Montclair Kimberley Academy- the school where I teach- is a national school of character. We have a formal Integrated Ethics Program that encompasses educational technology, diversity, responsive classroom, anti-bullying, sustainability, service learning, and global experience. Each of the campuses core ethical values is written in our character standards, listed below:
All members of the MKA community strive to act, speak, and think in ways that are:
- Respectful: We act with civility in our relations with others while still valuing ourselves. We are conscious of the world around us and recognize the worth of all we have and treat it accordingly.
- Friendly: We demonstrate good will and compassion in our relationships with others. We understand that in order to have friends we must be friends and treat all with understanding, loyalty, and respect.
- Responsible: We fulfill obligations and complete tasks to the fullest of our ability, and we are accountable members of our community. We volunteer our assistance when called upon and budget our time, efforts, and resources sensibly.
- Confident: We uphold a positive image of ourselves regardless of the way others perceive us. We recognize our potential and challenge ourselves to improve the talents and skills we possess. We are able to take pride in our work, while remaining humble and accepting criticism. We express our opinions freely without fear of the judgment of others and always speak up when we see acts of injustice.
- Temperate: We balance all aspects of our lives. By devoting personal attention to academics and personal commitments, we maintain moderation. While welcoming relaxation, we exert self-control and strength of will when faced with temptation and challenge.
- Fair: We cultivate an environment where all students may act and speak without the fear of prejudice, intolerance, or judgment. We recognize and seek to understand the differences between individuals in the community. While recognizing these differences, we also value the inherent equality among all.
- Informed: We rely not only on our own experiences to make decisions, but we also actively seek a more thorough understanding of the world. With our knowledge, we envision a more peaceful and empathetic society.
- Honest: We understand the value and necessity of being true to ourselves, as well as others, and we are sincere in words and actions. We take pride in the authenticity of our own work and ideas, and we have the courage and integrity to take responsibility for all of our actions.
As a teacher, I strive to incorporate each of these standards into my lessons and overall teaching philosophy. Sometimes I ask students to evaluate historical figures against these standards, though that isn’t always fair because of the times in which those figures lived- however, most of these characteristics can be applied across time. Other times we debate someone’s honesty and fairness; for instance, my students have a formal debate on the character of Andrew Jackson to determine whether or not he was a good or a bad president, and often this leads them to the question of what a good president is and does, and is that the same as being a good person. Our school also has 8th grade students participate in a public policy project where they identify problems in their community and use the government as a vehicle for solving those problems.
Only by thinking, talking and most importantly doing can we hope to create students of character. Social studies classes need to create more opportunities for open dialogue between students and teachers so that they can really wrestle with both historical situations and modern moral dilemmas. Granted, it is easier to talk about and design activities around societal and governmental mistakes of the past, but it is just as important to talk and explore the difficult issues affecting students and those around them in the present. If not in your class, then where?