Monday Ponderance: The Mark of Temper

I thought this story, which I posted in 2009 was appropriate for these days....

This story was found on www.academictips.org/blogs


There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.”

You can throw words out and try to take them back. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the mark is still there.
Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.

The BIG Question

This morning we launched the BIG Question during our morning meeting time. This program has three goals:

1. Create a forum for the whole division to meet,
2. Introduce BIG ideas, current events, and/or school issues that warrant a common context for discussion, and
3. Provide an opportunity for common reflection during our Middle School Chapel one week later. 

Today our topic was values and ethics, as we are in the midst of reviewing our Honor Code in anticipation of our Honor Chapel. During this service we all place our signed agreement sheets upon the altar in Phillips Chapel and agree to uphold the Honor Code in letter and in spirit. 

We began by meeting in the lobby of Armfield Hall, where I presented data from the the Josephson Institute of Ethics’ Report Card on American Youth’s Values and Actions which surveyed 43,000 High School Students in Public and Private Schools in 2009-2010. Here are the numbers I presented:

• 89% believe it is more important to be good than to be rich.
• 33% boys/25% girls admitted stealing from a store
• 21% admitted stealing from from a parent
• 18% admitted stealing from a friend
• 48% boys/35% girls said they lied to save money
• 80+% said they lied to their parents about something significant
• 59% admitted to cheating on a test in the last year
• 34% admitted to cheating on more than two tests in the last year
• 33% admitted to using the Internet to plagiarize
• 92% of students were satisfied with their personal ethics

I asked that the students return to their advisories and, using these numbers as a context, to discuss why it is that we have an Honor Code at Canterbury. What can it do for us as a community? What can it do for them as students? How do they feel about these numbers? 

When they returned to their advisories, they had the opportunity to read an analysis of the data (from the survey when it was taken in 2008) from a parent perspective in the NY Times column called Motherlode: Adventures in Parenting. The title of the column....Your Lying, Cheating, Stealing Teens. 

Advisors then guided a discussion on their reactions to the data and the parent perspective as outlined in this article. The ultimate goal was to bring the conversation back to the students' perspective on the purpose and need for an Honor Code. 

On Wednesday, September 28 Fr. Finnin will give a sermon on this topic in order to provide some resolution to this particular conversation, but the discourse will continue. I invite you to pick up this conversation with your child at home. I think you will be very impressed with the insight they will bring. 

While our Canterbury students may not have taken the survey, they will be working with the people who did in high school, college, and in the workforce. Our students, and those who took the survey, will be our congressmen and women, our senators, our business and community leaders, our mayors, our doctors, and our lawyers, our mechanics and plumbers, our financial advisors and bankers. They will build our country. 

It is our job to empower them to espouse the values of honesty, integrity, responsibility, and service. The BIG Question is one forum which we believe will allow them to hone their arguments in favor of these values and the Honor Code is the means to act it out. 

Honesty Findings from 2010 Josephson Institute of Ethics Survey

Check out some initial findings from the 2010 Josephson Institute of Ethics Survey, which surveys 43,000 high school students. You can find it at the Interesting Education Blogs list below right under the title Good News and Bad News 710.3.

Monday Ponderance: Farewells

This is my last Monday Ponderance at Calvert. I thought it fitting to discuss farewells. Goodbyes take on many different forms.

Short ones: to parents when you're dropped off at school, friends when they head to their next class, or students as they head home for the day. One might say, "See ya," "Later,""Talk to you soon."

Formal ones: in a letter, to an important person, or to a relative you don't see much. You might say, "Sincerely," "Regards," "Nice to see you again."

Long ones: To parents when you leave for camp, or kids when they leave for camp/college/new towns, to friends before summer break, or fellow 8th graders who are heading to different schools next year. These goodbyes may include tears, hugs, smiles, and well wishes for luck.

But Farewells are different...and difficult. Typically, it means that person will not be coming back, and as such it takes on a significance greater than goodbye. And so, I find myself saying farewell - to you, and my colleagues, and this school.

My time here does not measure up to many of the faculty - only seven years. My service does not measure up to the contributions of a myriad of Calvert people who have been at Calvert. However, I am certain I have had the best job of any person at Calvert - ever.

