Inspiring the best in students

the long version

If you are reading this book, you almost certainly work with young people. Maybe you are a teacher, counselor, or school administrator. Or maybe you are a social worker, therapist, mentor, coach, or youth development leader. In whatever capacity you work with children or teenagers, you want to inspire what is best in them. If you are reading this book, you also probably have experienced a respectable amount of personal success in your life. Before considering what is involved in bringing out the best in students, I ask you to reflect on the personal traits or qualities that have enabled you to experience success. These personal traits are likely to include, among others, responsibility, respect, perseverance, honesty, integrity, patience, a strong work ethic, self-discipline, optimism, empathy, compassion, and cooperation. We need these characteristics to survive and thrive in a complex, competitive world.^ Of course, it is virtually impossible to demonstrate all of these qualities consistently; however, without exhibiting them at important life junctures, you would not have experienced the degree of success that you have. And without the positive relationships and achievements that your character traits have made possible, you probably would not experience the degree of happiness you enjoy in life. Today's students face an even more challenging world than we did. Therefore, it is more important than ever for young people to develop the qualities that enabled our success, character traits that will help them learn and achieve well in school, perform satisfactorily in the workplace, communicate effectively, and develop and maintain positive, trusting relationships in their lives. This book, then, is about promoting character development.^ This first chapter will address fundamental questions about the prospect of integrating a character education initiative into what many perceive as an already overwhelming curriculum. Subsequent chapters will focus on specific information and skills that support students' character development and will provide engaging, research-based teaching strategies. --Publisher description.