Character Education Tips

Lessons should seek to compel students to:

1. Know the Good (understand the trait and intellectually agree that the trait is important).

2. Desire the Good (emotionally desire to adopt the trait).

3. Do the Good (apply the trait in daily living).

- Thomas Lickona

Source: http://www.character-education.info/resources/lesson_plans_curriculum.htm


Writers' and Tweakers' Checklist

Purpose…
1. Does the purpose statement reflect the needs of my students?
2. Does everything in the lesson drive me toward accomplishing that purpose?

Lesson Elements…
3. Will the introduction hook students to the topic?
4. Know Feel Do. Does it lead them to know the subject, engage their feelings and give them specific, doable action points?
5. Does the outline flow logically?
6. Are my transitions from one point to the next clear?

Appeal to Students…
7. Does it appeal to the felt needs of my students?
8. Is there enough interaction and activity?
9. Does it give them new thoughts or new angles on old thoughts? Or, does it merely restate what was already obvious to them?
10. Does it take into account the learning characteristics of their age-group?
11. Do the illustrations appeal to the interests of my students?
12. Did I open up a part of my life to them?
13. Will my students think that I really care about them?

Evaluation…
14. After teaching will I evaluate the lesson objectively? (for example - anonymous surveys or anonymous input from students to teacher, passed on to me as the community leader.)

Source: http://character-education.info/Articles/preparing_lessons_that_change_lives.htm