, or more proficient at test-taking, but it's the essential skill hidden within all of these positive outcomes.

Character education is not old-fashioned, and it's not about bringing religion in to the classroom. Character education teaches children how to make wise decisions and act on them. Character is the "X factor" that experts in parenting and education have deemed integral to success, both in school and in life. Paul Tough , author of How Children Succeed , calls that character-based X factor "grit," while educational consultant Dr. Michele Borba calls it "moral intelligence."

When I asked parenting expert Borba to explain why she thinks character education is so overlooked as a vital part of children's success, she wrote, "That's what parents don't seem to get, the hidden values of character traits for success. They see character education as fluff, because that's often how it's taught -- posters and worksheets. Character education needs to be relevant. It needs to be woven in curriculum, not tacked on. We are such a trophy-, SAT-obsessed society, but if parents would recognize the value beyond the humanness, civility and ethics, they might get it."

Here on our campus, our marshmallow is a duck. Our students must weigh their desire for a quick peek at Mom Mallard with the promise of ten ducklings waddling around our playground in 28 days. If everyone, even the youngest, most impulsive kindergarteners, can learn to exercise self-control, we will all benefit.

Next week, Mom Mallard will catch a bit of a break from our students, because they will be confined to their classrooms for a week of standardized testing. Our character education curriculum may not show up as an increase in this year's test scores -- but then again, it could: self-control, after all, is exactly what's needed to put off a video game or a TV show for another 20 minutes to finish reading or studying. Though temperance isn't easily measured with number two pencils and bubble forms, it has the capacity to foster and reinforce the skills those bubble forms do test.

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How to Teach Character in the Classroom and Online

Students benefit from working with their teachers to develop core tenets that guide their behavior in school and at home.

Good teaching involves character building. I find myself worrying as much about students’ hearts as I do about their minds—or their grades, for that matter.

Parents have shared with me that they do too, like never before. As I spoke with families when the virtual adventure began, I asked each one what I could do to help during this trying time. The number one answer? Teach children to be mature and independent. As one parent put it, “Mr. Courtney, can you teach him to be good while I’m busy?”

As usual, parents know what their children need: character.

Why Character Education Matters

In her book UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World , educational psychologist Michele Borba describes a rise in narcissism (which others call a pandemic of a different sort ) in stark detail for us. She says that the narcissism index (nationwide scores of self-reported narcissism) has risen steeply in past decades and is at an all-time high. This rise is most pronounced among young people.

There are many guesses among researchers, educators, and parents alike as to why this is happening, but perhaps this question posed by Borba points out the most obvious explanation: “We take our kids to many practices, sports, music, etc. But do they practice being a good person?”

At a time when even basic interaction with others is severely limited, our children need that practice—and it works. Research shows that in the face of a crisis of character, character education matters because it teaches students “to be tomorrow’s leaders in government and work places, and successful and productive members of society.” Moreover, quality character education that weaves in influence from various stakeholders (e.g., school staff, parents, and community members) has a positive effect on academics, attendance, and discipline.

Getting Started

Remote teaching has introduced new jumping-off points for discussions about character—e.g., “Why shouldn’t kids spam the chat during the math lesson? Because it’s not respectful to other learners.” But in general, my online character education looks much the same as it does in a classroom.

I always start by asking students what they want to see from peers and what they want to see in themselves. We then create (and maintain) a categorized chart where, similar to a word sort, we group similar examples. For example, if students say they want to see their peers use appropriate language or to be mannerly, those values land under a banner labeled “Respect.” Other values surface as we talk, like wanting the class to be a place where people do not lie about turning in work or do not misbehave when the teacher’s internet connection freezes. With little prompting, students label these detailed points as “Honesty.”

After reviewing what students have shared, we have a set of categories or terms that everyone is familiar with. In my classroom, we call these terms “tenets,” from the Latin verb tenere —“to have.” In my class, seven tenets typically evolve and are labeled: Honesty, Integrity, Self-Control, Respect, Perseverance, Kindness, and Courage. Much as the words themselves are somewhat predictable, the students define the tenets that become the norms for the classroom—no matter if it’s virtual or brick-and-mortar.

I create a rubric or use success criteria so that students can reflect and check in with me through a weekly letter. Students determine which tenets they are most proud of and which they’d like to improve in. Often students categorize multiple areas of concern under one tenet, such as Perseverance; without the framework of the tenets, they might have identified themselves as “bad” or, even worse, “not smart.”

Invite Friends, Family, and Role Models

Children are inundated by what is on their screens telling them what is important, what it means to be a boy or a girl, who is pretty, and who is smart. Too often, our children see their identities defined in ways that leave many feeling marginalized and traumatized. To help counter this, teachers need to teach values in a culturally responsive way. Using culturally responsive pedagogy, teachers can rely on students’ own funds of knowledge about what being a good person means to them. I have found that when it comes to teaching character education in a way that is infused with cultural relevance, parents are the best resource.

I realized how powerful parents are as a resource accidentally. My student Jacob demonstrates some of the most incredible integrity for a person of any age. One day, as his mother was walking by on-screen, I asked her if she would like to talk to us about the word integrity . She was happy to and explained how hard she worked for her children—and how much she relied on them to be good students while she was away. On-screen, she introduced her entire family and shared how much each member trusted Jacob.

Soon other parents were joining my class to speak about character. I am both grateful to and proud of how the parents of the students I teach have stepped up to help educate our class about what it means to be a decent human being.

Use Role-Play

In breakout groups, kids in my class practice situations of the day or of the week. With our tenets (Respect, Honesty, etc.) in mind, students strategize to solve a lifelike problem. It’s easy to suggest ideas right now, especially after calls with frustrated parents. One mother wanted her son to show kindness to his grandmother, who would be taking care of him during the day. Others were concerned about their children playing video games while their cameras were turned off. I created in-class role-play scenarios for each concern I heard from parents. Students took on roles of parents, and in breakout rooms they role-played using good character. Kids love to practice being a parent or an older sibling in these interactions, and they also love to practice doing the right thing with a skill that they are in the midst of consciously developing.

Through role-play, kids can safely talk about what is right or wrong using terms—and tenets—that are central to good character in a fun way that also stimulates engagement with one another.

Call It Out and Practice It

Transfer in any lesson is key. As soon as my class collectively understands what good character looks and feels like, I call it out and consciously, explicitly practice it too. Sometimes I start the day with collective goals based on prior understandings. I ask the students in our morning poll what they want to practice and what they want to see. I offer them opportunities to self-reflect in short responses, or I use a rubric that specifies what good character looks like based on the kids’ own definitions.

