Character Development
"To educate a person in mind and not in morals
is to educate a menace to society."
- Theodore Roosevelt
Char*ac*ter (kar'ik ter)
The stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual's life
which determine his response regardless of circumstances.
- American Dictionary of the English Language
These following character development resources are designed to assist you while in college and in later life roles. Taking advantage of these resources can provide valuable information on the importance of Character Development for successful living and how to practically live a life of "Character".
Six Pillars of Character
- Trustworthiness — Be honest. Don't deceive, cheat or steal. Be reliable — do what you say you'll do. Have the courage to do the right thing. Build a good reputation. Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country.
- Respect — Treat others with respect. Follow the Golden Rule. Be tolerant of differences. Use good manners, not bad language. Be considerate of the feelings of others. Don't threaten, hit or hurt anyone. Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.
- Responsibility — Do what you are supposed to do. Persevere — Keep on trying! Always do your best. Use self-control. Be self-disciplined. Think before you act — consider the consequences. Be accountable for your choices.
- Fairness — Play by the rules. Take turns and share. Be open-minded. Listen to others. Don't take advantage of others. Don't blame others carelessly.
- Caring — Be kind. Be compassionate and show you care. Express gratitude. Forgive others. Help people in need.
- Citizenship — Do your share to make your school and community better. Cooperate. Stay informed. Vote. Be a good neighbor. Obey laws and rules. Respect authority. Protect the environment.
(Source: The Josephson Institute of Ethics, Marina del Ray, California .)
Character Development Websites
Character
Counts!
One of the best internet sites for information on character education
resources and activities. CHARACTER COUNTS! is a nonprofit, nonpartisan,
nonsectarian coalition of schools, communities
and nonprofit organizations working
to advance character education by teaching the Six Pillars of
Character :
trustworthiness , respect , responsibility , fairness , caring and citizenship
.
Content
of Our Character
A vision statement compiled by 50 young Americans who met in l998 and
through continued discussions developed a document which can be used
for discussion and reflection on ethical leadership and character today.
Sponsored by the Kenan Ethics Center at Duke University . The
Content of Our Character Project is a nationwide initiative designed
to facilitate substantive, public deliberation on ethics and leadership.
The initiative was borne with the simple aims of affirming and cultivating
a demand for ethical leadership, as well as placing ethics at the forefront
of public and private discourse. Igniting dialogue across America, the
Content of Our Character Project has provided public spaces for citizens
to test ideas and learn from one another, while exploring contemporary
ethical challenges. The original and continuing mission remains: to
foster dialogue, encourage teaching, and communicate ideas on matters
of ethics.
GoodCharacter.com
This website offers a wealth of free character education resources for
teachers. You'll find discussion questions, writing assignments, learning
activities, opportunities for moral action, and lots of teacher support
material. Contact: David Elkind, LiveWire Media elkind@livewiremedia.com International
Center for Character Education
The ICCE is concerned with the four pillars of democracy: home, school,
church, and community. The Center's purpose is to: enable school personnel,
parents, teacher educators, faith community members, youth providers,
and concerned individuals to come together to?study, discuss, learn,
practice, reflect, and write on issues, programs, problems and promises
regarding the character education of children and youth. Some center
activities include: Character Education certificates, program assessment,
consulting, publications, courses, workshops, partnerships, academies
and conferences. For more information call Christina Schell at ICCE
(619) 260-5980 Contact ICCE by email: Christina Schell Contact ICCE
by fax: (619) 260-7480 E-mail one of the co-directors: Professor Mary
Williams- maryw@acusd.edu Professor Edward DeRoche- DeRoche@acusd.edu
Leadershape
The LeaderShape Institute is a six-day leadership development experience
designed to help participants learn to "lead with integrity."
At The Institute, everyone is both a teacher and a learner and through
The LeaderShape Institute you ' ll discover how to make exceptional
improvements in an organization, workplace, or community.
Self
Knowledge Symposium
Organizes conferences
and runs a journal that gives students a vehicle for expressing their
spirituality.
Young
Politicians of America, The
The Young Politicians of America is a non-partisan, non-profit organization
founded to expand the democratic experience to the youth of our society.
