Students Revise Character Standards
When placed in the context of other independent schools, we often hear MKA defined by and praised for its ethics program and character building. We publish a newsletter on character, Moral Conversations , and have lectures and course offerings related to character building. However, the gap between what the school teaches and what its students carry into their everyday lives is often wider than we would like to think, especially among older students. The Character Expectations, created as the backbone of our ethics and character program, have not been prominent enough in our community's mind in the past few years.
This year, a group of student leaders at the Upper School, Lane Goodman, Matt Cherchio, Andrew Culbreth, Katie Davis, and Rebecca Bauer, under the guidance of Kerry Verrone, US Ethics Liaison, examined the Character Expectations in order to reconnect the student body to the ideas of ethics and character that MKA promotes. As students on the revision committee, we felt that the previous Character Expectations were not present enough in the collective conscious of the school, and we attributed this to the Expectations themselves. First, the introduction to the previous expectations implied that they were only for graduates. The Expectations were also too specific and used difficult language, such as "truckling" and "concomitantly prudent." In addition, the previous Expectations even used the name of a specific virtue within the definition. Finally, we agreed that the Character Expectations needed to be more widely discussed or recognized, and that the Expectations should be revised.
To address these concerns and to revitalize the concepts of character to students, we came up with some basic goals. First, we sought to make the Expectations more accessible and connected to the students. The character program of MKA should be present in and out of the classroom, as well as on and off campus. For the Expectations to work, we also felt that they should be more realistic and in touch with the choices that adolescents and young students actually face. We decided that the revised expectations should be both clearer and equally open to interpretation.
We then worked to create a new set of Character Standards, which follow this article. We felt that while the eight virtues themselves needed no revision, it was the body of the document that did need reconsideration. Specifically, the title of "Character Expectations" was changed to "Character Standards," and the use of "they," referring to MKA students, was replaced with "we." We shortened the revisions and replaced any complicated or negative language with stronger, more positive wording. We made these revisions with the hope that the Standards will be more accessible and useful for the entire MKA community and not just for graduates.
In planning for the long-term reinstatement of the Character Standards, we discussed possible ways to reintegrate the character program into community life, especially among older students. Character should be a frequent theme in curriculum discussions, and ethics courses should be re-examined and offered to those who are interested. As the new Character Standards make clear, we want to make a larger community effort for self-analysis and examine whether or not we practice what we preach. The student body is highly capable of meeting the Standards that are set, but without constant discussion, and even debate about the Character Standards, we face the risk that they may become a tired list ignored by the community.
The best way to teach character is through life experiences, and so it is through the lessons of the school curriculum and student life that the Character Standards may be illuminated for all MKA students. Perhaps then, students may be able to view the character and ethics program with pride, not simply for its presence, but also for their understanding of its teachings and their integration of it into their everyday lives.
Lane Goodman, Matt Cherchio, Andrew Culbreth, Katie Davis, and Rebecca Bauer
Editor's Note: The students, led by Kerry Verrone, explained their revision process with PowerPoint presentations at faculty meetings on all three campuses in April.
For a link to the revised standards, go to http://www.montclairkimberley.org/home/about/sigprograms/Ethics.
Unwritten Rules
Every June we celebrate what our children and students have learned and accomplished, and take both hope and pride in their growth. At the Upper School, the collective character of the senior class comes more sharply into view due to our realization that all one hundred and one of them have actually completed their experience with MKA as students. The faces of new faculty, staff, students and parents are on the horizon, and glimpses of the year ahead occasionally come into view.
At this time of year, I often think of my high school history teacher. He was a compelling teacher, a hospitable dorm master, and a fiercely independent colleague among the faculty. No one really knew when Mr. Davis slept because at most hours of the night, any restless student in the dorm could wander down to his apartment for advice, a dish of ice cream, or a half-hour of late night television and conversation. Outside the apartment was a lamp, and if it was on, you were welcome to knock on the door and announce yourself. If the lamp was off, it was understood that Mr. Davis wanted to be left alone. In the days leading up to the end of the school year the lamp stayed off. Mr. Davis didn't like to say goodbye, and other than a brief appearance at the graduation ceremony, it was tough to get a glimpse of him in June.
The rule about the lamp, on or off, was not written down anywhere. It was understood and appreciated for its simplicity and clarity. Respecting this unwritten rule was the gateway to an extraordinary level of hospitality, kindness and friendship, and the darkened lamp in June was a poignant symbol of one man's response to change and transition.
