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Effective Character Education

Effective Character Education

Teachers play a critical role in ensuring America’s youth grow into well-versed citizens, able to succeed in life, and contribute back to society. We teach them, mentor them, and nurture them to hopefully become high-flyers in all their academic and professional endeavors. One critical component that can ensure anyone’s ability to succeed is the possession of a fully-developed character. 

Character education, the process that facilitates the development of moral understanding, is necessary for all children to mature completely. It covers the growth of core ethical values such as responsibility, integrity, respect, honesty, fairness, cooperation, and citizenship. Such educational processes are not always straightforward, and a successful development also relies on actions and feelings learned and modeled in a household and school environment. 

Many teachers recognize the need to instill such crucial traits but may not know where to begin. Professional Development Courses at the University of La Verne’s course, Effective Character Education, shows teachers several proven methods for passing on values and character attributes to supercharge their students’ growth into responsible, caring citizens. 

 

Character Education is More Critical Than Ever

Children benefit from building strong character traits, but it rarely happens by itself. Instead of “hoping” students will pick such things up “along the way,” teachers can actively provide character education to furnish students with much-needed qualities and virtues through intentional, planned teaching strategies. Such practices have the additional benefits of building confidence, enhancing self-control, increasing motivation and persistence, and strengthening resilience and coping skills.

To successfully teach character education, teachers must equip themselves with sufficient knowledge, skills, and teaching tactics. There is a lot more to the process than lecturing a classroom about what to do or not do. By the same token, since all students are unique individuals with diverse backgrounds, they develop at different paces and possess certain traits and values before receiving any modeled instruction. These factors make character development a long journey, and it is essential to approach the process with many variables taken into account.

The work is worth it. Character education, done right, supports children to form a sound basis for their future lives, and it improves the school experience as a whole. Youth with a solid sense of character are better able to deal with problems, overcome challenges, and realize their full potential and self-worth. To teach effectively, educators should use a wide variety of approaches, lessons, and activities intermingled with the regular classroom curriculum, regardless of the subject matter. Effective Character Education helps with that process, and it offers K-12 teachers an inside look into the moral development of children of all ages.

 

Benefits of the Course

When it comes to character development, teachers may not know how or where to start. Effective Character Education guides K-12 teachers through the entire process, offering powerful strategies to create or modify curriculums supported with practical, outcome-oriented values education. Benefits of the course include:

• Understanding the moral development of children at different ages
• Strategies for developing a curriculum enriched with values education
• Methods for developing a positive school climate
• Learning the importance of adult modeling to instill desired behavior in students

Everything teachers do influences the character development of the children they teach, so all teachers can benefit from learning the fundamentals of character education. The curriculum is detailed yet straightforward and readily applicable to all K-12 teachers. By the end, you will have a wide range of available tools to put into use in your classrooms instantly!

 

Effective Character Education Course Contents 

Effective Character Education, offered through Professional Development Courses at the University of La Verne, begins with discussions of scientific literature about children's moral development. The course then dives into ways teachers can develop ethical understanding in students by integrating character education into the curriculum. It covers the importance of positive school climates and adult modeling, and the course offers suggestions for outreach to parents and local communities for engaging children with responsibility, respect, and hard work.

Course contents include:  

• Examining the concept of "good" character
• Why schools need to involved in the process of character development
• Moral development and the teaching of respect and responsibility
• Models for caregiving and mentoring
• Infusing curriculums with values education
• Cooperative learning and cooperative play in peer groups
• Teaching children how to resolve their conflicts
• Viewing the issue from the child’s perspective
• Understanding justice
• Culture, gender, and morality

Our curriculum is specially designed for busy K-12 teachers who want the flexibility and convenience of a distance learning course that is rigorous enough to count for graduate-level credit from an accredited university. The content is self-paced, easy to understand, practical, and can be completed in either an online or via emailed PDF format.

Successful completion of Effective Character Education can help teachers make positive impacts on the lives of their students. The new skills and credits received may also boost your professional career, qualifying you for potential promotions, pay increases, or license renewal/recertification.

This three-credit course counts towards theUniversity of La Verne’s 15-credit certificate in Motivation and Classroom Management. Other popular course options for this certificate include:

• ADD/ADHD Strategies and Interventions for the Classroom
• Building Classroom Discipline
• Coaching a Growth Mindset: Unleashing Student Potential
• Cognitive Approaches to Learning and Teaching
• Creating A Mindful Environment
• Effective Classroom Management Strategies for the 21st Century Classroom
• Making Connections for Engaged Learning
• Motivating Students Who Don't Care
• Personalized Learning: A Powerful Solution to an Urgent Need for Change
• The Flipped Classroom

 

Note, the University of La Verne is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Since requirements may vary, students should check with their school district or state department of education before enrolling in a course.

 

How to Register

Effective Character Education is completed in an online or via emailed PDF format. It is open for anyone to register at any time during an open semester. After completion, students receive graduate, non-degree semester credit on official transcripts from the University of La Verne, an accredited university in La Verne, California. 

Registration is fast and straightforward and can be done online or over the phone. Courses are offered on a rolling basis during three standard semesters, and you can begin whenever you are ready! The registration dates are:

• Fall: September 1 - January 31
• Spring: February 1 - May 31
• Summer: June 1 - August 31

Students who have a fully-developed character are better positioned to become happier, more self-confident individuals. Those who never sufficiently develop that sense of character may face significant personal challenges in every aspect of their lives. Educators are at the forefront of the challenge to prepare our youth for the future. Take the first step towards that goal by registering today!