“Intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the true goal of education.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Ms. P. Rivera

The Ralph Bunche School

P.S. 125 Manhattan

WEBQUEST

Why Character Education is Important in Our Schools

INTRODUCTION:

It seems that the trend in many schools is that violence, dishonesty, shallow values and a lack of respect have become too common. Where have our values gone and what can we do to change this trend? It will have to start with character education.

What is character education and why should our schools make it a part of the curriculum? Character education is basically all about educating students to know the difference between right and wrong. It includes teaching kids values such as responsibility, self-discipline, gratitude, caring, compassion, self-control, cooperation, courage, honesty, loyalty, trust, and respect for self and others. Character education gives students the opportunity to explore these concepts. It will be your task to set up a program in your school that will teach students these important virtues that will make students become responsible adults and good citizens.

TASK:

Your task will be to set up a character education program in your school. This program will emphasize promoting citizenship, respect for self and respect for others. In order to develop a plan, you will have to research what kinds of issues your school needs to address, like promoting random acts of kindness, showing respect, sportsmanship and leadership, tolerance, honesty and honor. You will present your plan to the principal of your school and with the help of your teacher you will carry out your character education plan in your school.

PROCESS:

1. Use the sites listed to gather information on character education.
2. Follow the steps on the Public Policy Analyst site: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppac/ppae1.html
3. Your committee of will define and describe the problem in your school using Worksheet #1- https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppac/step1d.html
4. Identify the causes of the problem. Why do students treat each other the way they do? Are there positive role models? What influences us to act the way they do? Use Worksheet #3- Click here: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppac/step3a.html
5. What is the policy for promoting character education in your school? How can your committee create a plan that will work and promote values in your school? Use Worksheet #4- https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppac/step4a.html
6. Develop solutions and a plan for a character education program. Use Worksheet #5 https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppac/step5a.html
7. Prepare a presentation and submit your plan to the principal.

RESOURCES:

Search engine: www.askjeeves.com

http://reading.indiana.edu/www/indexce.html

http://polk.ga.net/Westside/Charactered.html

http://www.vocabulary.com/chared.html

http://www.character-education.us/

http://teach.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/affsys/valuesga.html

www.teachingvalues.com

EVALUATION:

GRADE:	1	2	3	4
Oral Presentation	No knowledge of the uses of PPA - Presents no data to support the proposed policy	Little knowledge of the uses of PPA. -Presents several sources of data in a logical format to support the proposed policy	Acceptable amount of knowledge Of the uses of PPA –presents several sources of data in a logical and organized format to support the proposed policy	Superior knowledge of the uses of PPA. -Presents an exceptional amount of data to support the proposed policy
Research	Links not relevant to support the proposed policy	Enough links but few support the proposed policy	Many links that support the proposed policy	All links support the proposed policy
Report and Worksheets	Incomplete - does not use the conventions of standard written English	Complete weak usage of the conventions of standard written English	Complete with and acceptable usage of the conventions of standard written English	Complete with superior use of the conventions of standard written English

ELA Standards:

1. Students will read and write for information and understanding.

2. Students will read and write for literary response and expression.

3. Students will read and write for critical analysis and evaluation.

4. Student will speak and listen for social interaction.

CONCLUSION:

By completing the webquest, you will understand how to develop a plan for implementing a character education program. You will have identified the problems specific to your school, provided information based on the research about character education, and created a plan that will help promote universally accepted virtues. The character education program will give students the opportunity to explore concepts and internalize them.