Character Education

1. Character Education

2. All About Me My name is Sondra Maxwell and this is my 6th year of teaching. I have taught Kindergarten and First grade. I have taught in Oklahoma and Illinois. This will be my 2nd year at Sorento Elementary teaching Kindergarten.

3. Definition of Reading At the Kindergarten level reading begins by learning each letter makes a sound. When you put these sounds together, they create a word. Along with teaching children the sounds you are also working with their comprehension and activating prior knowledge. Each child works at different levels, with the right scaffolding each child will be able to learn. When children learn to read it opens the door to imagination. I have the privilege of teaching beginning readers the love of books. The best way to teach the love of reading is by modeling. Interacting and discussing the book before and after activates the imagination and helps them make a connection with the story. Even when students have trouble reading, they learn to enjoy books by picture walking and listening to others read. By listening they are still able to activate prior knowledge and make predictions. The great thing about books is there are so many to choose from. You will find something to fit every child interests. It is extremely important that we do everything we can to encourage our students to keep reaching for success. As they begin to blossom as learners, we can help inspire them to not only believe in themselves but expect more from themselves.” Kimberly Johnson

4. My Question Will using Character Education encourage student engagement, student relevance, and help them make connections?

5. Assessment Diagnostic Testing-A diagnostic reading assessment is used to measure students' skills in each of the five components of reading: vocabulary, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency and comprehension.Read more: What Is a Diagnostic Reading Assessment? | eHow.comhttp://www.ehow.com/facts_5008531_what-diagnostic-reading-assessment.html#ixzz0sCRoZmO6Diagnostic testing consists of letter naming, initial sound fluency, phoneme segmentation, nonsense word fluency and oral reading. These tests are used to monitor the students progress at the beginning, middle, and end of the year . Our school uses Dibels to assess the students.

6. Assessment Formative assessment - focuses on improving students performance and classroom instruction. Formative assessment is designed to give immediate feedback during the learning process. Following the assessment, teaching and activities are adapting to the child’s learning style. Formative assessment is done everyday in the Kindergarten classroom by observation, checking work and discussion.

7. Assessment Summative assessment= cumulative evaluations used to measure student growth after instruction and are generally given at the end of a course to see if learning goals have been met. Examples of summative assessment are: State-mandated assessments District benchmark or interim assessments End-of-unit or -chapter tests End-of-term or -semester exams Scores that are used for accountability for schools (AYP) and students (report card grades)2 This is done at K level with Report Cards

8. Strategies Imagery Cause and effect Picture walking Making predictions Guided Reading Diagrams Rhyming Comparisons Vocabulary Sight Words Word Families Sequencing Journaling Creative Writing Each month I plan to have my class do an activity highlighting the character word. I will email the other classes and have them show it to their class. Hopefully this will encourage other classes to incorporate it and display it to the school.

9. Sorento Elementary building great character together! Caring Perseverance Respect Trustworthy Responsibility Courage Loyalty Honesty Patience

10. “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. “Theodore Roosevelt “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Abraham Lincoln quotes (American 16th US President (1861-65), “Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.” H. Jackson Brown, Jr. quotes (American best selling writer, author of Life's Little Instruction Book) Character = Attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions Webster Dictionary

11. Unit OverviewDo you spend most of your days putting out social fires in your classroom? Are your students able to work in groups without mumbling and complaining? Do you wonder why we all just can’t get along? Ever had something happen and you say AH! This could be a Teachable moment. Character Education can help. Don’t freak out, in the end Character Education WILL make your job easier. Character Education is an important part of a students education. Good character builds a better student and a better learning environment. A better student builds a better school. Our school highlights a different characteristic each month. Let’s incorporate the character trait of the month and use it in our daily routine. I will include hands on activities to help you enhance learning in the classroom and help us reach our school and community. Character

