Character Education Implementation: 4 Best Practices for Success in the Classroom

Have you ever met a person who radiates peace and balance?

It wasn’t something tangible, just how they talked, related to people, and carried themselves made you perceive them as such.

In most cases, individuals who possess such qualities have invested time and effort in cultivating a positive self-concept.

Being self-aware and having a clear understanding of one's self-concept brings about a sense of inner harmony, confidence, and authenticity, resulting in inner peace and a balanced state of being.

You’ll be happy to know that not only can you achieve this for yourself, but your students can also benefit from it. This is accomplished through the power of Character Education.

Character education encourages your students to explore and understand their own values, emotions, strengths, and areas for growth. 

Through self-reflection activities and meaningful discussions, they’ll gain a deeper understanding of themselves, which is foundational to developing a strong self-concept.

Today, we’re going to look into the best practices for implementing Character Education values in your classroom to make this process as seamless as possible. We’re also going to cover:

• The transformative impact of real-world examples on the learning experience for both you and your students
• A step-by-step guide on setting goals and expectations with your students as partners
• The groundbreaking technological advancements that are revolutionizing the world of Character Education

Excited? So are we. Let’s dive straight into the first strategy.

1 - Celebrate and Recognize Good Behavior

At Positive Action, our philosophy is based on the notion that we feel good about ourselves when we do positive actions.

We’re sure this rings true for you because, at one point or another, you’ve probably done something nice for someone else. 

Perhaps you helped an elderly woman cross the road or left some spare change for a homeless person outside the grocery store.

Do you remember how you felt after performing these acts of kindness?

Chances are, your self-esteem was at an all-time high. This phenomenon is actually backed by science. 

According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, actively pursuing an improved self-concept may lead to greater life satisfaction, a deeper understanding of the meaning of life, and greater happiness.

This is fantastic news because when you celebrate and acknowledge the good character displayed by your students, you not only amplify these positive emotions but also create a positive feedback loop that motivates them to continue exhibiting those qualities.

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” — Eckhart Tolle, Philosopher and Author

To illustrate, let’s consider our Grade 2 Kit. In this program, your students are introduced to Eric the Elephant, who encourages them to engage in positive behaviors. 

Each time a student demonstrates a positive action, they have the opportunity to sign the Eric the Elephant poster. 

By signing the poster, students receive acknowledgement and recognition for their positive actions. This fosters a sense of pride and achievement in your students, as they can visually see their contributions and progress throughout the program.

To top it all off, at the end of the unit, you will reward your students with an Eric the Elephant sticker. 

This badge serves as a tangible representation of their understanding of self-concept and the connection between positive actions and feeling good about themselves.

2 - Incorporate Real-World Examples

If we’re being honest, teaching plain theory can be repetitive and boring, for students and educators both.

Luckily, it’s possible to spice things up by sprinkling in some real-world examples that make abstract concepts more concrete and relatable for your students. 

Some might argue that incorporating practical applications of theoretical knowledge creates memorable experiences that increase the likelihood of long-term retention among students, and they’d be right. 

Character Education leans heavily on immersing students in real-world scenarios that require them to analyze, evaluate, and apply their knowledge in problem-solving contexts. 

Consequently, students develop critical thinking skills as they navigate complex situations, make connections, and draw conclusions. It encourages them to think beyond the textbook and consider practical solutions that are transferable in real life.

For instance, our High School 3 Kit features six units that deliver Character Education lessons through real-life situations. Let’s take a closer look at how each unit accomplishes this:

• Unit 1: In an effort to answer the question, “Who am I?” your students will put together a collage of great thinkers who asked and answered this question.
• Unit 2: Here, your students are taught to connect physical activity using action verbs, gerunds, and participles using a poem. Later, they plan and execute a health fair based on what they learned.
• Unit 3: Your students learn how time management affects the quality and output of their work. Then, they’re prompted to create a newsletter featuring stories, editorials, and advice columns using the self-management skills they pick up in this unit.
• Unit 4: After studying the acts of kindness practiced by Abraham Lincoln, students organize a volunteer community service activity to exercise kindness in their community. 
• Unit 5: This unit’s theme is honesty and to stay consistent with it, students are asked to select one of six art forms, such as dance, fashion, and photography, and create art that promotes honesty with themselves and others.
• Unit 6: Your students are expected to run a media campaign to help them realize what they want out of life. They can choose from a variety of categories, including interviews, websites, commercials, blogs, or news releases. 

All of Positive Action’s Curriculum and Programs require students to apply real-life examples to their learning efforts in order to adopt Character Development traits. 