For example, just last week we were discussing how using inspiring words in the chat was an example of kindness and how it made others feel. We added this to our Kindness rubric as a demonstration of the term. Since then, our chat has been loaded with compliments after someone shares. Not surprisingly, this has led to more of them sharing as well. Equally as important, I assign kids “character homework” and have them report on acts of respect or kindness the next morning. I share kid-constructed tenets with families via “refrigerator papers” and remind them to discuss the tenets at home so that they get reinforced. Often a parent, at my invitation, will pop into class and share how their child is being kind or respectful and what that looks like in their home.

When we teach good character explicitly, we see real and lasting change in our students and their future selves. I first developed my own tenets in a karate program. But after my black belt test, my instructor reminded me that the character I had come to embody was there, no matter whether I wore the belt or not. That’s how character should be taught: that it’s there, whether kids are in class or not.

Character Education: Molding Clay or Planting Seeds?

One of the critiques by scientists inside and outside of the character education field has been the lack of quality research on these programs. Thanks to the new science of character strengths that emerged in the mid-2000s, this is changing.

What is the next step for character education in schools? The dominant approach in character education is an approach and philosophy of prescription (e.g., build up these 3-5 character qualities in all students). This is in direct contrast with an approach of description (e.g., explore, discover, and describe the best qualities in each student and THEN help the student express these strengths).

Prescriptive character education can be compared to the process of molding clay. The “potter” (school, educator, or other authority) works to transform the “clay” (student’s character) into a predetermined form. Such approaches are widespread in character education programs, as well as other institutions that promote positive character (athletics, religion, government, etc.)

Descriptive character education, on the other hand, can be compared to the process of planting and nurturing seeds. No two seeds are identical. The gardener’s task is to create optimal conditions for growth and development to occur. Like an individual seed, each child possesses possibilities.

The role of the educator - like that of the gardener - is to provide favorable conditions that will stimulate, encourage and nurture growth.

For those that are interested in exploring and advancing descriptive character education -- the “seed” approach – you can review the following resources and references:

• Strengths in Education Research
• Strengths in Education Stories and Practices
• Video: Positive Education with Character Strengths
• Video: Newark Boys Chorus School and the VIA Survey
• Video: Character Strengths Classroom Connection

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The important role of character education for parents.

Delve into the important role of character education beyond academics, exploring its importance, benefits, challenges, and initiatives. This insightful blog, written by parent engagement expert and MarvellousMe founder Adrian Burt, highlights the significance of a balanced educational approach. 

Introduction

The spotlight has historically been on academic achievements and standardised test scores in the ever-evolving education landscape. Yet, as parents, we increasingly recognise the equal, if not more significant, importance of character education for our children. Observing the development of a child’s character is a profoundly rewarding experience that extends far beyond textbooks and grades.

In this blog, we delve into the significance of character education, exploring the ongoing debate surrounding its implementation in schools, particularly in light of inspections. Firstly, however, let’s look at what character education is.

What is character education?

Character education serves as an umbrella term encompassing various aspects of personal and social development, ranging from moral and civic virtues to promoting positive behaviours, critical thinking, and overall well-being. It plays an important role in shaping children to become socially responsible, empathetic, and ethical members of the community.

The benefits of character education

Building strong foundations.

Parents inherently understand that education transcends textbooks and classrooms. Character education forms the bedrock for a child’s development, nurturing qualities like empathy, resilience, and integrity. Studies by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) affirm that pupils exposed to character education exhibit improved social and emotional skills, correlating with enhanced academic performance.

Learning emotional intelligence

Character education is pivotal in cultivating emotional intelligence, a trait increasingly recognised as crucial for success in various life aspects. Despite this recognition, some schools hesitate to adopt formal character education programs, citing challenges in assessing and measuring emotional intelligence. Standardised testing, often the evaluation benchmark, must capture these nuanced qualities, creating a gap in the evaluation process.

Preparing for real-world challenges

Life’s challenges extend beyond academic knowledge, and character education equips children with the resilience and adaptability needed to navigate the complexities of the real world. However, the prevailing emphasis on academic achievement in school inspections inadvertently contributes to overseeing character education initiatives. Schools may need more motivation to prioritise these programs, potentially missing opportunities to develop well-rounded individuals.

Promoting empathy and social skills

Parents recognise the importance of raising compassionate and socially adept individuals. However, some schools argue that the emphasis on character education diverts attention from the primary goal of academic excellence. This debate often centres around resource allocation, with limited time and funding leading schools to prioritise academic subjects over character education. The result can be a gap in pupils’ holistic development.

Shaping responsible citizens

Character education is fundamental to shaping responsible citizens, yet the current framework of school inspections tends to focus heavily on academic outcomes. The debate revolves around balancing academic achievements and character education, as both are integral to nurturing responsible citizens.

Challenges in implementation

The debate over character education often revolves around practical challenges schools face—limited resources, time constraints, and the pressure to meet academic benchmarks may lead some institutions to prioritise traditional subjects over character development. Striking this balance becomes delicate, and without adequate support and guidance, schools may find it challenging to incorporate formal character education programs into their curriculum.

Inspection focus on academics

The current framework of school inspections primarily emphasises academic outcomes, inadvertently downplaying the significance of character education. Institutions are often assessed based on standardised test scores and other quantifiable measures, leaving character development in the background. Consequently, schools may be less motivated to invest in character education initiatives, which, while not immediately measurable, are essential for long-term student success.

School initiatives in character education

Despite the challenges, an increasing number of schools are proactively embracing character education, recognising its profound impact on pupils' holistic development. To reinforce positive behaviour and values, some schools employ strategies like positivity and praise, using rewards and recognition platforms for the acquired character skills. These efforts aim to create a supportive environment that encourage ethical growth alongside academic achievement. Schools embrace a variety of strategies, as some seamlessly integrate character development into existing subjects by infusing ethical considerations into daily lessons. Meanwhile, others create specific programs and engaging activities aimed at building students' character, ultimately contributing to the development of a positive and nurturing school culture. These efforts can be effectively communicated directly to parents through engagement tools.

Examples of character education programs

Schools can consider implementing several character education programs and initiatives, with the Building Learning Power (BLP) framework being one notable example. Here are a few:

Building learning power (BLP)

Overview: Developed by educationalist Guy Claxton, BLP is a comprehensive approach to character education that focuses on developing pupils’ learning capabilities and strengths.

