| News for the Education Profession |  |
| ASCD SmartBrief Special Report: Teaching Social Responsibility (Part I) |
Students must learn not only facts but also how to work together to solve the many problems they will encounter throughout their lifetime. Educators who nurture a sense of social responsibility help students develop character as well as improve their academic performance.
This two-part ASCD SmartBrief Special Report, "Teaching Social Responsibility," explores methods educators can use to develop such skills.
Part I of this special report surveys techniques to encourage student involvement in communities and politics. It also illustrates how students can be motivated to act to prevent injustice wherever they see it rather than passively accepting it. Part II, to be published Thursday, will examine how to apply social responsibility to the classroom and use teaching methods that develop the whole child. A variety of techniques and perspectives will be explored.
If you don't receive ASCD SmartBrief on a daily basis and find our report on teacher learning useful, we urge you to sign up for our timely e-newsletter. ASCD SmartBrief delivers the stories making news in your profession directly to your inbox -- for FREE. |
| At a Glance |  |  |
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- Engage students through social issues
Social responsibility is not easily taught because there are no easy answers to the world's problems, writes Educational Leadership editor-in-chief Marge Scherer. But many students are already eager to help solve them, and tapping into this well of enthusiasm may help educators engage students, Scherer writes. Educational Leadership
(5/2009)     
- Rampant cheating indicates change in perspective is needed
 Nearly two-thirds of U.S. high-school students say they've cheated on exams in the past year, according to a survey of 30,000 teens. That's a troubling statistic that hints at deeper cultural ambivalence about cheating, two New York education leaders write in this commentary. Educators may be able to combat such attitudes by fostering integrity in students, they write. Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.) (subscription required)
(5/29)
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| | Want to improve your school's climate and academics?
Come to the 2009 National Forum on Character Education, Oct. 29-31, 2009, and learn how incorporating character education practices into your school and its classrooms can improve their atmosphere and effectiveness. Hear 4 inspiring keynotes, choose from over 70 practitioner-led breakouts, and discover new best practices. Register now and save. | |
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| Teaching Civic Responsibility | | |
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- Service projects may boost civic engagement
Community service projects may help develop increased civic participation and an interest in academics among students, writes Jane L. David, who co-authored a book on school reform. About one in four schools have some students pursue such projects, David writes. The best projects can lead students to take on real-world problems, she argues. Educational Leadership
(5/2009)
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Projects help elementary-school children learn about service: Social studies teacher Donna Engelbert wanted to teach her sixth-grade students about social responsibility, so she organizes efforts to send care packages to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and raise money for charity. "We're trying to develop them as young leaders and good citizens in our community," she said. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)
(5/16)
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Student helps teens with autism express themselves: High-school student Sean Kaellner began volunteering to help children with autism, then decided to use his interest in theater to help give his new friends a voice. He said he "wanted to do something more -- to show the public what it was like to have autism." The Indianapolis Star
(5/30)
 | Win recognition for your character education initiative by applying for a National and State Schools of Character award. National winners receive a grant from the Character Education Partnership to share their expertise with others. State winners become state-level models. K–12 public and private schools are eligible. Go to www.character.org/nsoc. |
| Social Justice | | |
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- Empower students to act when they see injustice
Teaching students about social justice is not always easy, writes Laurel Schmidt, who directs pupil services and a leadership academy for her California district. But most children often have an intrinsic sense of fairness and look to adults for guidance. Educators must be prepared to engage them in dialogues about tough subjects and empower them to act, Schmidt writes. Educational Leadership
(5/2009)
- Character lessons aim to make students more empathetic
A New York middle school is among several nationwide that are emphasizing empathy in an effort to counter bullying and to inspire students to grow into more civil adults. Some students and national education leaders question whether such lessons belong in schools, but others say character education can foster a stronger school environment. NYTimes.com
(4/4)
- Class on homelessness gives students new perspective
English teacher Jack Breisch taught an elective on homelessness, hoping the experience would change how students see people in poverty. The 16 seniors in the class studied how to write about real-life people and volunteered to serve the homeless in some of Cleveland's toughest neighborhoods. Students gained empathy through the program, according to this article. The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)/Metro blog
(5/30)
 | Performance Values, a CEP whitepaper, shows the importance of performance character (needed for best work) as well as moral character (needed for ethical behavior). The paper reviews the research and describes ten practices that teachers and schools have used to develop performance character. Download this paper for FREE here. |
| Going Green | | |
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- Students must be prepared to tackle environmental issues
Today's teens are overwhelmingly pro-environment, but many are increasingly disconnected from nature, writes environmental educator Mike Weilbacher, who directs Pennsylvania's Lower Merion Conservancy. He writes about several programs that work and details what every student should know about the environment. Educational Leadership
(5/2009)
- Trout project helps students reconnect with nature
High-school students in Janet Reichelderfer's aquatic biology class reconnect with nature by raising trout from eggs and releasing them into an area creek. "They are the next generation that's going to take care of conserving our environment," Reichelderfer said. "They need to learn now about what's going on. ... I think that's a vital part of education that sometimes we forget." The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)
(6/2)
- Outdoor garden inspires lessons in conservation
Florida teacher Linda Rothenberg is teaching elementary-school students about the environment by having them grow in-ground and hydroponic vegetables in an outdoor garden. The students have been tracking the amount of water used to nourish the vegetables, and have found that less water is used for the hydroponic vegetables and yet they grew larger. St. Petersburg Times (Fla.)
(5/14)
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