First of all, I have an opportunity to deal with each and every student on a daily basis. I learn your names within a week, and over the last three years I have been able to speak and find out about every one of you. I've taught and coached many of you in math, history, soccer, orlacrosse. I am lucky to help my colleagues organize fun days, award points, set up Points' Raffles, celebrate student accomplishments, set up outreach opportunities, and generally enjoy each day because something new happens each day.

Second, I am able to work with students on understanding and internalizing the Honor Code. I believe - firmly believe - the Honor Code is exactly that a code to live by. As with everything in life, it isn't always followed and in my position, I need to point students back to the right path. It is not something I enjoy necessarily, but something I know makes all of you better. I only wish I could stay to hear about your high school and college years and see how wonderful you will all turn out.

Farewells tend to have advice, and since this is a Monday Ponderance, I leave you with one piece of advice I think can be applied to every situation.

You are not alone in this life. You have family, friends, teachers, co-workers. Make sure you are taking time to build relationships - invest, care, and reflect. Do not worry about yourself, if you can build others, you will find yourself fulfilled.

Monday Ponderance: Significance versus Success

"Being significant is more important than being successful."

- Michael Josephson

How true this is. All of the research on brain development, teaching 21st century skills, what high schools and colleges want in their students, what companies are looking for in employees - all of it is pointing to significance.

Significance means of importance or having meaning.
It is important for us to identify significance because significance is what motivates us to do great things - in the classroom and in the workplace.

Siginificance is a hot topic. The point is, significance, or meaning, should be the central goal, not merely success. At Canterbury, we believe the Social Contract is a road map to significance. As students, we want you to use that map to chart your way. Here are three ways to facilitate your journey:

1. Invest: Take advantage of every minute you have in the classroom, with your friends, teachers, parents, grandparents, teammates, siblings, pets. Make sure you are present in the moment and allow those moments to unfold. If you are too eager to get on to the next thing, you may miss the best thing.

2. Care: Once you are in the moment, care about the people who are with you. Make sure they feel respected. The work you put into making someone feel meaningful will come back to you in a number of different ways.

3. Reflect: At some point in your day - when you go to bed, at breakfast, on the bus from a game - take the time to examine how you did that day or the day before. Did you invest and care? Was their a moment where you didn't give maximum effort? Why? Did you take care of every responsibility?

You will probably have had some moments that slipped - we all do. The important thing is that over the longhaul, we are able to answer "yes" to more of these reflection questions than "no." If we can, we are achieving siginificant.

They Can Make Me Smile, Too

As spring fever descends over the middle school and frustration creeps in (shameless plug: one of my latest posts on www.deanskeen.blogspot.com discusses frustration), the students can still make me smile. Case in point: an 8th grader left her laptop unattended and took four days to write a letter requesting it back. Below is the text, which made me smile and I hope will make you as well. (Keep in mind: this student must write 150 words, so you will see some typical strategies at work – repeating, stories, etc.)

Dear Mr. Skeen,

I’m sorry that I left my laptop unattended. I knew that it would be safe in Ms. ________’s classroom for a little while, but I did forget to go back and get it. Thank the teacher (Ms. ______) for rescuing my laptop from that awful burglar who I’m sure would have taken it if it hadn’t been given to you.

Also, the reason I didn’t give you this letter sooner, was that I wanted it to have a vacation. I’m sure you took great care of it. I speak for my laptop when I say, thank you for giving him a vacation. I bet the two of you had a great time (Editor’s note: this is my favorite line). I’m so sorry to take him back to work but I’m sure he will survive. Thank you again for giving him a safe home.

Sincerely,

Student

Monday Ponderance: Frustration

Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing.

Eric Hoffer

Frustration is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs." When applied to the Hoffer quote above it is revealing to look at ourselves and our students.

It is nearly impossible for 11-14 year olds to take a step outside themselves and see all the things they have in their life, from the financial and material to the social and emotional aspects of their existences. This is the reality of the middle school years: they are literally hardwired (or in the process of short-circuiting and re-wiring) to be self and/or friend-centered. One of the results is frustration.

Think about what we see from our students. Some feel like they are treated like kids, and only want to be 16 to get that license. While others feel like we aren't providing enough guidance in class - aren't outlining exactly where they should go, how they should get there, and who will hold their hand on the path. Still others are frustrated with their friendships, where they will go next year, what their coach said, what their coach didn't say. "A deep and chronic sense of insecurity" is the life of a middle schooler.