We realized a long time ago that when students engage in teamwork, time management, communication, honesty, and goal-setting in realistic settings, they develop and reinforce important life skills that are essential for their personal and social development.

Quick Tip: To create an inclusive classroom culture, celebrate not only academic achievements but also acts of kindness and positive behavior among students.

3 - Establish Clear Goals and Expectations

While it’s easy to assume that your students are naturally aware of something, that’s not always the case.

If that were true, you probably wouldn’t have to give them time to settle down before class begins. Sometimes, a gentle reminder is necessary to let them know it's time to start learning.

That said, we can’t stress how important it is to voice your expectations for your students, as it sets the foundation for creating a positive and supportive learning environment. Here are a few easy and actionable steps to help you get started: 

1 - Communicate Values and Behaviors

At the start of the school year, dedicate a lesson to express the specific values and behaviors you want to promote in your classroom. 

Character Education values such as respect, responsibility, and cooperation, are a great place to start. 

By clearly communicating these expectations, students will understand the specific behaviors you want to see and the reasons behind them.

For instance, when talking about respect, explain that it means listening to others, valuing their opinions, and treating everyone with kindness and consideration.

Related Reading: 6 Behavior Management Strategies for Your Classroom

2 - Develop Rules or Guidelines

Based on the emphasized values and behaviors, develop a concise, specific, and age-appropriate set of rules or guidelines for your class.

For example, if one of the values you want to promote is responsibility, a rule could be “Take care of our classroom and materials.” 

This rule communicates the expectation that students be mindful of their actions and treat the learning environment with respect.

3 - Ensure Student Understanding and Agreement

It’s crucial that you involve your students in this process as much as possible. 

Carefully explain the rules or guidelines to them, engage them in discussions about each expectation, and encourage them to ask questions or provide input. 

It's important for your students to feel that their voices are heard and that they have ownership of the expectations.

It may be beneficial to have students create a class agreement or contract and have them sign it to ensure they understand that they’re to be held accountable for their actions. 

By involving them in the process, they’re more likely to internalize and commit to the expectations.

When combined with our evidence-based curriculum and programs, your set goals and expectations are going to be a breeze for your students to follow. 

The Character Education values they learn every day will expand their understanding of why they should aim to achieve their goals and contribute positively to the overarching school climate. 

“At a Positive Action school, I could count on receiving respect and attention from students, teachers, and administrators… Our results were always amazing, and our performance programs were inspiring. So many students produced stellar work that I began to track the difference between "ordinary" schools and Positive Action schools.”—Kristin McMillan, United States

4 - Utilize Technology

Although technological advances have been coming fast and hard in the past decade, transforming various aspects of our lives, in the education scene the ball has been crawling rather than rolling.

While this can be blamed on a few, valid factors, the most limiting and widely experienced one is limited resources and funding.

Implementing technology in education requires significant investments in infrastructure, devices, software licenses, and professional development for teachers. 

Many schools and districts, especially those with limited resources and funding, struggle to allocate budgets to procure and maintain the necessary technological resources.

Positive Action understands this conundrum and this is why we’re in the process of developing our own web app called Pasela. It is a cutting-edge web application that aims to streamline and modernize the implementation of the Positive Action program. Our dedicated development team is in the process of preparing nearly 2,000 research-based Character Education and social-emotional learning lessons for integration into Pasela.

Within the next few months months, a closed beta preview of Pasela will be rolling out to eligible users. This incredible achievement is the result of seven years of dedicated development by a global team across three continents.

Join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, and stay updated on the latest on Pasela. 

Foster Character Education Traits in Your Students for Lifelong Success

Incorporating Character Education into the classroom can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

By celebrating and rewarding your students for embracing and embodying Character Education values, you not only benefit them in the long run but also reinforce their progress toward developing a positive self-concept.

We’ve also emphasized the significance of using real-world examples and establishing clear goals and expectations to foster a safe and inclusive learning environment.

You’ll witness this firsthand when you integrate Positive Action’s Curriculum and programs into your classroom. 

“One of the children was bursting with excitement and began to pull Positive Action activity sheets out of his backpack. He explained to his mother what positive actions were and how he could choose positive actions in his life and how they could choose positive actions in their family.”—Kim Loop, In–Home Care Supervisor, Lake County Trial Court, Baldwin, Michigan

Our evidence-based Character Education programs are equipped with comprehensive kits, engaging posters, and instructive manuals that empower your students to develop critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence.

As a result, your students will be able to navigate the complexities of the real world with confidence.

Ready to embark on the next phase and unlock the power of Character Education? Email us at info@positiveaction.net to schedule a 30-minute overview webinar where we’ll discuss everything and anything related to Character Education.