Character+Education


 * American Community School at Beirut **
 * // Essential Character Education Agreements //**
 * Given that Character Education is a way of life in the school rather than a program, **** every teacher builds trust and acts as a model of good character throughout every day. Every teacher provides students with the skills and motivation to be persons of character through social and emotional development balanced with academic achievement. **

Positive relationships among all community members are the driving force of motivation. Adults adhere to the Professional Covenant. Classrooms engage in Morning Meetings and Class Meetings where students are taught the skills of “giving voice” and listening. The climate of each classroom is accepting and nurturing.
 * // Relationship Building //**

Teachers model and explicitly teach good manners including greetings as the “glue” of relationships.
 * // Manners – Greetings //**

Teachers teach procedures and routines to students so that clarity of expectations are communicated and consistently reinforced. All common areas shared by adults and students have procedures that are shared and taught, i.e. hallways, bathrooms, assemblies.
 * // Procedures //**

Teachers use discipline as a means of teaching. Corrections in behavior are developmental and appropriate to the student and to the misbehavior experienced. Teachers engage students in conversation about choices and responsibilities. All teachers are teachers of all children.
 * // Discipline //**

Teachers teach a set of bullying lesson plans each year. All bullying behavior is treated at the highest level of seriousness.
 * // Bullying //**

Teachers use the “two by ten” tool to connect with students who are exhibiting behaviors that are withdrawn or overly attention seeking. “Two” refers to two minutes per day of personal contact with the child. The “ten” signifies ten consecutive days. This tool’s use in no way replaces the daily warm connections teachers must make with all students. To be used as often as needed.
 * // “Two by Ten” //**

Teachers use the Levels Chart with students as a tool to teach self-monitoring of behavior.
 * // Levels of Responsibility Chart //**

Teachers teach the “I” statement each year, providing students with the tool of verbal assertion. Older students may use a slightly modified version.
 * // “I” Statement //**

Teachers explicitly teach the virtue of the month and the connecting Trust idea. Further work is done throughout the month by integrating the trait through academic content. All adults in the school are focused on the trait and act as teachers. Each teacher is responsible to maintain the Character Education and Trust notebooks.
 * // Virtue of the Month //**

Teachers create experiences of reflection on what it means to be a person of character and how to use the tools of character development. Self-assessment and internalization are the goals of reflection.
 * // Reflection // **

Teachers provide opportunities for students to understand brain function as related to emotional/social and cognitive performance.
 * // Brain-Based Learning //**

Teachers engage students in continuous goal setting and reflection on accomplishments.
 * // Goal Setting //**

Teachers provide leadership opportunities for students within the classroom and in other settings, recognizing that giving responsibility and trust is one of the best ways to teach them. Student Council offers training and experiences to lead throughout the school.
 * // Leadership // **

Each teacher and student is assigned to a school wide Circle group of 8-9 student members that meets several times during the school year to foster community building across the school.
 * // Circles //**

Teachers choose another classroom for paired experiences that build connections and community.
 * // Buddies //**

Teachers provide opportunities for celebrations of all forms of learning. These can be public events or private classroom performances. Recognition and performance replaces external rewards.
 * // Celebrations //**



January 24, 2011

Day #4 A Word About Bullying from the Principal, Mrs. Branch

(Note: 5D students are a cohesive team, extend generosity to each other and include all children as potential partners in all classroom, recess and lunch/snack activities. Bullying has not been an issue in 5D. Annoying others has been an infrequent issue among the students, immediately corrected when I become aware of anyone annoying others and corrected willingly by all individuals in the class, along with welcoming and orienting new students to the Team 5D. Nevertheless, I discuss bullying with my students periodically, as many students are susceptible to being a bully, as circumstances encourage a child to behave in a bullying manner. It is not negotiable in my class, bullying is forbidden and action will be taken immediately to extinguish any bullying-type behavior and hold the bullier accountable and responsible for making the circumstances/situation "right" for the target of the bullying behavior. Inappropriate behavior can never be excused due to the actions of another. Each student is 100% accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, regardless of "who started it" or what else was said or done.

Dear Parents,

Is it really bullying? The first question that comes to my mind when a student tells me I’m being bullied, or a parent reports on behalf of their child. (I don’t ask the reporter – it is a quiet question in my brain.)

You see, bullying is the word for everything these days – for everything that annoys. There is a saying that when you have a hammer, everything becomes a nail. The bully word has become the hammer. The bully word as used now no longer takes into account the developmental unskilled behaviors of children as they maneuver conflict.

The purpose of this letter is to reestablish a working definition of bullying. There are certain characteristics that we use at school to distinguish bullying from annoying.


 * Targeted – The bully selects someone, usually based on a difference of some sort who becomes the victim of repeated aggression.
 * Imbalance of power – The bully can be bigger, stronger, older, more verbally adept, more popular, different race, opposite sex.
 * Intent to harm – The bully has conscious, willful, and deliberate intent to harm, cause fear and create terror.
 * Repeated – Bullying against the victim is not intended to be a one time event.

On the other hand, we have a school of children learning their way with social challenges that come with living together in the classroom and at recess. Some children face developmental lag in their social skills. They can choose or spontaneously cause some harm by behaviors that are not yet developed skillwise. Yes, this is serious work for school adults. But it is not bullying. Bullying requires a much stronger degree of intervention – but again it is teaching. Our children are young and their brains are malleable.

The purpose of this letter is not to discourage you from talking to us about behaviors directed at your child that are worrisome. Working with behavior is an equal part of our job – it is called the social/emotional domain of education. And if you are not sure if it is bullying, we will make the distinction following the guidelines above.

During this month (possibly next) your homeroom teacher will engage all the class in discussions about bullying. Each year we repeat a unit on the topic and have been doing that for a number of years. It is part of character education and our social studies curriculum.

A very good book on the topic is The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander by Barbara Coloroso. She informs much of my thinking on the subject.

Sincerely, Geri Branch