Character EducationI have started a Character Education project in my daughter’s class. I have decided to document the process for those of you who may be interested. First, I would like to give you a brief background as to why this has come to fruition. My daughter goes to a beautiful private school set in the hills of Dominican Republic. There are so many wonderful aspects of her school that we are so grateful for. The low teacher to student ratio. The family-oriented feel of a smaller school. The picturesque and inspiring setting. The diversity of students from all over the world. Unfortunately, there are drawbacks as well. There have been issues in my child’s class since Grade 4. At the time, I didn’t know the problem had a name but now I do, it is called, “emotional bullying”. The problem continued into Grade 5 and 6 and escalated in Grade 7; two students in the class actually left the school because of the ongoing emotional abuse by fellow students. We also had had enough and decided to take our daughter out of the school at the end of the year. I have made many attempts since Grade 4 to have the school make Character Education and Values-based Education a fundamental part of the curriculum. There were some small triumphs but overall there wasn't any great change. I finally realized that the school wasn’t going to fix the problem, so it was necessary for me to be a part of the solution. I approached the principal and volunteered to do some life coaching classes with a focus on Character Education for the children. He liked the idea and agreed. I spent 45 minutes per week in the class focusing on different topics. For example: Beliefs, Values, Self-Confidence, Self-Image, Kindness and Compassion. I did realize that this wasn’t the perfect solution but at least it was something. There was definitely an improvement in the behavior of the children, albeit temporarily. In the meantime, our daughter had learned how to cope and improve her situation at the school. She decided that she didn't want to leave the school. I am a firm believer that adversity can teach you many lessons if you are willing to open up to them. My family and I learned plenty about tolerance, non-judgment, forgiveness and taking action. I have come to understand that few parents (at least in my daughter’s class) actually talk to their children about feelings, values, principles and their connection to the planet. These concepts are new for most of these children. I have begun the Character Education project again this year but now only once every two weeks, due to my own, as well as the school’s time constraints. I am not a teacher. I am a concerned parent who has chosen to use my Life Coaching skills in a way that I believe is helpful. I would be very open and appreciative of any input you may have. If you would kindly leave any comments or questions below. Also, please feel free to use any of this Character Education material if it can benefit you or your children.
Lesson 1. Goal Setting Lesson Plan
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How can I help my daughter have a better experience at school?
Hi Karen,
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