"Effective schools seek to develop and reinforce character traits, such as caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness, through a systematic approach that includes adult modeling, curriculum integration, a positive school climate, and access to comprehensive guidance and counseling services."
—Elementary Makes the Grade! (CDE, 1999)
The California Department of Education advocates incorporating character education into a standards-based educational system in a variety of ways.
Character Education Month
Each year in October, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the President of the State Board of Education emphasize the importance of teaching character education to our students by declaring Character Education Month.
California Education Code Section 233.5 (a)
233.5 (a) Each teacher shall endeavor to impress upon the minds of the pupils the principles of morality, truth, justice, patriotism, and a true comprehension of the rights, duties, and dignity of American citizenship, and the meaning of equality and human dignity, including the promotion of harmonious relations, kindness toward domestic pets and the humane treatment of living creatures, to teach them to avoid idleness, profanity, and falsehood, and to instruct them in manners and morals and the principles of a free government.
Resources
- Annotated Bibliography
- Bonner Center for Character Education (Outside Resource)
- Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character (Outside Source)
- Character Counts (Outside Source)
- Character Education Partnership (Outside Source)
- CharacterPlus (Outside Source)
- Good Character (Outside Source)
- Judicious Discipline (Outside Source)
- LESSON ONE (Outside Source)
- School for Ethical Education (Outside Source)
- University of San Diego Character Development Center (Outside Source)
- What Works Clearinghouse (Outside Source)
- WiseSkills Character Education: Character Education Curriculum, Lessons, Activities,
- Materials, and Resources (Outside Source)
Classroom Materials
The following have been identified as character education classroom materials:
- Character-Based Literacy Program (Outside Source)
- Character Counts (Outside Source)
- Film Clips for Character Education (Outside Source)
- Giraffe Heroes Project (Outside Source)
- Good Character (Outside Source)
- Head, Heart and Hands (H3) (Outside Source)
- Judicious Discipline (Outside Source)
- Lessons in Character (Outside Source)
- LESSON ONE (Outside Source)
- PeaceBuilders (Outside Source)
Funding
U.S. Department of Education's Partnerships in Character Education Program (Outside Source)
Grants for eligible entities for the design and implementation of character education programs.
Character Education Partnership (CEP) National Schools of Character Awards (Outside Source)
Every year, CEP names ten public and private schools and districts as National Schools of Character for their outstanding work in improving the behavior and learning of their students through character education. Once selected, CEP helps these schools and districts serve as models for other educators.