Implementation: BLP emphasises the cultivation of four learning dispositions - resilience, resourcefulness, reflectiveness, and reciprocity. Schools can integrate these dispositions into the curriculum, creating opportunities for students to develop problem-solving, collaboration, and self-reflection skills.

Character counts

Overview: Character Counts! is a widely used character education program emphasising the “Six Pillars of Character”: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Implementation: Schools can incorporate these pillars into various aspects of the school environment, from classroom activities to school policies. The program provides a framework for fostering a positive and ethical school culture.

Positive behavioural interventions and supports (PBIS)

Overview: PBIS is a proactive approach to establishing the behavioural supports needed for a school to be an effective learning environment.

Implementation: PBIS focuses on teaching positive behaviours and expectations, reinforcing them systematically, and addressing behavioural issues through a data-driven approach. This initiative contributes to the development of social and emotional skills in pupils.

Character education partnership (CEP)

Overview: CEP is a national advocate and leader for the character education movement. It provides resources, training, and support to schools aiming to integrate character education into their curricula.

Implementation: Schools can join CEP to access various resources, including lesson plans, training materials, and research on effective character education practices. CEP helps schools tailor character education initiatives to their specific needs.

The positivity project

Overview: This initiative empowers students to build positive relationships by understanding, appreciating, and exemplifying character strengths in themselves and others.

Implementation: Schools can implement the Positivity Project by incorporating its curriculum, which includes weekly lessons and activities centred around 24 character strengths, such as gratitude, curiosity, and teamwork.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs

Overview: Various SEL programs, such as CASEL’s SEL framework, teach pupils crucial social and emotional skills that contribute to their character development.

Implementation: SEL programs can be integrated into the curriculum to enhance students’ self-awareness, self-regulation, interpersonal skills, and decision-making abilities. These skills are fundamental to character development. Implementing these programs requires a commitment from school leadership, collaboration among teachers, and active engagement with students and parents. Schools can choose the program that aligns best with their values, goals, and the specific needs of their student body.

While character education holds immense value for parents, a debate persists within the education system regarding resource allocation and the focus of school inspections. Striking a balance between academic achievements and character development is crucial for ensuring that schools provide a comprehensive education that prepares students for the challenges of the real world.

As parents, advocating for a more holistic approach to education can contribute to nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped with the emotional intelligence, resilience, and ethical foundation necessary for success in all facets of life.

The first steps to introducing character education

Schools can effortlessly incorporate character education by aligning with core school values.

Recognise positive behaviour, including acts of empathy, respect, and responsibility, through user-friendly platforms like MarvellousMe . These achievements can be easily shared with parents, marking the initial strides towards introducing character education within your school.

Why not book a free demo today and see the marvellous effects our parent engagement platform can have on your school? 

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Kami Blog > What is Character Education and Why is it Important?

What is Character Education and Why is it Important?

We all know why schools exist; they prepare young people to take the reins of the nation that will one day be theirs. The Department of Education describes it as “fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.” So how can we tell if we, as educators, have done a good job with the young people placed under our tutelage? At first glance, academic performance seems to be the obvious answer. But, are academic competencies the be-all and end-all of students’ time at school? Most people would agree that school is about more than just geography, English, and algebra. From our first friendships, encounters with conflict, rivals, or romances, there is so much more to what we learn at school than just how to write a book report. Regardless of where you attended school, you undoubtedly received an education in building character and ethical values, whether you realized it or not. The social skills we develop by participating in a classroom provide us not only with crucial life skills but also a chance to decide on what sort of individual we choose to be in this big, wide world. One of the great education reformers, Horace Mann, in the 1840s, helped to improve instruction in classrooms nationwide , advocating that character development was as important as academics in American schools. From this origin, you could say that character education is the principle that your formal education should develop your character as well as your brain.

It’s hard to argue against this idea. What’s the point of a department of education that spends time developing intelligent, eloquent people if they lack empathy and basic kindness? Fortunately, one of the six goals of the Department of Education is to “promote strong character and citizenship among our nation’s youth.”

Sounds good, in theory. But the idea of character education in schools can be contentious. Who’s to say what core ethical values should be taught or omitted? What are the qualities that make for good character? What core values should we be integrating into our school community? If you’re looking for some examples of character education, check out this blog .

Another important question, is when do we begin building character in our learners? Middle school? Elementary school? Do we give pre-schoolers lectures on Roman democracy? There are some wonderful examples of character education activities that you can use as inspiration in this blog . Don’t be deterred by the apparent minefield of questions that character education can incite. The list of core ethical values that we ought to instill in our learners is as long as it is broad. Seeking to answer the question, “What are the character traits of a good person?” is hardly the work of an afternoon, or indeed, a single blog. But there are qualities that are always synonymous with responsible citizens. Self-control, trustworthiness, self-discipline, critical thinking, and self-esteem are all characteristics that not only benefit the learners but also improve the well-being of their peers. It could be argued that character education should always begin at home. Of course, home is where we learn “please” and “thank you,” the value of chores, and mutual respect. But not everyone is so fortunate to receive these lessons at home. These instances further cement the importance of character education in private and public schools. Even for those who do have the benefit of developing their core ethical values at home, applying these in the public environment of the classroom or schoolyard is the true test of a person’s moral development.

“Nothing is of more importance for the public weal, than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue.” Benjamin Franklin.

This is an excerpt from a letter that Benjamin Franklin wrote to Samuel Johnson in 1750. Franklin did not mention economic theory or spelling bees. He understood that character counts . He goes on to say:

“ Wise and good men are, in my opinion, the strength of a state: much more so than riches or arms, which, under the management of Ignorance and Wickedness, often draw on destruction, instead of providing for the safety of a people. And though the culture bestowed on many should be successful only with a few, yet the influence of those few and the service in their power, may be very great. Even a single woman that was wise, by her wisdom saved a city ”

We need to not only understand the benefits of character education, but also the responsibility attached to our role as educators. Responsible citizens create a country worth living in. That revelation alone should highlight the importance of character education. The importance of character education in America has always been apparent, but its relevance has varied over time. As the majority of our nation’s populace was once Protestant Christians , the Bible was the primary source of character education. Character education was taught through the lens of religious morality.

