Character Education
Character Education
At Dows Lane, character education is incorporated into everything we do. Balanced with our core academics, we facilitate lessons, discussions, and activities focused on respect, kindness, individuality, honoring differences, and inclusivity to become valuable members of the Dows Lane community and global society. By focusing on character traits, we hope to shape each child’s attitude regarding good character and give them the courage to act respectfully, responsibly, and kindly. We recognize this can only be done by engaging all members of our school staff, families, and community. In addition to teacher and staff created lessons and materials, we also use CASEL and Habits of Mind resources in our work.
Our goal is to provide a joyful, caring environment where students take ownership of their role in our community. By utilizing these values and becoming active participants, students and staff create a space where good character is recognized and valued. We delve into conversations about race, gender, conflict, and acceptance of others to foster a school environment that is safe and values and honors everyone.
Monthly Theme |
Instructional Vocabulary |
Essential Questions |
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September: Community CASEL: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills |
kindness, respect, awareness and relationship skills |
What does it mean to "be a part of?" |
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What is my role? What is a community? |
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October: Working Together CASEL: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision Making |
empathy, acceptance, relationship skills, social awareness |
When is working in groups better than working alone? How do we foster positive relationships? |
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November: Persistence CASEL: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision Making |
grit, perseverance, resilient, courage, goal & goal directed behavior, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making |
How do we persist when things are difficult? |
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December: Act Thoughtfully CASEL: Self Management
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responsibility, consequences, courage, upstander vs. bystander, self-management |
How do we manage our emotions? What does it mean to stop/ think/ listen/ and choose? |
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January: Fairness CASEL: Responsible Decision Making, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills |
equality, equity, justice, acceptance, responsible decision making, social awareness, relationship skills |
What does it mean to be fair? |
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February: Thinking Flexibly CASEL: Social Awareness, Self Management |
respect, listening with intention, empathy, generate other perspectives, acceptance, social awareness, self management |
What do we need to do to change our minds? How do we open our minds to new ideas? |
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March: Striving for Accuracy CASEL: Self Management, Self Awareness |
Growth mindset, power of yet, intention, reflection, patience, self management, self awareness |
How can making mistakes and reflecting on them help you? |
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April: Actions and Decision Making, Integrity CASEL: Responsible Decision Making, Relationship Skills
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responsibility, consequences, courage, upstander vs. bystander, responsible decision making, relationship skills, integrity- doing the right thing even when no one is watching |
What is an action? How are we responsible for our actions? |
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May: Ownership CASEL: Social Awareness, Responsible Decision Making, Self Management |
responsibility, self awareness, responsible decision making, self management |
What is ownership? How do our decisions affect others? |
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June: Self-Awareness CASEL: Self Awareness
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reflection, goals, intention, self awareness |
Who am I? What defines who I am as a person? |