Relationship between Civic Education and Character Education

Youth Civic Involvement and the Relationship between Civic Education and Character Education Student Name: Professor: Course Title: Date: Youth Civic Involvement and the Relationship between Civic Education and Character Education Part A Civic character is defined as the character of good citizens and includes traits such as community-mindedness, respect, and tolerance. Civic character, as Lickona (1997) pointed out, refers to responsible moral action which serves the common good. The identified case study is that of Bayless Elementary School. In this school in Missouri, character education was implemented that helped to improve the students’ sense of belonging in their school. Prior to the implementation of the character education, students did not have a sense of belonging in their school and this was having a negative impact on their academic work. Character Education Partnership (CEP’s) 11 Principles of Effective Character Education were used by the Principal Gina Siebe in guiding her efforts of turning the school around. There are quite a few character traits that leaders at Bayless Elementary School sought to develop in their students. These include emotional connection at the school, a sense of belonging, goal-setting, and autonomy. Other traits include those supported by the CEP’s 11 Principles, for instance self-motivation, respect for others, persistence, personal responsibility, self-discipline, courage, punctuality, and civility. Bayless Elementary School also focuses on community. This affects civic development of students in that it allows the students to develop desirable traits of private and public character that are essential to participate effectively in the community. The focus on community in schools could prepare the learners to thrive and succeed in a country that comprises as diverse a citizenry as in America in that it will enable them to engage effectively in civic involvement. They will become citizens who work towards goals that would benefit the society, take collective action, and engage with other people in social organizations (Ballard, 2014). In any democracy, it is desirable for the people to engage with other citizens and tackle civic matters. Besides benefiting the society, civic involvement serves to confer psychological benefits like connection with others and empowerment, and individual political benefits like improving the likelihood that one’s interests would be represented in political processes (Ballard, 2014). Part B Part 1: Professional Philosophy of Character Education Reflecting on different aspects of character education, the area of emphasis that I personally believe is most important to me as an educator is virtues. Specifically, the virtues of respect and responsibility are the most significant. Responsibility is understood as a person doing what he/she is supposed to be doing, and doing his or her best job. Responsibility in my professional life is about my actions causing negative outcomes or positive results. By acting responsibly, I am a responsible educator who does things that I am supposed to be doing, which bring about positive outcomes. I strive to avoid acting in a manner that is irresponsible. This is because to be irresponsible in my professional life means that I fail to do what I am supposed or expected to do, resulting in negative outcomes. In essence, I always make sure that I live up to my responsibilities. Responsibility enables me to create morals and principles, and allows me to be a responsible educator (Sieder, 2012). Being a responsible professional allows me to be more reliable as I gain the trust of other people, more independent since assuming the outcomes of my deeds helps me in making better decisions, and more honest since keeping my promises and telling the truth makes other people to believe me and view me a person who is honest. Respect, on the other hand, denotes a person treating others in a manner that indicates that he/she actually cares about their wellbeing and feelings. It also entails showing regard for the worth of something or someone (Lickona, 1997). To be respectful to the people around me means that I always treat them with kindness, politeness, and courtesy. I also do not insult people or disparage them. In my professional life as an educator, being respectful to other people such as my fellow teachers, my superiors, and even to the students is of great importance as it helps to improve m...