Are you a newcomer to character development? This may be the perfect first step to begin your journey! Six years ago, The 11 Principles were words on a paper, in a binder and on a shelf at Cambridge Elementary. Campus core values did not exist, and there was not a consistent character education committee to drive an initiative. In 2019, Cambridge was named a National School of Character, but the experience was fulfilling and inspiring in a way that was unexpected! Find out how they navigated their journey and the lessons they learned along the way. Highlights include service learning, curriculum integration, transforming the adult culture, and how to help students to understand, reflect upon, and practice core values. It is truly all about the journey and not the destination when it comes to character, and Cambridge is so grateful for that journey!

The early childhood years provide a solid foundation for what a child needs to learn regarding social, moral, and intellectual development. By attending this workshop, participants will learn how to develop the type of environment, and daily learning opportunities that teach children character values such as respect, responsibility, and courtesy. Participants will share their own ideas for promoting character building, and will learn new strategies along the way to take back to their classrooms.

Approximately one in five children in the United States lives in poverty. With the growing number of students living in poverty, schools can be the change agent for young people living in situations that are out of their control. Schools can override the effects of poverty by influencing change within their schools. Living in poverty presents five primary risk factors for students. Discover how one National School of Character (2018) challenges poverty and faces these factors head on by empowering students, educating school staff, and building relationships with students.

Explore new gratitude science and practices that increase equity in character development and wellbeing. Collaborate with peers while attending this session that places you in both the role of student and educator using new digital tools and resources to develop relationship skills and self/social awareness. Walk away with ready-to-use resources to establish student-centered, integrated, and identity-safe gratitude practices that create an inclusive learning community for all students and staff.

This fast-paced and immediately useful workshop will provide you with some meaningful tools to focus on building community and cultivating social and emotional skills whether you are in school virtually or not. You’ll walk away with some new activities, customizable slides, and a renewed excitement for your work.

Hear a touching story of how one of the worst mass murders in US history could have been prevented and how a victim’s mother decided to become part of the solution to the issues we’re facing in schools. Based on a message her young son left on their kitchen chalkboard, “Nurturing Healing Love”, Scarlett began a worldwide movement to teach children (and adults) how to choose love in every situation or circumstance. Through this session, you will learn the choose love formula that can help transform the culture of your classroom into a positive and loving environment for all.

It's important for students to learn and practice the skills associated with social-emotional learning because these competencies are essential to helping students be trustworthy, compassionate, self-disciplined, respectful, and fair. This session will explain how SEL and Character Development are aligned and how both approaches can be integrated in your classroom, school, or district via Character.org's "Model Standards for Character and Social-Emotional Development." These developmentally appropriate indicators will help you and your school assess the extent to which students understand, care about, and consistently practice the five SEL skills and your school's core values.

Educating our youth and preparing them for a world being driven by rapid change requires a full cadre of caring team members committed and dedicated to success through K-12 and beyond. In Taulbert’s talk you will be introduced to eight teaming principles: The Eight Habits of the Heart. Taulbert, who views himself as a beneficiary of these timeless and universal habits, sees them as a force multiplier, informing our commitment and dedication. These eight habits are fueled by unselfishness. It is the unselfishness that drives the teaming process and brings about the sustainability of our efforts.

Core values are the foundation of comprehensive character education. Join two Schools of Character (SOC) evaluators who recognize the challenge some schools face in distinguishing core ethical values from prosocial skills such as listening and conflict resolution and performance values such as grit and persistence. Participants will identify core values broadly and then the subset of core ethical values, define them behaviorally, discuss their application to a variety of school policy and academic objectives and examples of how this process has supported successful SOC applications.

According to a Labor Department report from the Wall Street Journal, in 2018 teachers quit at the highest rate of any year on record. One million educators walked away from the profession that year. Experts predict that this number will only grow. If we're going to meet the social/emotional needs of today's students we also need to meet the social/emotional needs of today's teachers. This session will provide ideas and inspiration on how to better address the needs of teachers in today's classroom.