{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"28592939","dateCreated":"1287328596","smartDate":"Oct 17, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"JudiWheeler","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JudiWheeler","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1287327527\/JudiWheeler-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/wheeler-edim510.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/28592939"},"dateDigested":1532287547,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Character Education","description":"Most schools have implemented a program that is intended to teach our students important characteristics that will help them to become contributing members of our society. What are your thoughts and ideas on teachers and schools having such a great amount of responsibility in making sure that these characteristics are learned by our students.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"28595193","body":"Good Question! I think it is very important for teachers to spend time teaching character education. We actually have one block every week for 45 minutes where we focus on this. I think it is crucial because students are not being taught these important life skills at home. No longer are teachers responsible for content, but also to make sure that children are ready to head into the world as responsible, working, and caring adults. Honestly, even after the 45 minutes every week I can see a huge change as to how my students interact with one another outside on the playground and during group work. Therefore, I say it is worth the time and effort!","dateCreated":"1287334222","smartDate":"Oct 17, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"jziegler3","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/jziegler3","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28611803","body":"Excellent Question Judi, Teaching is my second career. I feel we are living through an actual time of decline in our American society. Trying to not sound too negative, our society is not raising their children properly in many cases. They are abdicating this critical responsibility to the schools. When a major bullying event or some other terrible occurrence happens, society can now blame the poor schools and teachers for failing their children. Parents must be the primary teachers of life skills, not the schools. We should help, but today our society is handing us total responsibility and this is wrong!","dateCreated":"1287363035","smartDate":"Oct 17, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"tedangstadt","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/tedangstadt","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1296195867\/tedangstadt-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28615297","body":"I think it's incredibly important for students to learn these skills, however, I agree that the children's families should be a primary teacher of these skills. Reinforcing character education at school is extremely important for the kiddos, however, to truly make a difference it needs to come from both home and school.","dateCreated":"1287366440","smartDate":"Oct 17, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"Meggerz409","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Meggerz409","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28670325","body":"There are two main sides that teachers take in this debate: Some say that character education is the responsibility of the parents and schools should not be charged with doing it; others say that if parents refuse to teach character than schools have no choice and must fill the void. Before I give my two cents, I must make say that this is an extremely tough question to answer and more complex than meets the eye.
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\nWhile I truly believe that it is one of the most important parental responsibilities to build character in their children, the reality is that this is not happening for an ever increasing number. I think the answer ultimately lies with educating parents on how to educate their children, rather than educating the children directly. However, I also believe that some sort of character education must be done at school also.
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\nThe reason that some character education needs to take place at school (although a majority of this should always happen at home) is that basic human psychology tells us that we need repetition and reinforcement to learn something. If adults inside of the school building and elsewhere in the community are enforcing the same basic values consistently, then the kids get the message. Many kids are rude simply because they get away with being that way. When all adults who have contact with a child can be relatively consistent with impressing upon him the same basic values, the child simply has no choice but to meet those expectations.
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\nNow the real question is: How can we make this happen?","dateCreated":"1287445154","smartDate":"Oct 18, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"MrNWeaver","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/MrNWeaver","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1280153400\/MrNWeaver-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28739887","body":"Unfortunately, I agree with Jenna on the fact that character education is not being taught at home in most cases. As an elementary teacher, I see the students more hours out of the waking day than their own parents. I spend one 45 minute block every 6 day cycle on character development because I find it helps in so many ways. Not only are students more attentive during academic time (because they aren't arguing, being bullies, or tattling!) but I also find my classes to be more enjoyable to work with. Third grade is a year of many changes and I hope that I instill in them some problem solving skills, compassion, and a more well rounded view (not so self absorbed). If people outside the educational world really new what our job encompassed we might be better respected!","dateCreated":"1287533418","smartDate":"Oct 19, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"balbright318","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/balbright318","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1287533452\/balbright318-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28789839","body":"I hate to say that schools and teachers are taking such a huge role in building the character of students that will help frame who they become later but it is obviously apparent in my school now. We hold monthly assemblies for the sole purpose of reviewing the character education word for that month and rewarding the students who displayed that trait.
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\nAs I was saying in another response, I know that I have had to take the role of emphasizing the character in several children in my current class because there is a lack parental guidence and support at home. They are left to do things for themselves and most of the times that leads them down a bad path.
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\nI know that teaching and emphasizing character is not a part of our job description, but neither is half of the stuff teachers put into each and every lesson we teach.","dateCreated":"1287602268","smartDate":"Oct 20, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"hanlojas","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/hanlojas","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1287585880\/hanlojas-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28819639","body":"I think it is a big responsibility to teach character in our classrooms. After all, we are role models for these students. In my setting, I'm one of the most consistent people in my students' lives. My students come from tough home lives. They are not getting the character lessons from a parent. At times, in my building, we focus more on character lessons that academics.","dateCreated":"1287628392","smartDate":"Oct 20, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"mcentires","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/mcentires","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28837691","body":"I think there is a fine line here that needs to be respected. While many of these character traits that are desirable should be taught at home, in some cases they are simply not. I think things like "please", "thank you" and "excuse me" are important. It's an essential part of students ability to function in todays work force to be able to be polite, understand appropriate behavior etc. However, in teaching these behaviors, educators must be careful not to interfere to far, and start teaching morality. This should certainly be left at home. But basic human decency, teach away!","dateCreated":"1287669483","smartDate":"Oct 21, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"afuggiti","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/afuggiti","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1205322521\/afuggiti-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"28966985","body":"I think that any adult who works with children of any age needs to model and reinforce good behavior and decision making. I do not think that teaching and molding character is the job of the school. I think schools have taken on more and more responsibility for the "raising" of children and that that has been a mistake for both the schools and for families.","dateCreated":"1287893065","smartDate":"Oct 23, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"bethoconnor","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/bethoconnor","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1227812368\/bethoconnor-lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]}],"more":false},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}