As more immigrants arrived from predominantly Catholic countries, controversy arose over the correct source material for teaching good character. To alleviate the difficulty of raising one religious text over another, secular texts such as McGuffey Readers offered values-based instruction that was applicable to a more diverse population.

As Americans began to question traditional power structures in the 1960s, character education declined in American schools. This is in part due to the rise of moral relativism , a more pluralistic society, and the misconception that teaching character meant teaching religion. By the end of the 1970s, character education was reduced to teaching thinking skills, rather than instructing students in specific values.

In the 1980s, character education made a resurgence, thanks in part to President Nixon’s ill-fated “war on drugs” and the desire to reduce violence in America’s streets. Once again, schools were encouraged to offer direct instruction in character education.

Since then, we have come full circle to educating the whole child. The “ Whole Child Initiative ” encourages wraparound education that addresses students’ need to be “healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged”.

Today’s character education curriculum emphasizes Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). According to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning ( CASEL ), SEL is the “process of being able to identify and manage our emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

This is the current approach that the Department of Education has adopted. It is an amalgamation of the various iterations of character education that have come before it. It will no doubt undergo further transformations in the years to come. But, that’s a good thing! It means our society is growing and changing, just like we do as individuals.

A comprehensive character education program should be built into the education curriculum a school district devises for its learners. Making sure that learners receive guidance on core ethical values before they are placed in decision-making positions is the ultimate way to ensure that they get the most out-of-character education.

“Within the character of the citizen lies the welfare of the nation.” Cicero, Roman statesman. ^ This guy gets it.

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Inspiration

Character education activities for middle school.

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• Advice from educators

What is Character Education?

• March 24, 2020

Home Educators Blog

According to education author Thomas Lackona, the purpose of education is to “help people become smart, and to help them become good.” As educators, we spend most of our time making students smarter. We also need to spend time making them better.

Character education is the process by which humans learn to interact with society, usually through the teaching of core virtues such as courage, justice, and wisdom. Feelings, thoughts, and actions all work together to form character. Character education is the act of teaching students how to regulate those feelings, thoughts, and actions into pro-social behaviors.

Character education can be a stand-alone curriculum, or it can be part of a larger school initiative, such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) . Not surprisingly, it is more effective when integrated into the academic curriculum and other school initiatives.

Character Education is a Tier 1 Support, meaning it should be offered to all students, not just the ones who show a lack of character. However, further character education interventions may be necessary for some students.

The Importance of Character Education

Character education has always been important, but its relevance has varied over time. In the eighteenth century, our new nation’s leaders understood that democracy required virtuous citizens who could exercise their rights responsibly.  As the majority of our nation’s populace was Protestant Christians, the Bible was the primary source of character education. Character education was taught through the lens of religious morality.

As more immigrants arrived from predominantly Catholic countries, controversy arose over the correct source material for teaching good character. This is where secular texts such as McGuffey Readers offered values-based instruction that was applicable to a more diverse population.

As Americans began to question traditional power structures in the 1960s, character education declined in American schools. This is in part due to the rise of moral relativism, a more pluralistic society, and the misconception that teaching character means teaching religion. By the end of the 1970s, character education was reduced to teaching thinking skills, rather than instructing students in specific values.

In the 1980s, character education made a resurgence, thanks to the “war on drugs” and the desire to reduce violence. Once again, schools were encouraged to offer direct instruction in character education.

Since then, we have come full circle to educating the whole child. The Whole Child Initiative encourages wraparound education that addresses students’ need to be “healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged”.

Today’s character education curriculum emphasizes Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). According to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), SEL is the “process of being able to identify and manage our emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

As school leaders, we must strive to offer character development as part of a social-emotional learning approach that addresses the whole child.

How to Implement Character Education Programs in Your School

Begin with the End in Mind

Start by establishing expectations for your program. Decide with your Building Leadership team (BLT) what you expect out of students and make those expectations very clear to everyone in the building.

Share Leadership

Chances are good that you have a teacher or group of teachers that is passionate about character education. Share leadership with these folks and work to establish teacher buy-in.

Emphasize Relationships

Study after study shows that students learn and behave better for people with whom they have a positive relationship . It is no different when it comes to character education.

Make it a Daily Ritual

Incorporate direct instruction in character education EVERY DAY. By all means possible, institute a homeroom or advisory period that meets daily. The daily interaction also establishes relationship building that is so important for building character. Weekly video announcements centering around character education allow you as the building leader to set the tone for the rest of the building. A daily recitation of school expectations is also a consistent reminder of school values.

Make it Building-Wide

In general, every student should be participating in the same character education program at the same time. This allows you to establish consistent language surrounding character, which makes communication easier among the building population. It also allows for more meaningful discussions with students.

Stay Flexible

Even if you pick a great character education program, sometimes you will have to veer off-plan a little. As long as it is in the best interest of students, you are on safe ground.

• #CharacterEducation , #SEL , #SocialEmotionalLearning

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The Importance of Character Education for All Ages

W. stephen parker.

• August 17, 2021

When the topic of character education is mentioned most everyone agrees that it is important in the education and growth of our children. Rarely will you find a person who takes the stand that character education is not important. However, there are those that believe that this topic should be taught and reinforced at home. The adage, “reading, writing and arithmetic should be taught in school and everything else left to the parents,” is still used by some today. However, others believe that character education instruction should be incorporated into our school curriculum and then reinforced in our homes.

What is Character Education?

So, what is character education? Character education can be defined as the teaching of principles and standards of living that are taught in a systemic way so that students of all ages can understand and incorporate into their daily lives. Whether character education should be taught in the schools will continue to be debated. However, most schools today make this teaching a part of the curriculum in some form or fashion.

The word character itself is defined as; attributes or features that make up and distinguish and individual or groups of individuals. With this definition, we find that there is some debate on what are considered “good characteristics”. What one group would consider, proper and right for living well, others would argue those characteristics are outside the norm, not part of the “mainstream” or don’t go far enough for one to incorporate into society. Character attributes can vary from ethnic groups, communities, regions, and countries just to name a few. Character in and of itself is open to debate as to what is proper and what is not. Given our current society and its challenges, this goes right along with other debates that are on going today.

If we can agree that character education is important in our schools and is important for all ages, there are a few character traits that should be considered. This listing is not conclusive, nor does this list indicate that these traits are the most important. If we teach character education in our schools, we should focus on those traits that will have an immediate impact on a student’s social skills, work ethic, and general well-being.

Optimism is defined as being hopeful and confident about one’s future successes. Through the teaching of optimism, a student can gain confidence that success through due diligence is achievable. Alongside of optimism, one should also incorporate the definition of success. Just because a person does not reach an originally set goal does not mean they were not successful. A person can work hard to achieve mastery of a concept and still not make a perfect 100 on the assessment . Learning that success does not mean perfection can and should lead to an optimistic attitude toward learning.

Self-Control

Self-control is defined as the ability to control one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them especially in difficult situations. Along with optimism, a person’s ability to control their emotions is a predominate trait that leads to getting along with and working with others on a consistent basis. Self-control is an important trait for all ages because as we age the situations become more serious as do the outcomes. A person must learn to measure their responses and reactions to situations to “walk along” in society. The person who is always “on the outside looking in” often finds their own optimism, self-esteem and their own self worth threatened. It is easy to see why people who struggle with self-control are often at odds with society and would rather be alone. Suicide is much more prominent with those who have issues with self-control. Basically, a person who struggles with self-control issues often feel like outcasts in most social settings.

Social Intelligence

Social intelligence is defined as the capacity to know oneself and to know others. Social intelligence is developed from life experiences and thus is important to be emphasized for all ages. In general, a person develops social intelligence over their lifetime. Some of the key types of social intelligence are verbal and nonverbal fluency, knowledge of social rules and how to abide within them, listening skills, understanding or being empathetic to the emotions of others, and playing social roles efficiently. These are but a few of the areas we grow daily in social intelligence. Often, our growth in this area comes from misreading the situation and having to learn from a mistake we made. However, we grow in social intelligence, reflection and change of attitude or reaction are important in the growth process of social intelligence.

Gratitude is defined as a quality of being thankful generally for the acts or generosity of someone else toward us. A key character quality which grows along with us as we age, showing gratitude toward others not only gives us a good feeling, but also builds up the person reaching out to us. Showing gratitude in the face of generosity no matter how big or small, grows a mutual bond of respect between individuals. Showing gratitude also teaches a person that to be generous to others is also a character trait that we should be developing within ourselves.

Generosity is defined as the quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish in our daily lives. Generosity is a trait often lost in our “dog eat dog” world of getting ahead no matter who we step on along the way. As the person who has received generosity from others, showing generosity for others should follow naturally. The concept of generosity being learned well can open doors within individuals and a common respect for others. This common respect can ignite reciprocity among those giving and receiving.

These five character traits are nowhere near the exhaustive list of character education topics. In fact, these are just the tip of the iceberg. I am sure that in reading this article you have deduced that I am a proponent of character education in our schools. Your deduction is correct. I believe that teaching “how then we should live” within the schools is as important as “reading, writing and arithmetic.” Remember, as educators, our role is to teach the entire child , not to just infuse “book learning” to the masses.

• #CharacterEducation

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Why Your School Needs a Character-Based Curriculum

“ Character education is not old-fashioned, and it’s not about bringing religion in to the classroom. Character is the ‘X factor’ that experts in parenting and education have deemed integral to success.”

The Atlantic

Throughout history, you can find various quips and proverbs about character. “Bad company corrupts good character.” “Character is easier kept than recovered.” “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.” But what is character? And why is it important? And if it’s important, how do we integrate character education in school?

It comes as no surprise that character training begins at home . However, it must continue to be taught and reinforced as a part of formal education. Good moral character carries practical applications for children every day, not to mention many long-term benefits.

For instance, good character will determine how dedicated a doctor remains to his Hippocratic Oath. During his/her medical career, a doctor encounters various life and death decisions, judgment calls, and opportunities to compromise on his or her values. In stressful situations, ethical behavior must be “the default setting” for a medical professional, or they may cave under the pressure. This is true in nearly every career. 

For children, character development is foundational to who they become as adults. Psychology Today defines good character as traits that “lead us to think, feel, and act in certain ways.” If we want children to learn how to “think, feel, and act” in ways that benefit them and those around them, we must integrate moral training into their everyday learning.

The U.S. Department of Education considers character education to be an essential aspect of learning: 

“Character education is a learning process that enables students and adults in a school community to understand, care about and act on core ethical values such as respect, justice, civic virtue and citizenship, and responsibility for self and others…In school, character education must be approached comprehensively to include the emotional, intellectual and moral qualities of a person or group. It must offer multiple opportunities for students to learn about, discuss and enact positive social behaviors.”

Importance of Character Education

According to the Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education , the historical precedent for character education in America is a long one. However, the popularity of teaching character in schools has ebbed and flowed over time. The Journal notes that support for character education has historically correlated with downward trends of morality in the nation’s youth. In other words, when our kids start going astray, people sit up, notice, and want to do something about it.

When education focuses on more than just the basics of academic achievement, society as a whole benefits . Education.com asserts that modern American education is strongly influenced by the long-term results of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This legislative action shifted the focus of education in American schools, and as a result, character education has dramatically declined.

Education.com comments , “The nation has spent an extraordinary amount of money on improving the academics in the classroom, and teachers have been forced to teach content, content, and more content. In the minds of many character education supporters, it’s time for a change. Disrespect, irresponsibility, and other character flaws are the bane of today’s society. Children absorb these character flaws as if through osmosis, purely by looking at those around them.”

America’s youth are America’s future. The country’s success depends on the quality of our children’s character and the depth of their moral commitment. We can’t leave this future up to chance. Parents and teachers must take deliberate action. 

Cheri J. Meiners, M.ED. suggests that “ we can’t expect them [children] to merely observe and adopt the character traits and maturity that we’d like them to develop. A consistent and thorough teaching of ethical behavior is critical to shaping character.”

She follows this with a list of suggested benefits of character education: 

• “Character development is the basis for personal growth. As children practice skills that promote character development, they build a reservoir of strength that they can draw on throughout their lives.
•  Character development is the foundation for lifelong learning. Schools that teach character education report increased academic performance and attendance. They also report decreases in disciplinary problems.
•  Character is the bedrock that solid relationships are built on. Our children will be happier, more caring, more forgiving, and more responsible as they are taught to think about the needs of others.
•  Character shapes us as neighbors and citizens. Our character is a holistic language we daily communicate to others … When young people have not been taught principles of character that can anchor them, they … may not be attuned to the consequences of their actions, or to the needs of others.”

         Quoted from “ Why Character Education Is Important for Young Children .”