So how do we work with it - and it is a matter of working with and not against because, as JoAnn Deak reminded us last week, the science of the brain is not going anywhere and it says this is happening. Now, combine that with what Eric Hoffer says, the sense of frustration is often more deeply felt when we have more and want one more thing, than when we have less and want something. In Independent Schools we have a lot and the families who attend our schools, typically do as well. Therefore, our challenge to dissipate frustration in our students may actually be harder than in other schools.

For a moment, let's forget the developmental changes that each of these students are going through right now, which physically creates a lot of the "middle school behavior" we see each day, and believe that our students can appreciate what we have. They would see the world in which they live as tremendously positive, caring, enriching, and fulfilling. We do. They would be, for a moment at least, content. (Whether we are is a topic for a different blog.)

Throw the physical factors back in the mix and in order to get this message across we need to "shock and awe." Outreach and service learning is one way to do it. Special guests are another. Open and respectful dialogue between student and teacher and/or parents pertaining to the world is yet another. Have dinner each night and discuss the great things we have. We are lucky - exceptionally so - to be doing what we do, with the people we do it with (students, parents, teachers, administrators, community members). For a moment, let's be content with it.

Monday Ponderance: Finish Strong

It is dreary outside. We are embarking on our second full week in a row with the prospect of 8 more in a row before we are off for Memorial Day. The 4th quarter begins today, and our 8th graders have been admitted to high schools and are ready to go there....now.

We've all been in situations where the immediate feeling may be to coast home. You've worked hard for 3/4 of the year and for an instant you feel that would be enough to get you through the rest of the year.

But that is not what will be remembered. The legacy of a team, of a person is how they end their season, their life. It's the last stretch where you earn your reputation, develop the character.

Check out this video (full disclosure: it promotes a book entitled Finsh Strong) to see how some people were able to overcome obstacles (obstacles most of us would have understood and accepted) and accomplish great things.

http://www.finishstrongmovie.com/index.html

Monday Ponderance: Ripples Contributing or Chipping Away at Integrity

We are able to choose how we act. We call it free will. This independence has been a bedrock principle of our country since its inception.

With every choice, comes a result. Some good, some bad. All choices, however, produce effects like the ripples on a calm pond when a stone is tossed into it.

Over time, our society has discovered values that allow communities to thrive - to be successful, to provide comfort, to provide safety. For Calvert, these values are identified in the Honor Code:

1. Respect
2. Honesty
3. Responsibility
4. Effort
5. Outreach

By no means are these unique to Calvert. They are common values that the larger community accepts as necessary for the common good. When all of these values come together and are applied to their fullest, we call that integrity.

As individuals we are confronted with choices within each of these value-realms on a daily basis. When we make good choices, we not only contribute to our own integrity, but the integrity of the community.  When we make poor choices - and we all do - we chip away at not only our own integrity, but the integrity of the community. We are not as successful, comfortable, or safe.

So, when confronted with choices

to respect or disrespect
to be honest or dishonest
to be responsible or irresponsible
to put forth maximum effort or coast
to reach out or be selfish

Think about the kind of ripples you'll be sending out. Will they contribute to your integrity and the community's or will they chip away at it?

Assessment of Guilt and Application of Consequence

I've just had a great conversation with Bob Herzog, a newly minted mentor of mine, who has worked in schools for the past thirty years as teacher, coach, and administrator. We discussed what he calls "the assessment of guilt." I found the ideas we talked about and the structure he used to present them confirmed what we are trying to do with our Honor Code at Calvert.

First and foremost, the final arbiter of guilt is a person's conscience. We can help shape and guide that conscience (the Honor Code is a great foundation for that in schools) but ultimately the assignment and acceptance of guilt lies within the person. When determining if someone is guilty of a transgression, the following factors should be considered:

1. The Act, taken objectively. It is either good, bad, or indifferent (moral, immoral, or ammoral). What does the letter of the law say?

2. The Circumstances. What are they? Did the person know it was wrong? Did they have a choice in the matter?

3. The Motive. Why did this person do this?

These factors taken together mean all instances are shaded in some sort of grey. It is not appropriate to paint all situations with the same color of guilt or apply the same consequence to an act of two people that have varying circumstances and motive. Additionally, each person's unique perspective (which is a result of varied upbringings, varied opinions, and varied convictions) will further color the way in which a consequence is received.
I believe this is the way in which discipline should be handled. I believe it is the way in which discipline is handled in schools, for the most part. I believe it is the way Calvert handles discipline.

