VARSITY CHARACTER : PROMISING CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES IN MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOLS

1. VARSITY CHARACTER: PROMISING CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES IN MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOLS • Why did MSDE create this presentation? Who should use it and how? • Maryland State Character Education Committee identified high schools as a gap in Maryland’s overall character education effort. • MSDE has been collecting promising character ed. strategies from Maryland high schools for over two years. • This presentation is designed to give high school level educators ideas for implementing character education in their schools. Ideas and inspiration for high school Character Ed! Maryland Character Education on the Web: www.MarylandPublicSchools.org

2. VARSITY CHARACTER: PROMISING CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES IN MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOLS High school students need information and guidance to help them develop good character, be productive citizens and community members, and make ethical decisions. High schools face unique challenges in character education. Character efforts at the high school level must be appropriate for the age and intellect of the high school student.

3. VARSITY CHARACTER: PROMISING CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES IN MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOLS • 2. The character education effort addresses a problem or issue at the school, e.g., bullying, dropout rates, freshman initiation, etc. 1. Students and teachers “buy in” to the character education effort. Three Characteristics of Successful Character Education in High Schools • Some measure of evaluation is in place. For example, decreases in suspension or dropout rates, increased service-learning participation, improved school climate, etc.

4. VARSITY CHARACTER: PROMISING CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES IN MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOLS Aim for Total Integration This presentation highlights specific strategies. Keep in mind that the more comprehensive the character education initiative, the greater the results in the school climate and student achievement.

5. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING What is Mentoring? “Mentoring is a strategy for teaching and coaching, for strengthening character, improving racial harmony, promoting social change, assuring total quality education for all, and creating opportunities for personal empowerment.” From Marion White-Hood, “Taking up the mentoring challenge,” Educational Leadership Tip: Identify clear expectations for the mentoring program.

6. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Issue that mentoring addresses: Through the use of “character coaches,” schools can help students develop positive character traits. The need for positive role models and relationships between students and adults.

7. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING • Potential outcomes are many: • Improved attendance and academics • Lowered dropout and suspension rates • Improved school climate for teachers and students. The bottom line for kids

8. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Character Coaches are one approach to mentoring. Through the use of “character coaches,” schools can help students develop positive character traits. Next, how one Maryland high school uses Character Coaches…

9. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Character Coaches • Identify Target Audience and Gather Materials and Resources • Ninth grade students • Recruit “Character Coaches”—Caring adults who are dynamic speakers and able to connect with students. • Character Coaches range in ages and professions and may include realtors, legislators, bank employees, and local artists. • Coaches should be established in the community and willing to make a multi-year commitment. • Identify regular opportunities for Character Coaches to meet with students, such as during a homeroom or advisory period. Do this first!

10. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Character Coaches Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Start in ninth grade and continue through students’ high school careers. • Character Coaches visit the same group of students (about 20) each month. • Character Coaches lead discussions on topics that include character traits and ethics, often presented through current events of interest to students. • Over time, students build authentic relationships with the Character Coaches; some relationships even continue past graduation. • To help achieve student and staff buy in, consider allowing students to vote each year on whether the program should continue. • Allow teachers to evaluate the coach’s effectiveness. • Remember that staff buy in is critical. One Maryland school implementing the Character Coaches strategy reports that the relationship between coach and teacher is a key component to the coach being successful in the advisory.

11. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Leadership Training is another approach to mentoring. Leadership training can enhance the developmental assets and leadership skills of a core group of students in order to reduce student conflict, improve student involvement in extra-curricular activities, and develop a more positive school climate for all students. Next, how one Maryland high school uses Leadership Training…

12. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Leadership Training • Identify Target Audience and Gather Materials and Resources • Define the purpose of the initiative as engaging students on all grade levels in the character education effort. • Develop program and “buy-in” among staff. • Sell the program to students. IT MUST BE ATTRACTIVE TO STUDENTS!! Selling points may include: the close friendships that develop within the club, being able to help younger students,making the school a more positive, friendly place, and leadership experience. • Solicit funding for planned activities, such as a “lock in,” outdoor challenges, and any other planned leadership and team-building activities that require funding. Also, consider funding for shirts or other items with the leadership group’s name. Do this first!

13. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Leadership Training Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Recruit and select a diverse group of upperclassmen for leadership training through an application process. Students are required to write an essay and provide written recommendations from teachers. Find students who want to make the school a better place. • Hold a “lock in” event at the school , develop a focus for the school year. Also develop in students a sense of responsibility for helping others. • Students receive leadership as well as peer mediation trainings. • Establish a code of conduct for the student leaders. They are expected to lead by example. If the code is broken, a discussion takes place. • Arrange weekly meetings between each student leader and his or her underclass mentees. • Provide ongoing trainings and social opportunities.

14. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Student to Student Student to studentis one approach to mentoring. High school students work with middle school students to improve their grades and social interactions. Next, how one Maryland middle/high school uses the student-to-student approach.

15. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Student to Student • Identify Target Audience and Gather Materials and Resources • About a month into the school year, high school teachers identify students as potential mentors. • Students can also apply to be mentors, but they must obtain a teacher’s endorsement. • Mentors must be a positive role model and have at least a 2.0 GPA. • The Dean of Discipline coordinates the program, matching mentors with middle school mentees based on similarities. Mentees get parent/guardian permission to participate. • Character education “how to” books can provide ideas for lessons. Do this first!

16. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING Student to Student Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Mentors/mentees meet monthly during a class period. • The program coordinator provides activities that focus on academics and social skills. • High school students are encouraged to touch base with their middle school students weekly. • Evaluate the program. Interview mentors, mentees, and teachers. Also, determine if grades, attendance, and behavior have improved as a result of the mentoring relationship. • Make adjustments to the program and enrollment as a result of your evaluation findings.

17. STRATEGY ONE: MENTORING Building Confidence Through Success Building Confidence Through Successis one approach to mentoring. An intensive teacher-student mentoring relationship involving daily monitoring and interactions focused on individual student needs, such as attendance, behavior, and academics. Next, how one Maryland school system uses mentoring to build confidence.

18. STRATEGY ONE: MENTORING Building Confidence Through Success • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • Designate a coordinator for the initiative. • Identify a core group of teacher advocates. • Train involved staff in the components of mentoring. • Identify students who need an advocate to address attendance, behavioral, and academic issues. • Plan mentoring, tutoring and career planning activities. Do this first!

19. STRATEGY ONE: MENTORING Building Confidence Through Success Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Incorporate life skill lessons through daily conversations, class work assistance, and crisis management. • Focus lessons on areas where students can experience success. • Train mentors to build upon these successes to further improve students' academic achievement, behavior, and self-esteem. • Provide incentives to mentors for their mentees’ successes. • Assess effectiveness of advocacy each quarter by measuring attendance, grades, and behavior of students being mentored. • Remove/replace students who have not shown improvement in 2 quarters. • Add students who would benefit from teacher advocacy.

20. STRATEGY ONE: MENTORING Building Confidence Through Success TIP For mentoring programs, consider "on-the-fence“ kids rather than severely at-risk students. Why? Because at-risk students often need more intense intervention than mentoring can provide. Also, many at-risk students are already regularly receiving counseling and other support services.

21. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING RESOURCES for mentoring “Smart and Good High Schools” Integrating Excellence and Ethics for Success in School, Work, and Beyond Thomas Lickona, Ph.D. & Matthew Davidson, Ph.D. Smart & Good High Schools is national study of American high schools - including site visits to 24 diverse schools, hundreds of interviews, a comprehensive research review, and the input of a National Experts Panel and a National Student Leaders Panel. The report offers a vision of educational excellence and nearly 100 promising practices designed to foster human flourishing over a lifetime. “Humility Among Adolescent Purpose Exemplars” by Kendall Cotton Bronk, The Journal of Research in Character Education, Volume 6, Number 1, 2008, pp. 35-51. This article discusses the value of mentoring. Students with long-term mentoring relationships are more likely to demonstrate humility and purpose, two characteristics that support positive youth development. “Character Education by Design” by Maryland educators A blueprint for character education initiatives at the district and school levels, this book is available by request from the MSDE Character Education Specialists. See pages 61 and 74 for mentoring information. “Taking Up the Mentoring Challenge” by Marian White-Hood in Educational Leadership Concern over low student achievement led to the creation of a mentoring program that involved not only school staff but the larger community.

