Assignment for Blog Comment 1, based on pages 1-104 (due February 26):
- Key Quotes: What researchers claim matters most is to help children develop such qualities as “persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit, and self-confidence” (xv). Elizabeth Dozier, the principal of Fenger High School in Chicago, says she came to the realization that a neighborhood school is a reflection of the community, and that “you can’t expect to solve the problems of a school without taking into account what’s happening in the community” (5). Tough writes, “Children who grow up in stressful environments generally find it harder to sit still, harder to rebound from disappointments, and harder to follow directions” (17). Citing Keitha’s story as an example, Tough writes that “teenagers . . . have the ability — or at least the potential — to rethink and remake their lives in a way that younger children do not” (48). Tough also writes, “For many of us, character refers to something innate and unchanging, a core set of attributes that define one’s very essence. Seligman and Peterson defined character in a different way: a set of abilities or strengths that are very much changeable — entirely malleable, in fact. They are skills you can learn; they are skills you can practice; and they are skills you can teach” (59).
- Prompt: Based on the quotes above, your own reading, and your experiences, how do you define character? How do you embed teaching character skills in your classroom? How can we improve our curriculum, schools, and communities to support character development? Be sure to support your claims with evidence from your own experience and/or the reading.
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