Hypocrisy: A Careful Understanding

Hypocrisy is a dirty idea. It's a tainted act. Again, some definitions (1):

1. A pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

2. A pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.


3. An act or instance of hypocrisy.
 
Adults can be hypocrites. We assume (hope) that time they've spent maturing allows them to understand the difference between integrity (meaning and acting on what you say) and hypocrisy (see above).
 
The word originates from Greek theatre. Actors would wear large, distorted masks meant to convey some emotion related to the character. This idea, originally hypokrisis in Greek, meant play-acting.
 
As teachers in middle schools, we see play acting by our students all the time. Developmentally, they are seeking peer approval and as such will act in whatever ways necessary to gain that approval. At times, they can be hypocrites. At other times, they can complain to their friends and parents that, "such and such is not being real." or "He is so fake." or "She is just not genuine." The struggle for our students is looking inward and figuring out how important peer approval is compared to their own beliefs.
 
Our job is to help inform that debate, that struggle. In my role, I try to do it through the Honor Code. Adults can become frustrated when we see the students speak to the honor code and the components within it, and then turn around and do something that is totally against it. We can, at times, label our students hypocrites. But are they?
 
First, this is what middle schoolers do - they are impulsive and live in the present. This characteristic manifests itself in some of the stupid things they do. Second, they are discovering justice and fairness (what is just is not always fair) and are adamant that everything be fair. This characteristic manifests itself in the discussions of the use of the Honor Code. So our students are not necessarily hypocrites when they fly from one characteristic to the other - they're middle schoolers. This doesn't mean we don't call them on it - hold them accountable and help them realize all actions have consequences, but it does mean that we need to understand the context within which these students are living and making choices.
 
As Samuel Johnson said,
 

Nothing is more unjust, however common, than to charge with hypocrisy him that expresses zeal for those virtues which he neglects to practice; since he may be sincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his passions, without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honestly recommend to others, those attempts which he neglects himself. (2)

(1) Dictionary.com
(2) http://www.archive.org/stream/britishessayists16chal/britishessayists16chal_djvu.txt
Rambler 14, P. 154. In Chalmers, Alexander: Full text of "The British essayists : with prefaces, historical and biographical".

Inspire to Innovate

As educators we hear two words all the time: inspire and innovate. Two words which separately are powerful, but used together provide a mission. Inspire to innovate.

Inspire has ten definitions, all of which capture different gradations of the same theme: influence. Influence to great thoughts, great acts, great relationships.

Innovate has only two: to introduce something new; make changes in anything established.

As always, we must be cognizant of the balance between innovation for innovation's sake and genuine, 21st century, necessary innovation. Teachers should be fueled by the mission of inspiring to innovate. The means by which we inspire is our craft, and the guidance we provide along the path of innovation will shine a light on that balance for the students.

In this time of exponential change at lightning speed, we need to accept that innovation will be a way to success in our students' world, and shape our influence in a way that sets a foundation for our students to be inspired to great and good acts, great and good thoughts, and great and good relationships.

Calvert's Honor Code, its mission, its philosophy aligns with this goal. Our academic rigor sets the parameters for the great acts, and our Honor Code provides the guidelines for making those great acts good.

Bricks and Mortar: Teachable Moments

The last piece of our Honor House at Calvert are the bricks and the mortar: teachable moments. Each day, our students make mistakes, push the envelope, say things they don't really understand (or things they do), treat each other poorly, and generally act like pre-adolescents act.

Hopefully, we who are working with these students are excited about the great gifts they bring to a school and our classrooms and, frankly, should enjoy being around them. As middle level educators we understand this age is not easy to deal with - there will be moments of frustration - but we see what kind of influence we have and take it very seriously.

Despite their outward appearance, these students are watching us closely - our reactions, body language, voice level and tone, collegial interactions, and overall demeanor are all under a micrscope. As such, we have a huge responsibility to model appropriate behavior and take every measure to "seize" moments when our students step out of the bounds of the Honor Code - big or small.

