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What
is character education?
Character education is an intentional effort
to help students understand, care about, and act upon core ethical
values. Students with good character are caring, just, and responsible.
They have developed an internal motivation to do their best and
to contribute to the world around them. Good character education
improves social and emotional competencies as well as academic performance.
What is Project Wisdom’s approach to character
education?
Project Wisdom is one of the oldest and most
respected character education programs in the nation. Our program
is currently licensed in over 17,000 schools nationwide. There are
three key components to this nationally-recognized, proven-effective
program that comprise our approach to character education. Each
component supports the other.
(1)
For the Campus
Project Wisdom Library of Broadcast Messages
The centerpiece of the program is a library
of thought-provoking, inspirational messages which are narrated
over your PA or in-house television system. In just one minute a
day, you can reach every student and every staff member with a few
words of wisdom that uplift and encourage. We offer three series
of proven-effective broadcast messages. Each series comes with a
binder containing enough messages to narrate for an entire school
year. Your whole campus will start the day on a positive note that
encourages everyone to do and be their personal best.
Click here to see some Sample Materials.
(2)
For the Classroom
Project Wisdom Educator Resource Site (ERS)
You will receive a schoolwide, one-year
subscription to our highly-rated ERS. Every teacher on your campus
will have access to quality classroom materials that help students
develop core ethical values and social-emotional competencies. These
materials include lesson plans, weekly journals, and more. This
site has been called one of the best character education sites available.
Click
here to preview Educator Resource Site.
(3)
For Educators
"Just For You" Morale Boosters
Each registered user of the ERS will
receive a weekly morale booster written just for educators and delivered
by email. Teachers, counselors, and administrators love receiving
this weekly inspiration.
Click
here to sample Just For You.
Why does
it work? (Program Evaluation)
Project Wisdom encourages
students to reflect upon the meaning of civic and personal values
and the application of those values in their daily lives. Our data
indicate reductions in discipline referrals as well as strong improvements
in teacher morale, school climate, and social-emotional competencies.
Current evidence suggests that good character education raises student
grades and test scores.
Key Findings From Evaluation
- Decreases incidents of student teasing and/or
bullying.
- Decreases discipline referrals to the office.
- Affects the school climate in a positive way.
- Has a positive impact on teacher morale.
- Increases students' self awareness, social
awareness, self management, relationship skills, and responsible
decision making.
- Stimulates student conversation about character
issues.
Key Findings from Educator Resource Site Evaluation
- 99% indicate they enjoy receiving the weekly
morale boosters.
- 92% indicate they enjoy reading the Teacher
Story.
- 91% indicate they enjoy the special-topic ERS
broadcast messages.
- 97% indicate an overall satisfaction with this
online service.
- 96% of all principals indicated they would
recommend this site.
- Materials offered on the ERS are being used
in advisory, homeroom, and character education classes; in the
discipline process; during counseling sessions and other academic
classes.
Click here for copies of our Program Evaluations.
How is it being implemented?
Each school has a unique
set of needs and expectations. Here are some of the many ways schools
across the country have implemented the program:
Principal narrates: On many of our campuses the principal
narrates these character-building messages and clearly establishes
his or her role in terms of ethical and caring leadership. We are
repeatedly told that narration of these messages opens doors of
communication between the principal and the student body.
Teachers or counselors narrate: Teachers and/or counselors
have taken the job as narrators, communicating to students that
they care about the values fostered while generating meaningful
conversation between them and students.
Community members narrate: We have many schools that invite
parents, grandparents, and community members to campus to narrate
the messages. Some schools send students out into the community
to pre-record community members. This is a great way to involve
the community in your character education initiative while sending
a clear signal to students that the community cares about the education
of their hearts as well as their minds.
Celebrities narrate: At one of our middle schools in Virginia,
a juvenile-court judge served as guest narrator for an entire week.
A former student who is now a professional football player also
came to campus to narrate a message. High school students in Kansas
recorded the lieutenant governor of the state on video and then
broadcast the message on their in-house television system.
Mystery Narrator: One of our schools has a "mystery
narrator" once a week. They tell us there is always a great
deal of speculation about who the narrator will be.
Students narrate: On many campuses students serve as narrators.
This is a great opportunity to foster leadership and public-speaking
skills. Some schools allow students to narrate as a reward for honorable
behavior.
Everyone gets to narrate: On some campuses the role of narrator
is shared by everyone on campus, including custodians, cafeteria
workers, and office workers. This is a great way to enlist the support
of everyone on campus, creating a greater sense of community.
What comes
with the program?
(1 ) Project Wisdom
Broadcast Messages - A binder with more than 200 proven-effective
broadcast messages and a licensing agreement to broadcast these
messages over your PA or in-house television system.
(2) Project Wisdom Educator Resource Site (ERS) - A one-year,
schoolwide subscription to the Project Wisdom ERS. Your entire staff
will have easy online access to:
- Additional weekly broadcast messages that deal
with current and calendar events or pressing issues.
- Weekly lesson plans that integrate character
education into every grade level or academic area from social
studies to science.
- Weekly Journals which are great tools for classroom
management and/or advisory periods.
- Classroom tools such as a program overview,
mini-posters, and quotations for the classroom.
- Character education resources, parent resources
and more . . .
- Email notification for every registered user
each time materials are posted to the site.
(3) "Just for
You" Morale Boosters – Every registered user of the ERS
will receive a weekly morale booster written just for educators
and delivered by email.
The program
also comes with:
Themes
Our weekly or monthly themes help establish
a common "virtue vocabulary" on campus. Examples of themes include:
Honesty and Integrity: Rules for Success
Responsible Citizenship: Helping Others
Role Models: Who's influencing Whom?
Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones?
Wisdom: Educating the Human Heart
Teachers can create
teachable moments throughout the day by using these words and themes.
Many of our schools post these themes on their marquees and main
bulletin boards. Many schools communicate the upcoming themes to
parents through newsletters and homework hotlines so they can be
reinforced at home. Counselors and staff can use the words and themes
in guidance sessions, detention, and in-house suspension.
Ten Wise Choices (FREE)
Rules for living as a positive and productive citizen of the
world.
Elementary-level
Secondary-level
Wise Choices for a Comprehensive Character Education Initiative
(FREE)
A mini-guide for creating a comprehensive character education
initiative on your campus. Our daily messages provide an effective
springboard for such an initiative. This guide provides suggestions
for creating a pool of support and resources that will greatly improve
results.
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