Character Education Summary
Kindergarten - Mrs. Comeau

From the moment my angels step into the kindergarten I constantly remind the children about being kind and making the "right choices"! Our motto is, "do your best and make the right choice". I also read books on feelings, friendships and most of all being a child of God who thinks of others.

Character Education Summary
First Grade - Mrs. Sherfinski

Students spend time practicing a skit on fairness for our Value of the Month ceremony.

Students are rewarded with a sticker each day if they follow all the classroom rules and if they work hard and do their best.

When students get five stickers in a row, they choose a prize from the Treasure Box.

Classroom rules are referred to often, especially after a long break.

Students who are having a problem getting along with another student are taken in the hall and the problem is discussed and a solution is decided by both parties.

We did a lesson on bullying in Health class. A poster was created listing strategies handle a bully. Saying no, walking away, telling an adult are several strategies.

Our Religion book has many ideas on how to build character. One being, asking the Holy Spirit to guide our choices.

Character Education Summary
Grade Two - Miss Mickel

My goal as an educator is to help students become better learners academically as well as providing lessons and opportunities for moral growth based on Christian values.

Second graders are beginning to understand how they have the ability and responsibility to affect others through life experiences with healthy moral attitudes and beliefs that lead to behaviors of high quality. My goal is to help them grow as a person to respect themselves and others. At the beginning of the year, the class and I discuss the necessity of classroom rules. We use a collaborative effort to create the class rules. Open House parent booklets list the rules and the negative and positive effects they have for students.

Throughout the year I use various classroom management techniques to aid in building character development. I use a weekly behavior sheet which connects home and school describing good behaviors as well as problem areas. It serves as a measure for character behavior like a progress report / report card for academic areas. My magic marble reward technique serves to remind each student how important it is to work on cooperation. My small acts of kindness fishbowl enables specific children to be rewarded as well as an opportunity for the other students to show good sportsmanship as the class applauds the winners. I use a 5 star / symbol behavior sheet to serve as a visual reminder of excellent behavior's recognition and feeling of pride.

Our religion classes deal specifically with developing a value system students can use to walk with Jesus daily. This is especially noticeable in chapters 5-8 which focus on choosing to do good, asking for forgiveness, and saying we're sorry - all Reconciliation topics.

Staying Healthy, a Weekly Reader practice book, gives the students tools to use to make good choices about their physical health. It also contains three chapters on life skills which provide information and techniques which will work in families, saying no to bullies, and respecting yourself as a person.

I have used the teachable moment technique to discuss immediate behavior problems from the playground. Class meeting time is used to verbalize, discuss options, and come to an understanding of how differences can be handled. I have provided methods to ease through the teasing/bullying given to us by the school.

A last tool I am currently using is a library book called Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm. During the read aloud time, the children are quiet and can hear about some emotional challenges and solutions such as not telling the truth, being responsible, taking care of and respecting property and handling fears.

These are some of the methods I have used for character development. All teachers have beautifully planned and executed lessons for these topics. The real mark of success isn't whether we've taught them, but what the children's behaviors demonstrate.

Character Education Summary
Third Grade - Ms. Willhelmi

• Mother/Daughter Luncheon on Respect, Kindness and Friendship
  
  
• Fix-it: Bullying Program - Children's Hospital Program
  
  
• Fix-it: Communication Program - Children's Hospital Program
  
  
• Character Education skits
  
  
• Sticks and Stones Program Activities
  
  
• Small Group lessons
  
  
• One-on-one discussions
  
  
• Conflict resolution
  
  
• Read aloud books that deal with character education topics
  
  

Character Education Summary
Fourth Grade - Ms. Chadek

At the beginning of the year the class publishes a book of rights and responsibilities which act as our rules for the school year. The kids brainstorm a list, we discuss why they are important for a classroom/school setting and then each child chooses one to explain and illustrate. Each child takes the book home and shares it with their family and the parents sign it and write a statement about our goals. The book comes out many times over the school year as a reminder.

We also have a bulletin board in our classroom which displays the value each month and the kids create a F.R.O.G. (fully rely on God) of the month. The kids are allowed to add stickers to each other's frogs when they witness a behavior that exhibits the value we are working on or other behaviors appropriate to being a Light of Christ.

This year Carlyn and I have had Children's Hospital come out twice, once for a workshop on bullying and the other on communication. Both were led by a facilitator and high school student helpers. The kids role played and learned different communication styles and ways to handle a bully.

In the classroom we have class meetings as problems arise on the playground, in the classroom, hallways, lunchroom etc. I have had the kids journal, role play, and go knee to knee to problem solve. We also meet in small groups and work on strategies for being good problem solvers.

We also take time out in our Religion and Family Life books when appropriate to address any concerns the kids might have regarding respect and responsibility issues.