12. How and why? • Seeing the Point: This is your ability to focus your vision and attention. It also has to do with motivation and interest in the topic. • Thinking about the character trait: This is you thinking about what we want to learn. • Connecting what you’ve learned to your own experiences and background knowledge :This is where you “stick” new information to your “old information” and make it better. • Explaining and showing your understanding: You do this by writing and discussing how what you’ve learned “fits” and “adds to” what you already know. • Applying: Using good character makes a better learning environment. See the point Think about it Connect

13. Example of how to get started

14. Discussion on Movie clip Possible questions: Was Flint Lockwood trying to bother other people with his inventions? What are some of the things that happened with his inventions? Do you think his inventions caused problems? Were the problems with himself or with others? Possible Activities: Create something on paper that might cause a problem with those around you. (space ship, car running on soda, etc.)

15. Character Education Lesson Plans 2010-2011 August Cooperation= Working and socializing together respectfully Learning the rules of our school. How to be a good citizen and student. Meet school personal and learn the jobs they do to make our school great. Have school personal come and visit, watch them as they performs their duties at school, exp. Watch janitor clean bathroom. September Respect= Demonstrating consideration, appreciation, tolerance, and good manners toward self, others, authority and property Learn how to treat others, proper manners, random acts of kindness (visit shut ins and sing songs to them) how to keep our school clean, (pick up liter). Upper grades show how to behave in lunch room and hall ways.

16. October Responsibility= Being accountable for your own actions Learn about drug awareness (Red Ribbon Week), fire (visit fire house) and traffic safety and Halloween safety, All about Me November Courage= Holding to your beliefs and opinions even when it is difficult Learn about Veterans Day (veterans visit make cards to send to service men), First Thanksgiving, Native Americans, Pilgrims December Integrity= Doing the right thing even when no one is looking Learning about good deeds (canned food drive, toys for tots), doing for others, Christmas season

17. January Honesty=Speaking and acting with truthfulness in all situations Learn about beginning a new year and resolutions (talk about how resolutions are to make you a better person) (make school resolutions), Martin Luther King Day (watch videos on how he changed our world), Family (have parents come in and talk about their job) February Patience=waiting calmly in spite of difficulty or opposition Learn about Presidents Day (compare and contrast presidents) (study other countries) , Valentines Day, appreciating differences March Self Control= Restraining your impulses and behavior in all situations Learn about manners, St. Patrick’s Day, Spring

18. April Caring= Demonstrate kindness, courtesy, and compassion towards others. Learn about feelings, hero’s (have service men come and describe their job in the military), Earth Day (plant a tree), animals (pet day at school, invite a VET to visit) May Service= Expanding time and effort to help others Learn about community, Memorial Day, chores at home and school, jobs in America,

19. 7 ways to encourage a learner • 1. Open each lesson with an introduction that captures interest • 2. Move around the room; walk energetically and purposefully • 3. Expression on your face • 4. Vary pitch voice and rate • 5. Don’t run a lecture hall- ask questions • 6. Lots of examples • 7. Content relates to them By Kimberly Johnson

20. Character Ed RapKindergarten will do this and I’ll send it to all the teachers to show in their class It’s what you do It’s who you are, It’s the way you live your life. COOPERATION, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILTY, COURAGE, INTEGRITY HONESTY, PATIENCE, SELF-CONTROL,CARING, SERVICE THAT’S RIGHT! Character Counts!!!

21. Character Rap Video

22. Assessment ideasThese can be done in the form of a paper, poster, power point, or role play depending on grade level. For lower levels you could use diagrams to compare and contrast and lots of discussions. Name a famous person you look up to and list any pillars of character they possess. Do you know anyone who possess these traits? Stop and think, do you? Write and tell me how can the pillars of character help you resolve problems you may face in life? What pillar do you personally want to work on? How will you work on this?