Where to Start

A solid plan makes it easier to integrate character education into your students’ learning experience. However, it can be challenging to know how to begin. Graduate Programs for Educators offers some good suggestions for how to do this. Here you’ll find a condensed list of their recommendations:  

• Begin with the End in Mind – Decide what the goal is and the steps required to get there. Determine what will be required of the students and make these expectations clear.
• Share Leadership – Build a team of teachers who are passionate about character education. Distribute leadership and responsibilities throughout the group.
• Emphasize Relationships – Students learn best when they are surrounded by positivity and have a positive relationship with their teachers.
• Make it a Daily Ritual – The students’ daily schedule should include character education. 
• Make it Building-Wide – It’s best when all students are participating in the same character education program at the same time. This gives consistency and a logical connection throughout the school.
• Stay Flexible – Make sure it’s a good fit. No matter which program or curriculum is used, it’s okay to adjust as needed. The well-being of the students is the best guide.

Character.org is dedicated to helping schools implement character education . “Character.org certifies schools and school districts that have implemented the rigorous standards described in our 11 Principles Framework for Schools . These schools serve as an exemplary model for all schools across the United States and around the world.”

Looking for a good place to start with character education in your local school? There are many organizations like Character.org that offer resources, tools, and incentives to educators.

Character Curriculum

“Character education is as old as education itself. Down through history, education has had two great goals: to help people become smart and to help them become good.”

Thomas Lickona

The big question is “ How do you integrate character education into a child’s schooling ?”

 Historically, students found character reinforcement sprinkled throughout their regular school work. For instance, the McGuffy Readers, a staple of American education for over a century , were filled with moral ideals and principles of good character.

The Edvocate notes that “The McGuffey Readers became cornerstones in establishing America’s moral values. Although the books were not overtly religious, they did stress religious values and emphasize moral lessons intended to develop students into good citizens … the books encouraged moral values and conveyed a distinctly American cultural framework, with an emphasis on allegiance to the nation.”

Today, there are many different character education programs and curriculums available. Some, such as Accelerated Christian Education , integrate character education throughout the student’s regular schoolwork. Other curriculums, such as Positive Action , focus on character education and self-regulation.

Below is a sampling of character-based curricula, along with their particular focus points: 

Character Counts!

• “Moral Character: The qualities that help us be our best self, including trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.
•  Performance Character: The qualities that help us do our best work, including self-discipline, diligence, organization, and confidence.
•  Intellectual Character: The skills and traits needed to be a motivated and committed learner, critical thinker, and creative problem solver, including curiosity, intellectual autonomy, humility, and open-mindedness.
•  Civic Character: The skills and traits needed to be an ethical, engaged citizen who demonstrates leadership, teamwork, civility, and creates positive change in their community.”

         Quoted from Character Counts!

Character Video

• “Teachers and administrators will be able to choose individual video lessons that are age appropriate for the grade levels and demographics they serve. Educators will be in control of which video they show.  Each video can be picked as a stand-alone lesson that addresses immediate needs and the curriculum does not require all the videos be shown in order.”

         Quoted from Character Video.org

Character Strong

• “Our curricula and trainings are focused on fostering the Whole Child with vertically-aligned lessons that teach SEL and character, side-by-side.
•  SEL Competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making
•  Character Development: Patience, Kindness, Honesty, Respect, Selflessness, Forgiveness, Commitment, Humility”

         Quoted from Character Strong

Character First Education

• “We offer curriculum and training that works in public, private, and home schools, mentoring programs, summer camps, and almost any educational setting.
•  Our goal is to provide fun, engaging, positive, practical, and research-based lessons that will help students build the character and competence needed for success.
•  Character First promotes timeless values and concepts that transcend social and cultural differences.”

         Quoted from Character First Education

Character Development & Leadership

• “This top character education program for middle/high schools is well-organized and has a consistent set of 12 lesson plans to teach each of the 18 character/leadership traits.
•  Schools begin by purchasing the lead curriculum for the teacher and at least a classroom set of the Role Model textbooks for the students. Together, this creates a complete character education program that includes role models textbook readings, ethical dilemmas, lectures, basic skills, writing assignments, www assignments, quote exercises, character movies, virtual leadership principles and an updated weekly blog .
•  This program has enough material to be taught as a stand-alone elective course, used for four consecutive years in a homeroom without duplication, or integrated into already existing classes.”

         Quoted from Character Development & Leadership

Though certainly not comprehensive, this short list offers a glance into the many character education resources available to educators who want to make a difference. No matter what curriculum or program is used, today’s youth must be encouraged and guided in the development of their moral outlook.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once pointed out , intelligence plus character is the goal of true education. The future of American society, culture, and politics rests on the next generation. The success and happiness of millions of children depend on their ability to live a fulfilling life. Good character is key to all of these.

Character education must not be neglected in the pursuit of academic achievement. It is as vital to true success as reading and writing are—and is sure to have long-lasting rewards.

Quality education must include character education.

“…  it may be proper to observe that a good moral character is the first essential of man … It is therefore highly important that you should endeavor not only to be learned but virtuous .”

George Washington

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MSU Extension Character Education

Character education is the process of learning common attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that are important for people to have as responsible citizens. Parents, teachers, 4-H volunteers and families can help youth positively develop character.

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Interested in becoming a responsible citizen .

Parents, teachers, 4-H volunteers and others who work with and on behalf of young people and families can become involved in character education.

What is character education?

Character education is the process of learning common attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that are important for people to have as responsible citizens. Good character education can provide ground rules for life for adults and young people, and it stresses the importance of helping children learn and practice behaviors that reflect universal ethical values. Character education helps children and youth become:

• Conscious  of the right thing to do.
• Committed  to doing the right thing.
• Competent  in doing the right thing.

Why character education?

Many people are concerned about the breakdown in the healthy moral development of children. Increases in delinquency, pregnancies, violence and substance abuse continue to climb among adolescents. Surveys have shown astonishingly high levels of cheating, lying, stealing and drunken driving among teens and young adults. Adults clearly need to do a better job of teaching and modeling high standards of behavior in the family, school and community.

Character education is important in every aspect of a child’s life, including the family, school and community. Kids need consistent messages, and they need all the adults in their lives to have high standards and expectations for ethical behavior. Character education can and should happen as a long-term, communitywide, community-based effort involving schools, parents, social service agencies, law enforcement, churches, businesses, 4-H, and other youth and family organizations. Character education endeavors fit well with a policy adopted by the Michigan State Board of Education in October 1996, in which the board encouraged public schools to provide character education focusing on principles such as respect, responsibility, caring, trustworthiness, justice, civic virtue and citizenship. These themes also complement much of the content of the Michigan Model Health Education Curriculum used in school districts across the state.