Our goal is to further democracy, participation in government, and good
citizenship. Through nationwide clubs, the YPA continues to spread its
word of youth empowerment by combining community service and political
inquiry.
http://www.ypa.org/home.asp
Character
Education Partnership (CEP)
Character Education
Partnership is a nonpartisan coalition of civic organizations, schools,
business, and individuals dedicated to developing the character of our
youth for a more compassionate and responsible society. CEP maintains
a national resource center on character education and sponsors conferences,
research, and publications.
Council
for Ethics in Economics
The Council for Ethics in Economics is an association of leaders in
business, higher education, religion and other professions working together
to strengthen the ethical fabric of business and economic life. The
Council carries out this mission by identifying and responding to emerging
issues important to the pursuit of business ethics, and it assists the
resolution of these issues locally, nationally and internationally.
Association
of World Citizens
"Join with us as World Citizens to build the ' Splendid City '
(Global Village) for the 21st century. Together let us create a "Culture
of Peace" to replace the "Culture of War and Violence"
that has marred this century."
Institute
for Global Ethics, The
The Institute for Global Ethics' Vision: A world where shared moral
values shape relationships, determine decisions, and guide actions for
every individual, institution, and nation. The Institute for Global
Ethics' Mission To promote public discourse and practical action around
significant ethical issues by: Discovering and defining the global common
ground of shared values. Establishing clear structures for moral reasoning
and ethical decision making. Promoting the teaching of Ethical Fitness
in the practices of private, institutional, and civic virtue. Analyzing
trends, gathering and disseminating information, and developing new
knowledge about global ethics. Being a model organization in effectiveness,
outreach, efficiency, and ethical action.
Virtues
Project, The
The Virtues Project is an initiative that began in 1991 to empower individuals
and families to live by their highest values. It was inspired by the
desire to do something to counteract the rising violence in and around
families. The Vision of The Virtues Project is to serve humanity by
supporting the moral and spiritual development of people of all cultures,
by helping them to remember who they really are and to live by their
highest values.
The Mission of The Virtues Project is to provide empowering strategies that inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life through programs of excellence and simplicity which support people of all ages to cultivate their virtues -- the gifts of character.
Books and Articles about Character
| Leading
Quietly: An Unorthodox Guide to Doing the Right Thing
, Joseph Badaracco Harvard Business School Press, Boston , 2002 |
How Good
People Make Tough Choices , Rushworth Kidder William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York , 1995 |
Managing the Dream
, Warren Bennis |
Encouraging the Heart
, James Kouzes and Barry Posner |
|
Voices of Diversity
, Renee Blank and Sandra Slipp |
The Leadership Challenge
, James Kouzes and Barry Posner |
|
Stewardship
, Peter Block |
The Leadership Challenge
Planner , James Kouzes and Barry Posner |
Leading With Soul
, Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal |
The Power Principle:
Influence with Honor , Blaine Lee and Steven Covey |
Good to Great
, James C. Collins |
Discovering the Leader
in You , Robert Lee and Sara King |
|
Built To Last
, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras |
Finding Your Voice
, Larraine Matusak |
|
Executive EQ
, Robert K. Cooper and Ayman Sawaf |
Leadership In A
New Era , John Renesch (editor) |
|
The Other 90%
, Robert K. Cooper |
Organizational Culture
and Leadership , Edgar Schein |
|
Principle Centered Leadership
, Stephen Covey |
The Fifth Discipline
, Peter Senge |
|
The Tipping Point
, Malcolm Gladwell |
Insights on Leadership
, Larry C. Spears (editor) |
|
The Unshackled Organization
, Jeffrey Goldstein |
Leadership And The New
Science , Margaret Wheatley |
|
Primal Leadership: Realizing
the Power of Emotional Intelligence
, Daniel Goleman, Annie McKee, Richard Boyatzis |
A Simpler Way
, Margaret Wheatley and Myron Kellner-Rogers |
|
Leadership Without Easy
Answers , Ronald Heifetz |
Turning to One Another
, Margaret Wheatley |
|
Masterful Coaching
, Robert Hargrave |
The Power of Appreciative
Inquiry , Dana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom |
|
The Female Advantage
, Sally Helgesen |
The Art of Possibility
, Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander |
|
Synchronicity
, Joseph Jaworski |
|
|
Making Ethical Decisions
, Michael Josephson |
|
|
The Wisdom of Teams
, Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith |
