CHARACTER FIRST CCISD has purchased Character First to

CHARACTER FIRST!®

CCISD has purchased Character First to be implemented beginning in the 2011 -2012 school year. CHARACTER FIRST!®

Times Have Really Changed! The greatest problems school officials faced 50 years ago were kids chewing gum and talking in class. Today many schools are plagued with unprecedented problems that have turned some schools into war zones. CHARACTER FIRST!®

Top Ten Problems in the Past • Chewing Gum • Dress Code Infractions • Making Noise • Littering • Running in the Halls • Tardiness • Cutting in Line • Lost Homework • Students Talking Out of Turn • Talking Back to Teacher CHARACTER FIRST!®

Top Ten Problems Now … • Student Suicide • Drug Abuse • Assaults • Alcoholism • Robbery • Pregnancy • Bullying • Harassment • Possession of Weapons • AIDS CHARACTER FIRST!®

Why Character? “The inescapable fact is this: educators cannot avoid “doing” character education. Either intentionally or unintentionally, teachers shape the formation of character in students through positive or negative example. Character education is thus not optional—it is inevitable, and therefore merits intentional focus and priority status. ” CHARACTER FIRST!®

What is Character First? Character First! is a character and leadership training paradigm developed by the Character Training Institute, a non-profit 501 c 3 organization based in Edmond, Oklahoma. CHARACTER FIRST!®

Implementation Time Line February 9 - Overview with Superintendent’s Leadership Team March 23 - Train Campus Contacts March 24 -Overview with Principals March 25 - Train Curriculum & Instruction Team May-August- Campus Contacts train staff CHARACTER FIRST!®

Character Qualities 2011 -2012 Month Quality August Attentiveness September October Punctuality Obedience November-December Gratefulness January Responsibility February Truthfulness March Self-Control April Patience May Generosity CHARACTER FIRST!®

CHARACTER FIRST!®

Lewis Howard Latimer CHARACTER FIRST!®

What Is. Is What Is Attentiveness? • Attentiveness is showing the worth of a person or task by giving my undivided concentration. CHARACTER FIRST!®

Are You Focused? Just as a magnifying glass brings the intricate details of one thing into focus, we should give all our attention to the thing at hand avoid distractions. CHARACTER FIRST!®

Five Keys to Building Attentiveness 1. Look at People When They Speak 2. Learn to Listen 3. Ask Questions When Unsure 4. Align Your Spine 5. Avoid Distractions CHARACTER FIRST!®

Campus Ideas • Character First Design Team • Kick-off first week of school • Character Quality focus on announcements, newsletters, web pages, and marquees CHARACTER FIRST!®

Campus Ideas • Posters hung in prominent area • Practice 3 Steps of Praise & Character- Based Correction • Online Library CHARACTER FIRST!®

CHARACTER FIRST!®

“If we cannot avoid character education, we cannot afford to implement it halfheartedly. We need to take character education as seriously as we take academic education. ” CHARACTER FIRST!®

Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. CHARACTER FIRST!®

The Benefits of Building Character • Enhanced relationships • Positive environment • Safer schools • Stronger families • Better communities CHARACTER FIRST!® 3 / Why Character First?

The Benefits of Building Character Teachers can help their students reach their full potential. CHARACTER FIRST!® 3 / Why Character First?

FMI: Angie Flores Coordinator for Mentoring Services angie. flores@ccisd. us 886 -9049 CHARACTER FIRST!®