23. Extensions for 1-8 Kindergarten has a letter of the week. Each week we will post a letter with motivational quotes to go with the letter. As the year progress I will ask different grades to come up with motivational quotes to post. This will incorporate literacy (for the upper grades) and phonemic awareness (for the younger grades). An example is: B= Believe in yourself. These will than be posted around the school as reminders of Character Education. Have different colored necklaces or bracelets to represent the different characteristics. If the School coordinator sees someone wearing their character necklace or bracelet they receive a special treat. Involving the upper grades in displaying good character in situations is a great way to show lower grades proper behavior. In all school assembly learn character rap to help reinforce concept.

24. Assessment Ideas Games are a great way to assess lower level grades. This game will also encourage higher level thinking. Sample questions for character education are: You find $20 on the floor, what do you do with it? Your friend says “Hey, let’s skip school?” What do you do? Your friend is making fun of another student, what do you do? Should you leave trash on the floor? Should you talk loudly down the hall?

25. The Big Wheel Play

26. The Big Wheel Instructions: 1) Divide into Teams 2) Ask a Question to a Team 3) If correct, click the Spin Wheel Button to choose the number of points that team will receive. 4) Type points from wheel into Team Score Box 5) Continue until out of questions. 4 3 Play

27. Team Scores The Big Wheel Team One Team Two Team Three Team Four Team Five Team Six Team Seven Team Eight Spin Wheel Points

28. Assessment Pre-assessment is done at the beginning of the year. I will asses the students as we go by observation and participation. Each Kindergarten student will keep a binder portfolio of the activities for each month. These activities will include writing, interviewing, reading, etc. There will also be activities for the parents to do with their child at home.

29. Restatement Will using Character Education encourage student engagement, student relevance, and help them make connections? My answer is YES! Character Education puts the student in the driver seat. They are in control of how they act towards others and to authority. They are in charge of their education and they will only get out of it what they put into it.

30. Surprise!!!! I have learned character education is a daily part of a child’s education.It puts them in charge of their actions and how they relate to those around them. Character education is something that can be carried on the rest of your life. It makes them a better person, and better people make a better society. I have learned how to implement games such as, Spin the Wheel, into lessons to help with assessment. Movie trailers are a great introduction to discussion which is an easier assessment for Kindergarten.

31. New Ideas Service is a HUGE part of character education. In character education seminars I have learned doing for others is a benefit to how a child perceives the world around him. Ideas for our school are visiting nursing homes, shut ins in our town, and pen pals with those serving in the military. I want to be the Character Education coordinator for our building. I would LOVE to develop ideas and email them to teachers who will than have them handy for those “teachable moments”.

32. Motto’s for life I am I can I will Tell me I will forget Show me I might remember Engage me and I will never forget By: Kimberly Johnson

33. Review of Literature As a kindergarten teacher the greatest joy I have is teaching children the love of reading. Family literacy plays a huge part in how a child embraces reading ( Marrow, 2005). If a child is not read to at home and reading is not emphasized It is my job as teacher to show them the importance and love of reading. My job as is to be the “Master Reader”, or ‘Thinker”, not always talking but thinking aloud with my students (McEwan, 2004). By thinking aloud I am activating prior knowledge and showing them they are able relate to the text. Even early readers can relate to a story. According to ( Marrow, 2005) there are 5 elements to reading success, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency. For assessment, observation of engaged activities, focus on goal of curriculum, diversity into account, varied format, knowledge based.

34. Bibliography Marrow, Leslie Mendel, 2005; “Literature development in the early years” Pearson Education. McEwan, Elaine K., 2004; “7 Strategies of Highly Effective Readers” Corwin Press

35. Book Ideas • Splat the cats 1st day of school = manners • Hip Hop Dog = listening • Recess Queen = bullies • Miss Bindergarten gets ready for Kindergarten = school manners • Llama Llama mad at Mama = feelings • Just go to bed! = obeying • Molly Lou Melon = acceptance • Fill a bucket = cooperation, tolerance, respect • Listening time = respect • The skin you live in = acceptance • Aesop’s Fables

36. All Aboard!