22. STRATEGY ONE:MENTORING RESOURCES for mentoring Pittsburgh Public Schools Teachers’ Task: Make schools safer” by Rachel Weaver, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 30, 2011 The school system instituted a mentoring program to help students feel safe and to provide mentoring, promote conflict resolution, and reduce bullying. Graduation Success from News Observer, August 30, 2011 This letter to the editor from the Chairman of Communities in Schools North Carolina, an initiative that supports mentoring in public schools, cites improved graduation rates as a result of his organization’s efforts.

23. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Through service-learning, students show respect for and give back to the school and community. What is character through service? Schools can help students build character by involving students in service-learning projects that benefit the school and broader community. Based on research studies, “it is clear that character education supports service-learningand that service-learning provides an environment in which the goals and values of character education can be enhanced”(National Service Learning Clearinghouse Fact Sheet on Character Education and Service Learning). Service –learning activities build relationships and trust.

24. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Character education through service-learning helps make the kids better people and the school and community a better place. The Issue that service- learning addresses: Making kids feel like they belong and are connected to the school and to the larger community

25. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE • Potential outcomes are many: • Improved attendance • Lowered suspension rates • Improved school climate for • teachers and students. • Increased sense of • belonging to the school and • community. • Students gain service- • learning hours. The bottom line for kids

26. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Belonging “Belonging”is one approach to Character through Service. Students need to feel welcome in the school and that they belong. When every student participates in service-learning, it reinforces their place in the school community. Next, how one Maryland high school involves students so that they feel they “belong”…

27. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Belonging • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • Encourage every student to participate in at least one service-learning activity. The activity may be as part of a club or sports group, or it may be a classroom project, but the focus is on the contribution to the community. • Decide which character traits will be a focus for the school, and share these traits with student organizations for them to embrace and promote. One Maryland high school that has been successful promoting character through service-learning has concentrated on the character traits of responsibility, self-control, gratitude, integrity, and respect. Do this first!

28. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Belonging Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Allow students to lead activities, for example, the Student Government Association might lead the charge for large-scale service activities, such as food or clothing drives. Other student groups should plan activities as well. • Encourage student groups to have a motto that connects to the community. From one high school’s Young Researchers organization: “We could have cared less, but we decided to care more.” • Provide repeated and varied opportunities for students to engage in ethical action in the larger community. • A few examples of service-learning activities in one Maryland high school include blood drives, clothing drives, toy drives, litter pick-ups, and a Cystic Fibrosis walk. • Plan a reflection activity for each service-learning activity.

29. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Club Time “Club Time”is one approach to Character through Service. The character activities at one high school are all related to service to others. The service activities are planned by students within their clubs, sports teams, or sometimes classes during a designated “club time.” Next, how one Maryland high school uses “Club Time”…

30. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Club Time • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • Determine specific character traits to be developed through service-learning. • Solicit staff buy-in. Although activities are student-led, teachers are needed to guide students. • Interested teachers organize a club based on their own interests. • Establish one “club day” per month when students will have 45 minutes during the school day to meet and plan service activities. Do this first!

31. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Club Time Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • All students belong to a club or sports team with whom they plan and carry out service-learning activities. • During club time, students plan service activities. • Some meetings may also occur after school. • Examples of club activities include blood drives and food drives. • Students lead the activities. For the blood drive, for example, students helped set up, sign in donors, serve snacks to donors, and escort donors back to class. • After each service learning activity, provide time for reflection.

32. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Virtue of the Month “Virtue of the Month”is one approach to Character through Service. One school created a “Virtue of the Month” program that acknowledges students demonstrating the school’s defined core ethical virtues. As part of the program, students, staff, and the school community demonstrate understanding of the virtues by participating in service activities. Next, how one Maryland high school uses “Virtue of the Month”…

33. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Virtue of the Month • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • Identify and define the school’s core ethical virtues. • Project coordinators (teachers) are needed to organize the community outreach projects, to communicate the Virtue of the Month to faculty and staff, and to recognize Virtues that are displayed by the faculty and students. Do this first!

34. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE Virtue of the Month Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Create a planning committee to identify service learning activities. • Invite students and faculty to planning events. The language of the Virtues is used in the invitations and during the planning events. • Promote the attitude among students that to give of oneself is the right and the “cool” thing to do! • Despite the lower economic status of many families in the community, the money and resources delivered by this school reflect total student buy-in and intrinsic character. Over the past 5 years, students have raised close to $40,000 for charity. Race for the Cure, The Polar Bear Plunge, and Adopt a Family were a few of the events.

35. STRATEGY TWO: CHARACTER THROUGH SERVICE RESOURCES for building character through service learning Maryland State Department of EducationService-Learning in Maryland Web site www.msde.maryland.gov/MSDE/programs/servicelearning/ “Smart and Good High Schools” Integrating Excellence and Ethics for Success in School, Work, and Beyond Thomas Lickona, Ph.D. & Matthew Davidson, Ph.D. Smart & Good High Schools is national study of American high schools - including site visits to 24 diverse schools, hundreds of interviews, a comprehensive research review, and the input of a National Experts Panel and a National Student Leaders Panel. The report offers a vision of educational excellence and nearly 100 promising practices designed to foster human flourishing over a lifetime. How does current research in character education support service-learning? National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Fact Sheet This fact sheet cites a number of research studies supporting the benefits of and links between character education and service-learning. For example, a 2005 study found that students participating in a character education project integrating service-learning components reported greater increases in prosocial behaviors, such as altruism, caring, respect, and ability to choose between right and wrong, than their peers in the comparison group. “Character Education by Design” by Maryland educators Available by request from the MSDE Character Education Specialists. Building Character Through Service Learning by Kathy Winings, Character Development Group, 2002 This book offers an in-depth look at the integral role service-learning plays in the development of character. It offers insight and practical information on how to connect service-learning with civic, family, or character education.

36. STRATEGY THREE: Advisory During advisory time, “activities should be provided … that lead to the development of positive attitudes, values, and emotional control” (Connors, 1990, p. 165). What is Advisory? An advisory is a teacher spending time and developing relationships with a small group of students. The advisory time is spent discussing school and personal student issues as needed, delivering character lessons, and nurturing relationships. A key benefit of the advisory period is that it provides students a voice. Advisories should help students develop meaningful relationships.

37. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Advisory periods provide students an outlet to express concerns, discuss school-related and personal issues, and celebrate each other. The Issue that advisory addresses: Successful advisories set the stage for a positive school day and help students connect with peers and adults in their school.

38. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY • Potential outcomes are many: • Improved relationships with adults and peers. • Improved behavior and social interactions. • Increased sense of belonging to the school. • Improved school climate. The bottom line for kids

39. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Character Traits Focusing on Character Traitsis one approach to advisory. During the advisory period, teachers and students study specific traits that lead to success in school and in life. Examples of possible attributes are courage, respect, honesty, preparation, empathy, and leadership. Next, how one Maryland high school uses an advisory period to focus on traits.

40. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Character Traits • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • Assign a character trait to each month during the school year. • Provide monthly character trait signs to each teacher to display in classrooms. • Develop a mini-lesson for each monthly trait. • In the mini-lesson, define the trait, introduce a famous role model that exemplifies that trait, and plan an activity around this trait. • Provide a quotation for the lesson that embodies the trait. Do this first!

41. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Character Traits Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Teach the lesson during an extended advisory period. • Try to engage the entire class in the lesson. • Guide students in examing their own behavior in relation to the trait of the month. • Encourage students to identify appropriate behavioral responses associated with the trait being discussed. • Evaluate student understanding of the trait at the the end of the lesson.

42. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Need-based Lessons Need-based lessons are one approach to advisory. Schools identify issues that can be addressed by strengthening specific positive character and performance traits. Lessons that emphasize these traits and behaviors are developed for delivery during an advisory time. Next, how one Maryland high school uses an advisory period to deliver need-based lessons.

43. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Need-based Lessons • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • Counselor surveys students to determine perceived needs. • Identify school issues that can be addressed with advisory lessons. • Examples of possible needs: respect among students, responsibility for schoolwork, compassion for others, or showing caring for your community • School counselor generates a monthly lesson around a need. • Make the lesson relevant by linking it to current events through news articles. • Emphasize any additional character traits which relate to the need. Do this first!

44. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Need-based Lessons Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Teachers decide when they can incorporate the month’s lesson into their schedule. (There is not a regular, designated advisory period in this example school.) • Teachers can adjust or enhance the lesson based on the needs of their students • Students and teachers provide feedback via a survey on the impact of the lesson • Display posters of trait being discussed which are provided by the counselor • Counselor collects follow-up information and resources from the lesson to ensure the lesson was completed • If a community need is addressed, responses from the people who were served are communicated to the school.

45. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Climate-focused Climate-focused initiative is one approach to advisory. A dedicated advisory period is used to deliver lessons on traits and behaviors that will improve the school climate. The advisory lessons are tied to a school-wide, multi-year initiative to improve school climate. Next, how one Maryland high school uses an advisory period to improve the climate.

46. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Climate-Focused • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • A big-picture, long-term timeline and a detailed school year agenda guide the overall school climate intiative of which the tenth through twelfth grade advisory periods are a critical part. • The guidance department chair coordinates the initiative and is the point of contact. Strong support from the administration strengthens the entire effort. • All stakeholders have input into the topics of the lessons: students, teachers, guidance, administrators. • A faculty committee suggests specific lesson topics. Students were also consulted and revealed deep issues they wanted addressed. Staff and parent surveys also inform the effort. • Topics focus on a climate of civility and are relevant to current events. Do this first!

47. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Climate-Focused Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Create and distribute faculty advisory notebooks that cover the advisory theme, advisory goals, schoolwide behavior expectations, teacher tips for a safe and civil classroom, and bullying prevention information. • Create posters, classroom “cheat sheets” for teachers and other materials to support the initiative. • Teacher-generated lessons completed in summer. Delivered during regular advisory periods to groups of about 18. Larger groups are supported by an para-professional. • In addition to teaching the advisory lessons, teachers act as an advisor to students and will alert the school counselor when students need support. • Schoolwide, special activities and school clubs reinforce topics introduced during advisory.

48. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Teen Talk Teen Talk is one approach to advisory. The Teen Talk program uses small groups to encourage healthy relationships and build a sense of belonging to the school.Teen Talk is similar to mentoring, but takes place in a group setting. It is an afterschool advisory time. Next, how one Maryland high school created an afterschool advisory program.

49. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Teen Talk • Identify Target Audience, Gather Materials and Resources • The initiative at this example school is funded through a grant from the Department of Social Services (DSS) Healthy Marriages. • Teen Talk uses the"Love You Too" curriculum from DSS, with teen input. • Day school staff are group facilitators. • Facilitators are trained on what community resources are available in the area. • Facilitators receive domestic violence training (DSS requirement). • Staff recommend students for Teen Talk. • Students are prescreened and grouped according to their needs. • Ground rules for the Teen Talk groups are established, such as confidentiality, reportable information, and respect for others. Do this first!

50. STRATEGY THREE: ADVISORY Teen Talk Then follow these steps! • How to make it happen! • Groups of 16 students meet weekly after school for 90 minutes. • First groups engage in a craft activity or service-learning to facilitate communication in the group. • Groups discuss topics related to healthy relationships, communication and trust, relationship building, and parenting skills for teen parents. • To foster a sense of connection or belonging, students are given something that identifies them as a Teen Talk member. • Each semester a Parent Night is held. Parents attend the Teen Talk and are given information on healthy relationships.