In her article, "Teachable Moments for Social Justice" (Independent School Magazine, Spring 2008), Mara Sapon-Shevin outlines a way for teachers to sieze opportunities for character education and social justice as they arise. Sapon-Shevin outlines four ways to seize these moments:

• Build up knowledge in order to "improve our sensitivity to the occurrence of the teaching occasion"


• Develop a "classroom community" that allows for productive responses


• Develop responses for both reactive and proactive situations


• Personally commit to maintaining a "democratic, inclusive school"

During our discussions on the Honor Code last year and the application to our students we used these ideas to develop a Toolbox for confronting sticky issues at Calvert. Within each realm described above we came up with a number of ideas of how to seize the moments in our classrooms at Calvert. That Toolbox can also be found to the left of this post under Useful Dean Links.

You can find some highlights below:

KNOWLEDGE

1. Know the kids - social issues, surroundings


2. Basic knowledge of world events - be prepared to answer tough questions


3. Use Diversity Director as resource

CLASSROOM COMMUNITY

1. Advisories - provide a safe atmosphere to discuss


2. Addressing it - quick is good, but know the answer and don't be afraid to bring in help


3. Strategize for confronting issues arising outside classroom but seeping into it


4. Take time to determine real issue - meanness vs. in/exclusion


5. Pose issues back as questions - restate the issue


6. Set ground rules for the classroom


7. Extrapolate an ethical question from each lesson to build trust in discussion

RESPONSES

First, make sure all responses are age appropriate. a reaction to a 5th grade is going to be different than a reaction to an 8th grader.

Reactive

1. Restate the statement as a question


2. Code words to let them know you don't like it


3. Conversation about acceptable situations

Proactive

1. Advisory time to expand definition of diversity


2. Come back to Code word and discuss what caused it to prevent a reoccurence


3. Rules in classroom cover a large amount of the things that come up


4. Give them the tools to maintain beliefs and opinions, while still providing content on quiz/paper/etc.


5. Find a list of famous people for particular situations: various religions, learning disabilities, diversity, etc.


6. Role play and case studies


7. Guest speakers

MODELING A DEMOCRATIC, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

1. Important to be human: we make mistakes and own up; acknowledge it - students want fairness and justice


2. Put yourself out there, share personal experiences


3. Bring it to students to talk and listen to their ideas - validate their insightfulness


4. Model respect and team building

Scaffolding: The Six E's

Earlier, we discussed the foundation of honor education at Calvert: Ethic integration into the curriculum. It is the cornerstone of our approach to character. Additionally, we have our physical space, tradition, and the Dean's Office which contribute to the foundation of our Honor House at Calvert.

The next step is to set up scaffolding in order to build the walls of our Honor House. These provide the framework for how we will apply the life skills that come with Honor. In the article, "Talking About Ethics and Character Education" by Rushworth Kidder, the author describes the Six E's that make a great character education program possible:

• Embedded - ethics is in every class. This is a manifestation of the Foundation we have set in place

• Empowered - Teachers are allowed to do this. In fact, in recent surveys of independent schools, parents indicated that a primary reason for choosing independent schools instead of public schools is character education

• Effective - Despite what it may look like, the deliberate infusion of a character education program shows results. It helps to develop moral compasses in our students.

• Extended - Students need opportunities to demonstrate their ethical "chops" outside of the Calvert walls. Outreach is a great way to do it.

• Engaged - Approach the issues that matter to the community. The new honor code was developed from a year long conversation about the issues that matter to us: respect, responsibility, honesty, effort, and outreach.

• Evaluative - Find a way to evaluate the program. At Calvert we use data - there is a referral system and we track a number of variables from time of year to location to grade. This allows to see the issues as they arise - almost in real time - and come together to address them. Also, we have a points system to reward students and create opportunities to celebrate them. We are able to see those students who are being "caught" doing great things - again, almost in real time.

Kidder also includes an epistemological point which discusses a conceptual framework, or way to talk about ethics. We have developed that in the Honor Code, during advisory, in class, and the points system.

We have used these Six E's to develop a program on top of the Honor House's foundation which we believe will allow is to approach the students in a way that will allow us to seize teachable moments with a common language. This scaffolding prepares us to apply the bricks and mortar of character education.

Next week we will discuss the what comprises those bricks and mortars and toolbox we need in order to work with them.

Is it Initiative, Really?

I've been presenting a Monday Ponderance at assemblies since the beginning of last school year. Every once in awhile a student has quoted it or commented that they've remembered it in some similiar situation. Yesterday, though, I began an e-mail exchange with a 7th grade student who took the initiative to delve deeper into the meaning of the story. Below you'll see our exchange and I think you'll agree that this is the point of it all - the Honor Code, the discussions, the case studies, all of it - for conversations and thinking like this.

