How character education would fit in our school was one of the main questions for us. How could it be beneficial to our students and our community at large?
At school, we all wanted to develop a clear view of what it means to be a graduate of FISW, what values they will carry on with them into middle school and beyond. For the staff, it resonated with our willingness to promote a positive environment at school (as stated in the school mission). We also saw an opportunity to emphasize the notion of respect in our school and engage students in the process. We truly believe that students can only learn, be at their best and be challenged, if they are in a welcoming, positive and respectful environment.
Some members of the staff participated in various trainings and online courses and attended the national Character Education Forum in Washington DC. After attending these programs, the need for character education in our school became more obvious. We realized that character education provides effective solutions to ethical and academic issues that are of growing concern. Schools with high-quality character education are places where students, teachers, and parents want to be. They are places where young people do their best work because they feel safe, appreciated, supported, and challenged by their peers and the adults around them.
In our next post, you will learn more about the process, especially how we defined character education to make sure that it would serve our community the best.
- Yvan Tabellion, Fifth Grade Teacher