Role of Education and its importance in building a character

tooba yousufi

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil” ~ C.S. Lewis.

Education is a way that improves our lives and pushes us to be better people. It gives us an understanding of the world around us. It offers opportunities allowing us to use our experiences and knowledge to gain respect and lead a better life in the future. 

What is Education? It is one of the simplest questions that have different answers — each with its own unique perspective. Some say that education is essential to gain knowledge about the past and the present that leads to a better future. It just doesn’t include readable information present in the books used in schools and colleges such as the best books on weather for kids or the scientific knowledge delivered to the young students—although it plays an important part in setting our mind — it is more complicated than just being disciplined to acquire values and skills that serve society and generations of humanity. 

The goal of true education is more than the cerebral aspect of understanding the various modes of critical, abstract, visual, and creative thought processes. It is rather about addressing the corporeal aspect of a person making a holistic individual. 

Simply put, it can be said that Education is a platform that can break all barriers allowing us to discover and explore our limits. 

Character and personality: the soul of Education

The personality and character of a person is something that makes an individual different from others. Some associated character to be the moral values and ethics of a person. However, it is an optimistic approach to life and a process of continuous learning which can be acquired at any time, no matter the time and age. 

In order to understand the relation between the character and Education in character building, imagine a situation where a human has knowledge but no character or personality that can differentiate his character from others. Such a person is indeed knowledgeable, but it is merely a robot that does work and carries out tasks without having moral and ethical values. 

Role of Education in the development of character

The key to knowledge — lack of knowledge can have an effect on the pleasing quality of politeness and involvement in discussions with educated people. Knowledge lets you indulge with learned people giving a boost to your personality and character. Besides providing you with an opportunity to be better at every task, it can enhance your decisions and set a better perception of your personality, among others.

Makes you choose between right and wrong — blind faith and superstitions are something in which people get trapped very easily. Bad faith and false perceptions can harm society more than doing good for it. Being an educated person helps in eliminating false beliefs enabling us to pick out right from wrong. This is not just true in a religious way but also provides better opportunities to the people rather than limiting their mindset. 

The teacher of ethics — failing provides a path to success which has hurdles and difficulties. Education provides light and knowledge to successfully cross those hurdles. The quality of an educated person is that they learn to be better by working out a way that is both fair and successful. 

A confidence booster — a confident personality and character are important to thrive in this world. Establishing healthy communication while clearing doubts on any subject or topic. Education gives you the confidence to put forward the facts which can create a perfect impression in the eyes of the audience. 

A foundation for lifelong learning — education gives humility. Humility, by definition, is the act of being modest. By that, it is meant, an educated person is willing to learn new things and aspects of life. Education provides a person with experiences opening gates to better opportunities and chances to enhance life.

Teach healthy habits — healthy habits here means mannerisms which include the way a person eats, drinks, sits, stand, talk, and many other related characteristics. These are the first things that a person is taught as a part of character building, and it becomes that first thing that you are judged upon as an individual. Healthy habits also come around behavior and cleanliness, which determines your character as a healthy person who can affect your personality as a person. 

Increase memory and thinking skills — thinking skills and a good memory can impress anyone leading to healthy discussions. A healthy brain remembers the facts and facets of a particular discussion and allows you to put your point in front of the audience with clarifications. Having better conversation leaves a positive mark on the audience, and your personality is praised for its charm as a keen thinker and true speaker.

Enhances the decision-making capabilities — being educated means being able to turn your weakness into a strength. Education empowers an individual to make decisions based on past experiences and present situations. It enables the individual against wrongs and taking charge of their lives without being dependent on others. 

The importance of character education  

As said above, character education and the development of personality are merely the promotion of ethical values and understanding of the world that is necessary for the development of a human mind. Simply put, it is the act of nurturing of those values that differentiate us from being humanized robots and computer intelligence. 

Character building in simple words is the relationship between two different types of knowledge—one, the knowledge that encompasses a wide range of subjects obtained through reading and training in a particular field of studies and two, the beliefs and moral codes of an individual which influences the understanding between the right and the wrong gained through past experiences and life lessons.

Character education has become a necessary part of today’s society. One of the major reasons for that is the continuous degrading of moral values; our society has fallen into “moral crises”. Individuals are struggling to cope with the disturbing trends such as violence, racism, and xenophobia, to name a few. Character education, on the other hand, can build a better personality leading to the development of a better society. 

The role of character education in academics 

Character building and Education has a major role to play in academic studies. One of the traits that character education teaches the students is the sense of responsibility and persistence which encourages the students to learn and maintain their focus on what’s important. This drives their will to learn better and do well in their academics. 

Other than that, building characters also helps in developing a moral code for interactions with the teachers and classmates, developing a positive environment, and influencing discipline among the students. 

The psychological factors determining the character of a person

It is true to say that every individual has different perceptions and beliefs that affect the development of the personality of the person. The character development of an individual depends mainly on one’s personal motives, interests, attitudes, and intellectual capacity, i.e., one’s perception, observation, the capability to reason and imagine. 

These factors are some of the major psychological aspects that determine the reactions and perceptions of a situation and thus affect the growth and development of one’s personality and character.

Conclusion 

The character of an individual is similar to a seed that has the potential to grow into a fully grown fruitful tree with proper nurturing and support. Education is something that supports the human mind and nourishes it, developing a better personality and character, allowing us to break barriers and explore limitations.  

10 things every student should learn from Swami Vivekananda

Apr 17, 2024

Believe in Yourself

Vivekananda emphasized the importance of self-belief. He said, "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached." This quote inspires students to have faith in their abilities and persevere through challenges.

Image Source: rkmath-org

Vivekananda believed that hard work is essential for success. He said, "Take up one idea. Make that idea your life - dream of it, think of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone." This quote motivates students to be dedicated and persistent in their studies.

Education is Liberation

Vivekananda believed that education is the key to liberation from ignorance and poverty. He said, "Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man." He believed education should be holistic, developing both the mind and the spirit.

Importance of Character

Vivekananda stressed the importance of character building. He said, "Character is the foundation of everything." He believed that a strong character is more important than academic achievement.

Service to Others

Vivekananda believed in the importance of serving others. He said, "Service to others is the best work of life." He encouraged students to volunteer their time and help those in need.

