Helpful Websites

Please find links to some significant websites on the right column of this page. What follows is a brief synopsis of each.

Center for Character and Citizenship This is where you will find the likes of Dr. Marvin Berkowitz and Dr. Vic Battistich. Marvin's work has provided some of the "science" behind character education. I think you will find his work informative no matter where you are in your implementation process.

Vic's work focuses on positive youth development...youth as promising rather than youth at risk. The paper you received offers some interesting critical reflections on current practices as they relate to youth development. This one is well worth the read. A good one for team and/or staff discussion.

CASEL Probably one of the best sites for current research and strategies supporting academic, social, and emotional learning.

Centre for the 4th and 5th R's Tom Lickona and Matt Davidson have really led the field in showing the relationship between performance and moral character (or ethics and excellence). Smart and Good High Schools can be found electronically at this site and can be downloaded for free. For those interested in survey inventories they provide links to a host of inventories on just about every aspect of character development, climate and culture you can imagine.

Character Education Partnership A number of useful resources can be had at this site. They also offer up recognition for promising practices in character education to schools throughout North America. These are recognized at their National Forum held each year in the fall. See their site for more details.

The Responsive Classroom This site offers some really practical strategies for addressing character development in all dimensions of schools (curriculum, extra-curricular, and operations). They offer up a great little newsletter which is always filled with lots of handy tips.

The Attribute This newsletter has many more resources, links and useful ideas than can be listed here. Check this site for links to book distributors who carry character development resources, speakers, organizations etc. Please feel free to send in suggestions, submissions and other useful links. Follow the directions for submissions.

Steve