This Month's Best Practice

Each Month the Maryland Center for Character Education (MCCE) picks one of the Best Practices from a Character Education award winning school to share with you.

JULY

This month's Best Practices is from an award winning school from 2005-2006.

 

BEST CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES

 

School: Caroline County Career and Technology Center

Address: 10855 Central Avenue, Ridgely, MD 21600
Contact: Dr. Theresa Stafford, Principal

Character Ed Contact: Dr. Sharon Corkran 
        
Phone: 410-479-0100
E-Mail: theresa_stafford@mail.cl.k12.md.us

E-Mail: Sharon_corkran@mail.cl.k12.md.us
             

Title of Best Practice: "Character" Counts at CCTC

Primary Character Trait(s) Emphasized: 6 Pillars

Brief Description (including such items as materials needed, persons responsible, sequence of activities, observable results, references, etc.)

 

At CCTC we have taken the approach the six pillars of character are essential to getting employed and staying employed. Respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, citizenship, caring, and fairness are essential soft skills that all employers seek in their employees. Therefore each month teachers select students to represent their department based on these character count traits instead of academic achievement.

 

Each month a pillar is celebrated. It is placed on every daily bulletin for the month and teachers are provided a list of activities that they could utilize during the month to support that pillar. The school counselor works with each program to implement their activities during the month. The entire school participated in the “Laws of Life” essay contest. The winner was a junior from the cosmetology program and represented CCTC at the recognition dinner. A few of the activities that took place in the school and particularly in the cosmetology program were:

• Each month a pillar was chosen. A worksheet was provided in which students wrote about how they used these pillars that prompted open discussions.

• Visuals were designed to depict the pillar and displayed around the room.

• Character count videos were viewed followed by a discussion and other activities.

• Warm-up activities, readings, and writings about a particular pillar were utilized daily.

• Character Count coaches visited the classroom for discussions and/or activities such as the “The Wright Family Trip or Balloon Toss.”

• Debates were frequently held around the pillars.

 

These activities have contributed in part to improved climate at the school and mutual respect between students and staff.

 

 

 

 

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The Maryland Center for Character Education
29 West Susquehanna Ave., Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21204

Phone: 410-823-4902
Fax: 410-828-9661
E-Mail: MCCEcharacter@aol.com