(Editor's Note: The story has been edited for text-speak, informal speech, and mechanical errors only)

Student: Dear Mr. Skeen, What does iniative (sic) mean?

Skeen: http://www.dictionary.com/

Student: It does not have your annoyingly big word in the dictionary.

Skeen: You spelled it incorrectly: initiative. Now, http://www.dictionary.com/

Student: Oh .... Personally, I don't think that initiative works with the story.

Skeen: An introductory act or step; leading action. The man wanted a job digging ditches. The job description said he needed experience, and he didn't have any. So, on his own, as "an introductory step," he began to dig trenches to practice and gain experience. You know, if you formalized your insight into an analysis of the story and the application of initiative, you could comment on my blog... (Editor's Note: This student would be the second to do so in two years...hint, hint)

Student: But isn't experience very different from an introductory step? Experience is more like a particular instance of personally encountering or undergoing something (dictionary.com because I cite my sources ALL the time?)that fits the story. But it's not really a synonym of initiative so that doesn't work with the story.

Skeen: You're right, experience is not a synonym for initiative. The goal of the man was to gain experience. He couldn't gain experience in trench digging without doing it. So he took the initiative, the first step, to start a trench to gain that experience.

Student: But you are saying that he took initiative, which he did but he did not get experience so wouldn't it really be a waste? The man knows when they say experience, they mean real experience, not digging a trench in the woods. So, wouldn't it all be for nothing?

Skeen: The job was for a trench digger, so he went to dig a ditch in a tough plot of land. What better experience than choosing to dig a long ditch in a tough land? Why is this not appropriate experience for the job he was seeking?

Student: It doesn't work because when they asked for experience, they meant REAL experience, like already having a job in trench digging, not what he was doing. The man would sorta be lying to the people if he said he had experience, and if they gave him the job, that would be cheating.

Skeen: So you mean the act of digging a trench is insufficient experience? Is there more to the job of trench digger? If so, what skills does he need to be able to check off the experience box? I don't think he has cheated anyone by saying he has experience. He could be explicit in how he gained that experience, but I don't think that is lying.

Student: So, the thing that you said that you didn't think he was cheating, well that's an opinion and has no real content in an argument like this one. I think that real experience would be someone who was actually hired for a job as a trench digger. Trench diggers would need other qualifications, like getting along with people (since he probably wouldn't be digging a whole trench alone) and being able to work machinery that the company had (since he was using only a shovel). Because, if he couldn't work the machinery he could break it, or hurt himself and others. If he couldn't get along with people than digging the trench would take longer than it needed to.

Skeen: First, my statement is not an opinion but a fact based on the principle that to lie means not providing the truth to someone who is entitled to know it. The trench-business owner wanted experience. He was not explicit in what kind of experience. he is entitled to know if the man has experience and the man provided the truth that he does. OK, if we set aside the argument about whether going out and digging a trench is SUFFICIENT experience (you have to concede that digging a ditch is, in fact, experience even if it is not enough in your opinion) and get back to considering the point of whether his going out on his own and idgging a trench can be considered initiative. I believe it does decause it is an act he took on his own to better himself.

Student: But, you say that to lie means not to provide the truth to someone who is entitled to it. But the man who is hiring is completely entitled to the entire truth or else he may hire the man under false assumptions. Yes, the act he does may better himself, but it is not the BEST way to take initiative to get the job because it may not get him the job. Therefore, a better form of initiative would be to get a job at a trench digging site, perhaps not digging it but at least seeing how it was done.

Skeen: And we find ourselves back to the type of experience argument. However, in your original e-mail you were not satisfied the act of trench digging was initiative at all. Now you concede that it is, yet not the best. I think this is a different point and could be debated for a long time.....I hope you had fun with this exercise, because I did.

Student: It could be debated forever because there is no final answer, really. I do agree trench digging would give him experience, but not enough to apply for the job. This exercise is fun, we should have debates in actual classes.

Monday Ponderance: The Trench Digger

An elderly couple retired to the countryside - to a small isolated cottage overlooking some rugged and rocky heathland.

