Schoolwide Character

Education Proposal
Brenda Gutierrez Rojas
Grand Canyon University
EAD-520: Strengthening Curricular Programs
August 2, 2023
Are Character Education Programs Effective?

 Research shows that there is a positive relationship

between character education and student
achievement.
 Leads to higher levels of academic goals met.
 “Leads to higher levels of expression of love,
integrity, compassion, and self-discipline.” (A meta-
analysis, n.d.)

2
 Positive Character Traits Education in Texas

“The Texas Education Code (TEC)  •
§29.906 states that the State Board of
Education (SBOE) shall integrate
positive character traits and personal
skills into the essential knowledge and
skills adopted for kindergarten through
grade 12, as appropriate.”
• Courage
Trustworthiness, including honesty, reliability,
punctuality, and loyalty
• Integrity
• Respect and courtesy
• Responsibility, including accountability, diligence,
perseverance, self-management skills, and self-control
• Fairness, including justice and freedom from prejudice
• Caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion,
consideration, patience, generosity, charity, and
interpersonal skills
• Good citizenship, including patriotism, concern for the
common good and the community, responsible
decision-making skills, and respect for authority and
the law
• School pride
• Gratitude
3
 4
Proposed Program

”Leader in Me is an evidence-based,
comprehensive model that builds
leadership and life skills in students,
creates a high-trust school culture,
and lays the foundation for
sustained academic achievement”
(Leader in Me, 2022).
 5
• The Leader In Me is a program that

Why
pushes students to become leaders
at school and at home.
• The curriculum helps teachers make

Leader in
their classrooms 100% student
centered.
• The curriculum offers lessons, videos, read
a louds and other resources for teachers

•
•
and parents.
This will improve parent involvement.
The entire curriculum is in student friendly
Me?
language.
 6
Aligned with Vision and Mission

 Our vision is to be the premier choice in education. When we make it our goal to teach the whole
child, both academically and socially, our school will shine in every aspect.
 Our mission is to create a nurturing environment that produces leaders. The leader in me is exactly
that. The curriculum pushes encouragement and positive reinforcement. Students are not only
motivated to lead but they are taught exactly what to do and say when they lead.
 Overall, this prepares them to be extraordinary citizens in the future.
 7

The 7 Habits of a
Happy Kid
 Habits For Leading Yourself
Habit 1: Habit 2: Habit 3:
Be Proactive Begin With the End in Put First Things First
Mind
Habit 1 teaches Habit 2 teaches Habit 3 teaches
students the students the students how to set
importance of being importance of priorities, make a
responsible and taking planning ahead and schedule, and why it is
initiative. Students helps them learn how important to follow
learn that they are in to set goals. through with the plans
charge of their words they have made.
and actions and Students learn about
develop an the importance of
understanding what being organized.
they can and cannot
influence and control.
8
 Habits For Leading Others

Habit 4: Habit 5: Habit 6:

Think Win-Win Seek First to Synergize
Understand, Then to Be
Understood.
Habit 4 helps students Habit 5 teaches Habit 6 teaches
to develop their ability students the students how to value
to consider the needs importance of listening the strengths and
and wants of others to others and talents of others and
instead of just their considering other that it is important to
own. Students learn peoples’ viewpoints. not just work as a team
how to effective but to be able to learn
resolve conflict. from others as well.

9
Habits For Renewal & Contribution
Habit 7:
Sharpen the Saw
Students learn the importance of
balancing work and play. Students
are taught that it is important to
take care of themselves by eating
right, spending time with friends
and family, and getting enough
sleep.
Habit 8:
Find Your Voice
Students are taught that the 8th habit
comes from implementing the seven
other habits. Students learn that it is
important to develop their talents
and passions and to be proud of
their achievements. Students also
learn the importance of encouraging
others to do the same.
10
 Leader in me at our school
• Introduced/modeled to students during ”Culture Week”
• Morning announcements by students
• Character pledge
• School decor
• 7 Habits Tree in every classroom
• Schoolwide use of common language
• Family newsletters including that teachers the 7 habits to parents
• Leadership Nights (student led open house)
• Mailbox for students to drop off their notes about school issues (students have a voice)
• Teachers live the habits themselves
• Leadership notebooks
11
 Goals, Progress, & Support
Program Goals
Stakeholder Support
As stated on the Leader in
Me website, students will: Monitoring Progress • LIM trainers-monthly
• Progress is monitored meetings with the
• Understand and Campus leadership
manage emotions both by the campus
leadership team and team
• Set and achieve the Leader in Me • Administrators- closely
positive goals trainers. monitor
• Feel and show • Students track their implementation
empathy for others own progress in their • Teachers-implement by
• Establish and leadership notebooks. living the Habits
maintain positive • Administrators use • Students-will learn and
relationships rubrics to give teachers demonstrate leadership
(Leader in Me, 2022) feedback.

12
 How does it compare?
Leader in Character
DDV
Me Counts

Continuous training Is fairly new and is Multiple trainings

available for staff, still going through the available for school
students, and families process of creation. staff

Focus on 6 Pillars of
Focus on SEL and Focus is SEL (not
Character (works
leadership through 7 student friendly
better with secondary
Habits language)
students).

Works well with Works well with

Lacks Restorative
Restorative Justice Restorative Justice
Justice
practices practices
13
 Steps for Implementation

Parent Liason and campus

1
leadership team hold a meeting with
Book study with the staff on ”The parents to instroduce the LIM.
Leader in Me” by Stephen Covey. 4

Schedule a training for staff during in-

service by the LIM trainer. 5
Plan for teachers to teach all of the 7 habits
2
during Culture Week.

Monitor and adjust the implementation

3 Model for teachers. Train teachers to 6 of the LIM throughout the school year.
live the 7 habits themselves.
14
 15

Potential Obstacles

Costly

Teacher by In

Leading by example
References
A meta-analysis on the relationship between character ... - sage journals. (n.d.).
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013124517747681
Elementary the 7 habits of happy kids. The 7 Habits of Happy Kids - Leader In Me.
(n.d.). https://www.leaderinme.org/the-7-habits-of-happy-kids/
Character education programs for middle & high school students. Growing
Leaders. (2022, December 8). https://growingleaders.com/habitudes/habitudes-
for-middle-and-high-school/character-education/
Texas Education Agency. (2023, June 2). Positive character traits education. Texas
Education Agency. https://tea.texas.gov/academics/learning-support-and-
programs/positive-character-traits-education

16