Never Give Up

Vivekananda encouraged perseverance and never giving up on one's dreams. He said, "It is not that we are weak, but that we are not enough in earnest; that's our real weakness." This quote motivates students to be resilient and keep striving for their goals.

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Truth alone triumphs.

Vivekananda believed in the power of truth. He said, "Truth alone triumphs." He encouraged students to seek truth and to live honestly.

Importance of Self-Discipline

Vivekananda emphasized the importance of self-discipline. He said, "With rigid self-restraint, my friend, you can conquer the universe." Self-discipline helps students to focus on their studies and achieve their goals.

Face Challenges Head-On

Vivekananda believed that challenges are opportunities for growth. He said, "We are what our thoughts have made us; so change your thoughts and you change your life." This quote inspires students to develop a positive mindset and overcome obstacles.

Be a Light to the World

Vivekananda believed that everyone has the potential to make a positive difference in the world. He said, "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached!" This quote motivates students to use their education and talents to make the world a better place.

Thanks For Reading!

Next: 10 High-Demand STEM Careers, Poised for Growth

The Most Accurate Cop Show Is Still a Standout

The series continues to serve as an important piece of both education and entertainment.

The Big Picture

• The Wire challenged the typical cop show formula by highlighting both cops and criminals with empathy, inspired by real Baltimore experiences.
• The ensemble cast included real public officials in cameo roles, grounding the series in authentic Baltimore history and events.
• Despite low ratings, The Wire sparked important discussions on law enforcement, education, and structural inequalities.

While discussions about the nature of policing have always been a hotly discussed issue within the United States, television shows about cops have also been the bedrock that the industry was built on. Much of the stylized nature of modern television was inspired by the artistic approach that Michael Mann took to procedural programming with his classic series Miami Vice , and shows like Monk , Castle , Criminal Minds , and NCIS continue to be very popular in syndication. While these programs have certainly made use of a formula that has made them widely accessible, they don’t present the rigors of policing in a manner that could be deemed authentic. However, the research and insight David Simon brought to his HBO series The Wire created one of the most accurate cop shows of all time.

What Is ‘The Wire’ About?

While HBO aired no shortage of highly influential drama shows in the early 21st century, The Wire stood out among cop procedurals because of its inventive use of layered storytelling. Set in modern-day Baltimore, The Wire attempted to evoke empathy by showing the concurrent efforts made by both cops and criminals to advance their interests; by analyzing the cyclical nature of the illegal drug trade, Simon was able to identify sympathetic characters on both sides of the law. The first season of The Wire almost exclusively focuses on the investigation by Baltimore Detective Jimmy McNulty ( Dominic West ) and his partner William Moreland ( Wendell Pierce ) as they attempt to pin down the drug lord Avon Barksdale ( Wood Harris ) and his second-in-command, Stringer Bell ( Idris Elba ). It becomes evident early on that disrupting Avon’s operation will have a trickle-down effect that impacts all levels of Baltimore’s infrastructure.

Although the first run of episodes set up the core conflict of the series, each subsequent season of The Wire delves deeper into aspects of Baltimore’s infrastructure. The second season ditched much of the main cast in order to show the plight of the dock secretary-treasurer Frank Sobotka ( Chris Bauer ), who struggled to maintain his integrity once the city’s port system became infested with smuggling operations. Season 3 analyzes the impact of local elections through the rise of the ambitious mayoral candidate, Tommy Carcetti ( Aiden Gillen ), who aims to replace the corrupt institution of the incumbent Mayor Clarence Royce ( Glynn Turman ). The fourth season examines how the fragile city politics led to consequences within the school system, and the fifth season takes a step back to examine how local journalists perceive the show’s events with ambitions of their own.

Although the series has its fair share of shocking moments , The Wire was inspired by Simon’s real experience as a reporter covering the crime beat in Baltimore. After observing the failings of his local police department and the city’s inability to rehabilitate former drug users, Simon stated that he wanted to make a show that criticized the governmental creation of “war zones where the only economic engine is the self-perpetuating drug trade.” Journalists in the Baltimore area have praised the series for exploring “a more mundane world of hundreds of thousands of ordinary Baltimoreans with more ordinary problems.”

‘The Wire’ Is Based on Real People

One of the greatest strengths of The Wire is its incredible ensemble cast ; the series provided breakout roles for actors like Michael B. Jordan and Lance Reddick , and created a truly balanced ensemble with no one leading character. Although the ensemble was effectively utilized because of the show’s excellent writing, many real public officials and police officers play themselves in The Wire . Despite not being known as professional actors, former Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., Baltimore Sun journalist David Ettlin, radio host Mark Steiner, and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman all make cameo appearances in The Wire . This helped the series ground itself in an authentic history of Baltimore, suggesting that the show’s events aren’t that far off from reality.

Few stars of The Wire gained more popularity from the show than the late great Michael K. Williams , but the character of Omar Little was based on a real person . During his experience covering crime in Baltimore, Simon met the former drug dealer Donnie Andrews, who subsequently became an armed robber who targeted other dealers. After recovering from his drug addiction and completing his prison sentence, Andrews became a consultant on The Wire , and aided Simon in depicting an accurate version of the city’s rehabilitation structure. Donnie’s amazing story inspired Omar’s path to heroism and shocking demise in the fifth season of The Wire , which has been regarded as one of the show’s best storylines.

‘The Wire’ Is an Important Conversation Starter

While The Wire was met with critical acclaim during its five-season run, it didn’t reap significant ratings success and failed to receive a Primetime Emmy Nomination for Best Drama Series . Nonetheless, The Wire has many prominent fans within the political scene, with former U.S. President Barack Obama citing it as his favorite show . Comparing the show’s depiction of criminal rehabilitation to his own experiences as a lawmaker , the former President stated that “the most moving sections of The Wire was that whole depiction of the schools in Baltimore and public schools.” Ironically, the show’s depiction of policing procedures was also praised by Obama’s political rival, Senator John McCain.

Although the series ended after its fifth season, The Wire continues to spark discussion about the role of law enforcement and structural inequalities. Educators have praised the series for showing how vulnerable students are left without resources in public schools, and law professors have used the show as an example when discussing criminal cases. In crafting a series both dramatically satisfying and startlingly empathetic, Simon allowed The Wire to open its viewers’ eyes to some of the most pressing issues of the era. It continues to serve as an important piece of both education and entertainment.

The Wire is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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