One early morning the woman saw from her window a young man dressed in working clothes walking on the heath, about a hundred yards away. He was carrying a spade and a small case, and he disappeared from view behind a copse of trees.

The woman thought no more about it but around the same time the next day she saw the man again, carrying his spade and a small case, and again he disappeared behind the copse.

The woman mentioned this to her husband, who said he was probably a farmer or gamekeeper setting traps, or performing some other country practice that would be perfectly normal, and so not to worry.

However after several more sightings of the young man with the spade over the next two weeks the woman persuaded her husband to take a stroll - early, before the man tended to arrive - to the copse of trees to investigate what he was doing.

There they found a surprisingly long and deep trench, rough and uneven at one end, becoming much neater and tidier towards the other end.

"How strange," the old lady said, "Why dig a trench here - and in such difficult rocky ground?" and her husband agreed.

Just then the young man appeared - earlier than his usual time.

"You're early," said the old woman, making light of their obvious curiosity, "We wondered what you were doing - and we also wondered what was in the case."

"I'm digging a trench," said the man, who continued, realising a bigger explanation was appropriate, "I'm actually learning how to dig a good trench, because the job I'm being interviewed for later today says that experience is essential - so I'm getting the experience. And the case - it's got my lunch in it."

He got the job.

(http://www.businessballs.com/)

We ask our students to take initiative each day. Today we asked them to ponder where they can take an extra step to make their own path. The more our students feel responsible for their own success, the more succesful they will be.

Integration of Ethics as the Foundation of Character Education

In an earlier post I presented the Honor House metaphor. That is, Honor at Calvert can be understood in terms of building a house. A solid foundation must be laid, scaffolding must be set up for the walls, and then bricks and mortar create the structure. At Calvert, the foundation is ethics education, the six "E's" providing support to faculty is the scaffolding, and seizing the teachable moments are the bricks and mortars of the Honor House.

Today, I'd like to delve into the conceptual foundation of Honor at Calvert: ethic integration. Typically, a cornerstone is the symbolic starting point of any "monumental building." In this case there is one cornerstone, curriculum integration, which is the figurative starting point, but our Honor House has three other cornerstones which are essential to our foundation: physical space, tradition, and the Dean's office.

The gold standard of character education is to have ethics interwoven into the curriculum of the school. This means having concrete and pointed application of ethic discussion in the lesson/unit plans. This could manifest itself in history as a paper on the ethics of historical decisions or prevailing philosophy, in English as a discussion of characters' motivation in literature, in science as a debate on the ethics of a scientific breakthrough and the ramifications for society, and in math as a project on the manipulation of data to serve some purpose.

These lesson plans, and this integration as a whole, will (and should) always be a work in progress. Educators should strive to link their curriculum to ethics because our students' future will necessitate a solid understanding of honor in their flat, global, and constantly shifting world.

Along with curriculum integration, we integrate honor into the lives of our students in three other ways. First, we have adapted the physical space of the school to reflect the values of the honor code: selfless servants, moral courage, and commitment. The beams in the hallways have the phrases painted across them to remind our students that honor does not end when they walk out of the classroom. Additionally, we post the Honor Code in every classroom.

Second, we have started various traditions attached to the Honor Code meant to ingrain the ideas of the code in our students. Every student must write the Honor Contract ( I have acted honorably) to any quiz or test. This physical act of giving one's word is another physical reminder that the Honor Code is real and meaningful: the student's word means something. We also have a Monday Ponderance during assembly each week to highlight some aspect of the Honor Code. Advisories often discuss these thoughts in their meetings each week. Finally, we created a community outreach curriculum which allows the students to put the Honor Code into practice.

Third, the Dean's office is charged with creating and maintaining a community program which accounts for all the "other" times (transition time, lunch/recess, study hall, after school, athletics). The key is to work with all the constituencies on creating a common language and keeping that message on point. The Dean's office is also responsible for setting a path for the community. A hugely important part of the Dean's role is leading reflection of the Honor Code and its application, so that our foundation can be the best possible for all involved.

The integration of ethics is ongoing at Calvert. While our work will never end, we can see the results in the type of students we send off to high school. They are confident, capable, and caring and a part of that is the result of developing the core values of the Honor Code at Calvert, which began with the foundation of ethic integration.

Internet and the Honor Code

Shannon Frederick, our Middle School Technology Coordinator, and I put this piece together for the middle school newsletter.

