Schoolwide Blog

My books are provocative by nature. They deal with subject matters many adults might feel uncomfortable talking about. I try to show these topics honestly without preaching or judging. These books show the truth as I have seen it and hopefully, they provoke discussion and thought. More...

I write novels of family life. I write novels for upper grades and middle schoolers. I’d like to have high school students reading, but I’m not sure high school students are doing much reading now, or that their teachers looking for our titles?

But I read very widely in my field. I have to—to stay in it. I need to know what I am inspired by—what other people are writing. Nobody but a reader ever became a writer, More...

After you’ve written 38 books you begin to discern some of your themes. I don’t think I did that at the beginning. I think I do now, because for one thing, in all of my novels for young people there is an elderly person reaching across a lifetime to touch a young hand. It’s an unsentimental portrait because sentimentality is the enemy of what we do. Even 100 years ago Beatrix Potter knew that childhood was a jungle, not a garden. But an elderly person has toughed it out and paid his or her dues. And indeed my most popular character, the one who has changed my career, is a woman named Grandma Dowdel More...

Just to name the cream of the unscrupulous.

What do they have in common?

CEO’s and employs horribly lacking in basic good character values.

Many may say that this oversimplifies matters, however there is no escaping the bottom line for this week’s G20 Summit: greed.

No matter how well we educate our students in language, math, social studies, and the sciences, they will have no positive value without plain-old, good character values to guide them in our global community.

We must continue to incorporate Character Education into every possible aspect of our children’s education.

To Ms. & Mr. A-Z in elementary school classrooms everywhere,

 “Thank you!” 

As a teaching artist who visits with a class for 45 to 60 minutes at a time, I have grown to truly appreciate the fantastic feet of beinga full time munchkin manager. 

I think it is important to acknowledge that classroom teachers are constantly engaged in character education simply due to the nature of what it takes to manage a gaggle of giddy students. 

• “Manners please.”  

• “Play fair.”  

• “Billy-Jo-Benjamin-Barack to the time out chair, please.”  

• “Coraline, please repeat your answer. However, this time I want you to sit up straight, speak clearly, and speak with confidence.”  

Sometimes the teaching is indirect and sometimes it is direct. However, there is no subject formally titled Character Education. 

I don’t believe that it is necessary to add a new subject to the core curriculum. We simply need to consider how character education is already a part of existing lessons. Then we can enhance those lessons with an eye on character education and also extract additional learningfrom them.

Links for 3.10.09.  If any of the topics interest you we'd be delighted to hear you respond.

Character Education in Home

How do You Feel About Technology In Classrooms

Cross Grade Interaction Idea

Collaborative Learning Through Online Tools

Day in a Life of a Teacher with Technology

Let’s take bullying for instance…

 *It is nowcommon knowledge that bullying often has a lasting negative effect on developing children. Whether the child is the bully, the bullied, or the bystander the experience can seriously affect all aspects of his or her life.There are many scenarios: some children may turn inward and disassociate fromsocial life, some may become indifferent, some may develop violent behaviors that can be carried over into adult life, and then there are those who develop strength and resolve from bullying experiences. In each of these cases,parenting/mentoring plays an essential role. In any case, we cannot afford to leave bullying unchecked.

 And so it goes similarly for most character education themes. They are a critical developmental aspect of our children’s education where parenting or mentoring, the latter of which is often the role of the classroom teacher, is essential.

 However, educators today, in particular the classroom teacher, face greater challenges than ever before. Teaching English and diversity along with math and drug awareness is no small feat, but when we consider that the well being of our children lies in the balance, it is well worth the effort. The key is to design character education programs that support core curriculum requirements through solid integration of disciplines and meeting of educational standards.

 This blog seeks to dialog about the complete education of our children. How do we provide them with the full complement of tools, from math to positive self-esteem, which is necessary for them to compete in an increasingly competitive global work force? More importantly, how do we achieve that goal while also developing conscientious global citizens with a healthy respect for humanity and nature?

*From the Let's All Play! Teachers Guide from Rodro Books for Character Education.