I think our Value ceremonies and plays presented by the classes are important as it gives the kids an opportunity to witness in a positive way what other kids have done.

I also think buddy/angel activities help kids to treat each other respectfully and make them more aware of each others gifts.

Having other teachers come into talk to the kids when they have witnessed inappropriate or very appropriate behavior is important as well.

I think for the most part we are very fortunate to have the parental support, cooperation, and involvement which strengthens our program as well and helps our children understand community.

Character Education Summary
Fifth Grade - Mrs. Roteik

These are the programs used in fifth grade for character education.

DARE - An officer visits once a week for 10 weeks - ways to say no, peer pressure, drug and alcohol information, role playing

Family Life Series - God in our lives through community, family, and ourselves

Bullying Packet - Signs of bullies, are you one, teasing, helping friends, making good choices

Class Discussions - Religion chapters related to everyday life, self-experiences, family experiences

Visit from School Nurse - Puberty presentation with a doctor

Current Health Magazine - Some articles pertaining to character education

Character Education Summary
Sixth Grade - Ms. Pohlen

Generosity - Collecting of money for Guatemala, Angel Giving Tree gifts, and African missionaries. Collecting of food items, baby items. Sharing.

Acceptance - Sitting with other students from other grades at lunch, working on group projects in the classroom with students of different abilities; discussion of similarities and differences of Jewish and Islamic faiths.

Role models - K.I.D.S. - interacting with younger students in play, helping settle differences, and solving problems on the playground; Working with 2nd grade buddies on art, writing, reading, and in prayer.

As prophets of hope - Recognizing how we can encourage and help others through letters, cards, or other greetings.

Learning about role models - Reading and learning about people who lived/live the Light of Christ, both past and present

Choices - Role playing and discussion of possible situations and choices and the social consequences of the choice; discussion of God's gift of free will; Bullying - examples of subtle vs. obvious

Personal sacrifice - Lenten promises: giving up something or doing something for someone else: differences between needs vs. wants.

Discussion and recognition of character traits mentioned in the religion text - examples are piety, prudence, fidelity, temperance, justice, fortitude, obedience Prayer - writing prayers; importance of prayer throughout the day

Moral and theological virtues - discussion of how 6th graders can start to develop these to become a part of our character

Character Education Summary
Seventh Grade - Mrs. Romanello

In the seventh grade class, Character Education is an ongoing subject matter. It is an area (where I feel) that is very important and crosses over all curricular areas. I involve the students in class discussions and situations that allow them to make choices on their behavior and attitudes. Below are some of the specific assignments that I have used for the Character Education in the seventh grade class.

• Monthly Values. We concentrate on one value a month, highlighting behavior that would be specific to that value.
  
  
• Family Life Program. Our Family Life Series stresses the importance of character, values, and virtues for living in the everyday life as a Christian. Chapter 3, God's Gift of Self, especially focuses on these issues.
  
  
• Religion Text. Discussion of Christian behaviors and attitudes, patterning their lives after Jesus, the Saints, and special leaders of the Church help the students realize how to act in our society.
  
  
• Bully Program. Define the ways of bullying others and identifying these through various scenarios and role playing. Using strategies to combating harassment and teasing.
  
  
• Buddies - School and Church. This allows us to be models of good Christians and to practice those values we highlight each month.
  
  
• Videos - Teaching Tolerance through the pasts of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Anne Frank, and the Civil Rights Movement in America.
  
  

Character Education Summary
Eighth Grade - Mrs. Kral

Literature/character - She Said Yes - story of Cassie Bernall, martyred at Columnbine High School Touching Spirit Bear - story of restorative justice

Both stories are used in Literature but the focus of classroom discussion is the horrendous choices the main character makes and how those choices affect their lives and the lives of their families/others. In addition, we focus on the way the characters evolve for the good, how the characters' lives are similar to our lives, and how we can apply what they learned. She Said Yes has a lot of nasty parent/child issues; Touching Spirit Bear's main character has a LOT of anger issues. Good classroom discussion.

Social Justice - week long study of the seven key themes of Catholic Social Justice. How we see it in the world, how we should respond as Catholics.

Impromptu class discussion based on current events - Most recent discussion centered on the third grade alleged plot against their teacher. Great teachable moments; opportunity for individual expression of opinions and how different views do or do not line up with Catholic teachings.

Family Life Series - Wants vs. needs as related to happiness in life Tools students have for countering negative societal/peer issues Emotions - recognizing negative emotions and looking for positive alternatives Value of Life - euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment Healthy relationships with the opposite sex

Daily - opportunities to address respect issues between classmates.

Role modeling - Sharing by the teacher about missteps in my life as a person, a spouse, a friend, a mother and how my values shape my decisions.