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Michael Josephson, Founder www.charactercounts.org. The focus. CONSCIOUSNESS COMPETENCY COMMITMENT. When a youth in Bermuda becomes a young adult what do you want them to. Know? Be able to do? Be like?. Why do we need to place greater emphasis on:. INTENTIONAL.
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The focus • CONSCIOUSNESS • COMPETENCY • COMMITMENT
When a youth in Bermuda becomes a young adultwhat do you want them to Know?Be able to do? Be like?
Why do we need to place greater emphasis on: INTENTIONAL • Character building • Helping young people know how to make good decisions • Sportsmanship • Caring for others • Being of service to their community ?
The Moral Landscape Values and Attitudes of American Youth
Importance of Character 98% said: “It is important for them to be a person of good character.” • 82% ranked having good moral character • as “very important.” • 84% agree: “It’s not worth it to lie or cheat • because it hurts your character.” • 89% agree: “being a good person is • more important than being rich.” — Josephson Institute of Ethics 2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
Playing by the Rules 91% agree: “people should play by the rules even if they lose.” — Josephson Institute of Ethics 2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
Delusional Self-Image • 92% are “satisfied” with their own ethics and character. • 77% of high school students rated their own ethics higher than those of their peers. • 85% of high school students said at least half the people who knew them would list them as one of the most ethical people they know. — Josephson Institute of Ethics 2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
Lying 82% • lied to a parent about something significant within the past 12 months. (55% – 2 or more times) • 64% admitted lying to a teacher about something significant within the past 12 months. (37% – 2 or more times) • 42% admitted they “sometimes lie to save money.” — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card, survey of 29,000 high school students
CHEATING • 65% male and 54% female agree: “In the real world, successful people do what they have to do to win, even if others consider it cheating.” • — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
CHEATING • 48% male and 33% female agree: “A person has to lie or cheat sometimes in order to succeed.” • — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
CHEATING 68% of male varsity athletes and 66% of female varsity athletes admitted to cheating at least once in the past year. — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
Cheating in Sports said they cheated or bent the rules to win in sports within the past 12 months (11% – 2 or more times). — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students 25%
Stealing of high school students admitted they stole something from a store within the past 12 months. 30% — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
Bullying • 35% of males and 37% of females say that physical violence (fighting, bullying, intimidation) is a “big problem” at their school. • ? admitted they bullied, teased or taunted someone in the past 12 months • 48% said they had been bullied, teased or taunted in a way that seriously upset them (47% of males, 50% of females). 53% (60% of males, 46% of females). — Josephson Institute of Ethics2008 Report Card Survey of 29,000 high school students
People do not automatically develop good moral character; therefore, conscientious efforts must be made to instruct young people in the values and abilities necessary for moral decision making and conduct. — Aspen Declaration, 1992
To educate a child in the mind but not the morals is to educate a menace to society. - Theodore Roosevelt
A person’s ‘character’ refers to dispositions and habits that determine the way that person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes. — Michael Josephson
Showing Our True Character Character is revealed by how you behave when you think no one is looking.
Iowa Youth Survey – Fort Dodge, Iowa The results have shown that over the past 6 years Students care more about other people’s feelings – in particular the 11th graders went from 89% caring to 96% agreeing that they care about others. It is important to tell the truth – 81% 11th graders agreed in 99 and 92% in 2005 – still a long way to go but a marked improvement Adults in my community care about people my age – 57% to 67% increase by 11th graders
Iowa Youth Survey Data Statistically significant differences reflected in CHARACTER COUNTS! engaged schools: I am accepting of those different than myself (racially, culturally, socio-economically) It is wrong to discriminate against someone because of her/his race, appearance, culture, religion, etc. Students in my school treat each other with respect I feel safe at school I care about my school
Tulare County, CA Youth Facility Success is defined as: Minor remains crime-free during the time he or she is in the program and for one year after successful completion, including Aftercare.
CHARACTER COUNTS!Community ImpactEagle Grove, IA Juvenile Arrests * Figures adjusted for comparison to pre-2002 juvenile charge categories
The real test of our character is whether we are willing to do the right thing even when it is not in our self-interest.
What IsCHARACTER COUNTS!? • CHARACTER COUNTS!is the nation’s most widely used character development framework. • It is used in schools, youth, sports, and civic organizations. • It is based on shared beliefs and consensus values called the “Six Pillars of Character.”
Inclusive and Nonpartisan • CHARACTER COUNTS! has no ideological or political agenda other than strengthening the moral fiber of the next generation by promoting consensus ethical values. • Members of the Coalition include secular and religious organizations as well as government and civicentities.
WhatCHARACTER COUNTS!Is NOT . . . • A means to introduce religion into public education • An add-on program • Another silver-bullet solution to the issue du jour • Just a feel-good program
YMCA Boys & Girls Clubs 4-H National PTA Big Brothers/Big Sisters Little League AYSO U.S. Soccer Assn. Nat’l Assn. of Police Athletic Leagues AFT NEA Amer. Assn. of School Administrators Nat’l Assn.of Secondary School Principals Nat’l Assn. of Student Councils Nat’l Catholic Educational Assn. Internat’l Assn. of Chiefs of Police Nat’l Assn. of Elementary School Principals A Few of the Over 500 CHARACTER COUNTS! Organizations
Major Projects ofCHARACTER COUNTS! • Foundations for Life • Honor Above All • Pursuing Victory with Honor • National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week (third week in October) • Internet: www.charactercounts.org • MyLife24/7.org
Sportsmanship A victory attained by cheating or other forms of unethical conduct is counterfeit. A true athlete believes winning without honor is not a true victory. Coaches must remember and teach that true sports is a process of pursuing victory with honor.
Necessity of a Common Vocabulary This common vocabulary of the Six Pillars of Character describing critical traits and values is essential to the CHARACTER COUNTS! strategy of coalescing diverse educational and youth programs and community organizations into a unified collaboration promoting good character.
Six Pillars of Character • TRUSTWORTHINESS • RESPECT • RESPONSIBILITY • FAIRNESS • CARING • CITIZENSHIP
Trustworthiness Embodies Four Ethical Principles • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROMISE-KEEPING • LOYALTY
Respect The ethical duty is to treat everyone with respect — not to respect everyone in the sense that we hold all people in high esteem or admire them.
Responsibility Life is full of choices . . . Responsibility is an important aspect of good character concerned with the moral obligation to choose attitudes, words and actions, and the duty to accept personal responsibility for the consequences of those actions.
Two Aspects of Fairness • Process – how we make decisions. • Results – what we decide, the substance of the decision. The consequences or benefits should be fair.
Fairness • The virtue of fairness establishes moral standards for decisions that affect others. • Pre-established rules/criteria that are consistently applied help create a fair process & result
Caring: • Concern for others’ well-being • Compassion • Empathy • Kindness and consideration • Charity • Sacrifice • Gratitude • Forgiveness