character education that works

[parkermak]

I teach in an urban charter school in Flint Michigan. I really need to find a program that works for character education. Our kids are mean to each other. They tell you the right thing to do and go back to the wrong thing every time. This is true in students from k-6. Any suggestions will work.
Thanks

 

[Singvogel]

This is a hard one.

I haven't seen a program that works. It's both a community and school culture thing.

I haven't used it yet, but I know there will come a day when I will need to. It's more geared toward older students, but I think it could be adjusted for littles by giving them sticky notes with the positive adjectives.

http://www.yourkidsteacher.com/2012/04/erasing-meanness.html

 

[luvtulearn]

Unhappy kids, unloved kids, and or unwanted kids have needs so deep and wide spread that these programs sometimes seem to go through the motions of addressing the real issues High needs students need a plethora of invested and trained adults like human undivided attention to intervene when needed. Borderline impossible without lowering class size considerably and adding adults to run groups, activities, etc. .
Do you have Kicks-to-Learn ? They are college students in training in PE using Social Emotional learning. They come during all the lunch recesses so that occupies that 30 min. so there is less fighting . Our 2 counselors pulls groups in 6 week sessions too.

It takes adults to model and manage whatever program you chose so with such limited adults in high needs area it makes it tough. Is everyone on board at your school? We have HUGE professional colorful banners posted all around the school so when an infraction happens they are taken to the appropriate banner to discuss and then go from there. We also have to recite the mission statement everyday and then in our morning circles we need to discuss how we will use it throughout the day. Our PBIS coordinator wants to quit because she says the whole school is not all in . Running a PBIS store for incentives is soooooo hard also.

 

[delikate]

I almost feel like it's the same with any other learning skill - math, reading, writing - you simply have to keep teaching, keep modeling, and doing it consistently from the time they enter your doors till the time they graduate. I am a school counselor and have used a few different programs, including working in a school that was very consistent with PBIS. As another poster said, when kids are coming in from homes filled with chaos/trauma, it is a hard thing for students to practice. My current school uses the "Too Good" program...not sure if it's really any different/better than anything else, but it has a good message and lessons that build on the last. However, I still see kids nod their heads and participate in the program, and then go back to being spiteful with each other. It's a process!

 

[Fenwick]

I teach in an urban charter school in Flint Michigan. I really need to find a program that works for character education. Our kids are mean to each other. They tell you the right thing to do and go back to the wrong thing every time. This is true in students from k-6. Any suggestions will work.
Thanks

Second Step

In Second Step students role play interactions using a script. SS covers put-downs, bullying, aggression, criticism etc.

 

[whd507]

no easy answers when home life is "challenging". but I used to teach in a district that used the "7 habits" as a basis for their character ed from Kindergarten through 12th grade. it was a well run semi large district for our area, and the kids were well behaved for a district that size for their demographic. For your individual kiddos however you just have to instill the fact that they are valuable and important people, and they should not short change themselves. Thats hard in a culture where people and life itself have no value, but you might get through to a few. Someday it will matter to those few.