Children start using the Internet very early these days. The debate between pros and cons of Internet usage could be argued all day long, but the truth is preteens and teens can’t get enough. In fact, at any given minute during a normal day, over one billion people can be on the Internet. So, how can we be aware of what our children are doing, help them navigate the internet with honor and integrity, and keep them safe?

Students are using the Internet in a myriad of ways. They post photos of themselves and friends, along with information about themselves, such as hobbies, afterschool activities, and likes/dislikes on social networking sites. Students complete research for everything from class assignments and projects to volunteer opportunities to “cheats” for a video game to help them reach the next level. They are instant messaging each other, playing online games, sending emails, watching videos, exploring a “cyberworld,” listening to music, taking part in chat rooms, and utilizing their cell phones for texting, picture taking, or internet access. The Internet is part of their educational and personal world.

As parents and educators, we have to decide how much time is spent and where that time is spent depending on their developmental stage. An article and handout is on the Calvert’s Technology blog to help parents make the decisions that are best for them. However, whether students are accessing the Internet at Calvert or at home, we try to encourage them to keep a few pieces of information in mind to make healthy and educated choices while “surfing the net.”

All of the new information media, social networking, and electronic communication of our world necessitates that we as a school teach our students how to navigate through the temptations of the Internet. Three questions will help safely guide them:

o Is it safe?

o Is it honest?

o Is it kind?

If the answer to any of these three questions is “no,” students need to reexamine their decision to interact with, use, or pass on that information. Honest, safe, and kind are different ways of phrasing the ideas in our Honor Code: Honesty, Respect (kind), and Responsibility (safe). We want to make sure our students are asking these questions within the context of the Honor Code at school, but they are great questions for you to ask at home as well.

We hope you will take some time at home to determine your family’s guidelines for the Internet and what role the three important questions above can play at home to help children navigate the web.

The What and The How: From What is a House? To the Last Brick

Over the last few weeks, I have been dedicating posts to an explanation of the paths to the Honor Code: responsibility, respect, honesty, effort, and outreach. If we can combine these characteristics together we become selfless servants demonstrating moral courage and commitment.

These posts have been the WHAT of the Honor Code. I plan on dedicating the next few weeks to posts which deal with the HOW we work with our students to ingrain these five honor characteristics into their core.

The imagery of paths to Honor is good, but other metaphors can capture the essence of honor at Calvert as well. If we think of character education in terms of building a house, we have covered the basic facts of what a house is....in this case our House of Honor, which is made up of the responsibility room, honesty room, respect room, commitment room, and effort room. The next step is how do we build our House of Honor?

I will begin with a summary of a number of faculty meetings which, when distilled and codified, have provided the foundation, scaffolding, and brick and mortar to build our House of Honor at Calvert.

Curriculum integration is the conceptual foundation for our school-wide approach to character education.

The six E's (taken from the article: "Talking About Ethics and Character Education"),

• Embedded - in every class


• Empowered - we can do this!


• Effective - it works


• Extended - beyond our halls


• Engaged - topics are relevant


• Evaluative - is the program working?

provide the scaffolding which supports and prepares faculty when working to build a House of Honor in each of our students.

Finally, as faculty we work to seize moments and teach to our honor code. This seizing of the moment provides the brick and mortar of the House of Honor at Calvert. We work each day to seize the moments through (paraphrased from the article "Teachable Moments for Social Justice")

• Building up knowledge in order to be more aware of when teachable moments pop up


• Developing a 'classroom community' that allows for productive responses


• Developing responses for both reactive and proactive situations


• Personally committing to maintain a 'democratic, inclusive school'

The work we do each day with our students related to character education is hugely important. The development of honor is an integral part of our mission. As such, it is important that we, as an institution, have a clear idea of WHAT honor is and HOW we can help our students learn it.

Over the next few weeks, posts will flesh out the basic tenets put forth above with concrete examples and strategies.

Monday Ponderance: Responsibility

"I must do something" always solves more problems than "Something must be done." ~Author Unknown

In our Honor Code we talk about taking responsibility for ourselves and others. This necessitates an action, therefore, when we find ourselves at a crossroads where action is hard and inaction is easy.

As the quote says, doing something always solves more problems than commenting that something must be done. By taking this responsibility we build our moral courage and elevate each other to the ideals of the Honor Code: Being Selfless servants demonstrating Moral Courage and commitment to the community.