Character Education

Philosophy
Our approach to character education is to engage our students, in the context of authentic experiences, with the concepts, ideas, and practices of the caring and ethical treatment of self and others. We believe in caring as a strategy, to develop agency and independence, as our students navigate their relationships with peers and adults, as compassionate members of their communities. We foster the capacity that grows from teaching grit, self-control, zest, social intelligence, gratitude, optimism, and curiosity; and, we promote moral accountability for words and actions. Self-reflection is a key component to ensure continued growth at every grade level. We embrace our students wherever they are in their life experience, and employ a variety of techniques to teach and model ethical character, including implementing the Responsive Classroom approach, exploring and examining the monthly Life Skills, teaching the anti-bias anchor-lessons, reading select texts, participating in experiential education, understanding digital citizenship, and fulfilling service learning activities and projects.

Essential Questions

• What is the value of teaching character education in schools?
• How do parents, teachers, and students work together to support character education?
• How do we teach and evaluate character education in an ever-changing society?
• How do we support students in their internalization and application of character education practices from the classroom to daily life?

Learning Goals

1. Students will build familiarity with grit, self-control, zest, social intelligence, gratitude, optimism, and curiosity.
2. Students will develop a growth mindset.
3. Students will recognize and practice different aspects of character education in and out of the classroom.
4. Students will be accountable for the caring and ethical treatment of self and others.