• Character Education: as important as academics?
    by GreatSchools Staff
    Since the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999, character education programs have sprouted up around the country, some with astonishing, quantifiable results.
  • Character Strengths: What Are They and Why They Matter?
    by Marilyn Price-Mitchell
    It is widely acknowledged that character — not beauty, high test scores, or wealth — account for life satisfaction and well-being. As adults who model character to kids, it’s helpful to begin by taking inventory of our own character strengths.
  • Character — What Is It and Why Is It Important?
    by Michael Josephson
    When we say someone has good character, we are expressing the opinion that their nature is defined by worthy traits like integrity, courage, and compassion — even in challenging situations.
  • Creating Opportunities for Moral Action
    by Patricia Zissios
    As the children of Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy, a K-5 public elementary school in Alexandria, Virginia, were taught to become responsible citizens of the global community, they learned the value of giving back.
  • The Discipline of Building Character
    by Joseph L. Badaracco, Jr.
    This series of down-to-earth, thought-provoking questions is designed to help managers take time out from the hustle and bustle of the workplace and transform values and beliefs into calculated action.
  • Humility in Sports: Why Does It Matter?
    by Malcolm Shaw
    Athletes who exemplify humility model many admirable character traits, including modesty, being coachable, knowing how to uplift others, and leading by example.
  • The Moments That Make Us Who We Are
    by Hara Estroff Marano and Anna Yusim
    Moments of great meaning that are social in nature can arise spontaneously in the space between people and can shed an illuminating light on the deepest dimensions of a someone's being.
  • The New Politics of Character
    by Richard V. Reeves
    The development of character is perhaps the central task of any civilized society and every individual within it. Its absence is felt not only when communities collapse into riots, but in many long-standing areas that are vital for human flourishing.
  • Should Schools Teach Personality?
    by Anna North
    Self-control, curiosity, “grit” — these qualities may seem more personal than academic, but at some schools, they’re now part of the regular curriculum. But will focusing on qualities like grit will distract policy makers from problems with schools?
  • Social Emotional Learning and Character Development
    by Yael Kidron
    Educating the whole child calls for the integration of social and emotional learning into the curriculum. Character education promotes core virtues, moral sensitivity, moral commitment, ethical reasoning, and personal growth aspirations.
  • Spiritual Intelligence
    from Wikipedia
    The phrase "spiritual intelligence," coined in 1997, points to a higher domain of character development that includes being led by vision and asking fundamental "why" questions.
  • What Builds Character?
    by Jon Mertz
    Character erodes or grows over time. Ways to develop it include working hard, not putting off tough conversations, exhibiting humility when you succeed, and being nice even when you don't feel like it.
  • Wisdom to Go
    by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
    These proverbs, pith instructions, mind-training slogans, 12-Step sayings, and aphorisms reinforce character building.