Like all schools, we have a good number of rules, policies and guidelines at MKA. Many are written, few are read. The most informed experts regarding our student handbooks are typically students who have gotten themselves in trouble and then turn to the student handbook to see just how serious the trouble is. At the center of this issue of Moral Conversations are the Character Standards for all members of the MKA community. These standards, formerly known as the Character Expectations for MKA graduates, were revised this year by a group of five Upper School students. The Character Standards have also been on my mind this spring as I have thought about day-to-day life at MKA, or the findings from the student, parent, employee and alumni surveys that have been administered in the last eighteen months.
These standards are not just for MKA graduates, but for all of us, and they ask that we be respectful, friendly, responsible, confident, temperate, fair, informed and honest. The standards have the advantage and the strength of being relatively few in number, easy to remember and applicable to all. The qualities upon which the standards are based have a value in and of themselves, just like a bright lamp in a darkened hall, and also serve as a clearly marked gateway to enduring and positive relationships between and among all members of the MKA community.
Tom Nammack
Ethics in Action: Habitat for Humanity
How do our students actually "live" the character standards of respect, responsibility, and friendship? A shining example of student dedication to these virtues took place over spring break, when eighteen Upper School students and four faculty members shared a memorable experience with Habitat for Humanity in Clarksdale, Mississippi. They devoted a week of their vacation time to work on the interior of a home, build a shed, and prepare the foundation for a second home.
Reflecting on the experience, students write: "The Habitat trip was very fulfilling because even though the work was difficult at times, I was able to give to others in a fun way. It also made me appreciate that things that I have at home and never take them for granted. What was awesome was that we got to meet the actual family for whom the house was being built, and every time I saw the young kids and the baby, I knew that our work was worth something more than just a new house." Danielle Colon
"I really enjoyed the fact that the Habitat experience was so personal. It was great to be able to meet and work with the families who would own the house that we were working to build. It was also very humbling to know that there are people whom we worked with, like JJ and Bryn, who work with Habitat all year. Our group was putting a week's worth of hard work into a house, but these people give their time and work all year. It really made me think about how 'giving back' shouldn't be just a once-a-year event. We should try to give back as often as possible." Chrissy Patterson
"To me (and I think a lot of other students share this sentiment), the most important aspect of the Habitat experience is actually seeing the faces that you're helping. Getting to know Cornelius, Lee, Dee, and the adorable little Marquel made everything worthwhile, no matter how difficult or tedious the work seemed at the time. Seeing a finished house at the end of the week is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, right next to seeing the smiles on the family's faces." Giri Nathan
"I feel that my experience was a rewarding use of my time. It was productive, and it gave me a sense of giving back. Habitat for Humanity has inspired me to give back in other community services." Charles Bozik
"I was put into a situation unlike anything I have ever faced before, and I learned about people whom I would otherwise never have encountered. The trip put my entire life into perspective and permanently altered the way I judge and value my own life. I met incredibly strong and inspirational people during our week in Mississippi who taught me how to trust and about the importance of accepting help when it is needed.... I cannot imagine a better way to have spent one of my last weeks in high school, and I will carry these memories and experiences with me when I leave MKA." Diana Reese
Ethics in the Lab
Bioengineering and recombinant DNA technology raise many moral dilemmas. How do our Upper School science classes seek opportunities to talk about the ethical issues involved in the research and use of such technology and its consequences? George Hrab shares details of his Bio 2 Honors class below:
Issues discussed cover a wide range of concerns related to DNA technology. The term itself refers to direct manipulation and alteration of DNA for specific purposes, technology that has only recently become available. Humans have been changing and "manipulating" DNA of other organisms for thousands of years, ever since domestication of animals and agricultural techniques were first practiced, but we never had the ability to manipulate the DNA directly. Therefore, class discussions have covered trans-genic organisms, organisms that have genes from other species, genes that can somehow enhance them, as for instance, salmon with genes that make them fatter, or plants with genes that give them pest resistance.
Gene therapy involves alteration of genes, which do not function properly. Therefore, students in this Honors class have discussed the medical application of gene therapy for conquering diseases and/or for altering physique (designer genes). They have also discussed the issue of cloning in terms of its efficacy and application, especially ethical concerns related to conquering death and having cloned organs available as replacement parts.
The class was also intrigued by ethical issues related to forensic uses of DNA technology, such as DNA fingerprinting (paternity, rape, crime) and privacy issues related to such fingerprinting and how long DNA of suspects' remains on file. Soon each born individual will be able to have a CD of his or her entire genome. But should insurance companies have access to such information and therefore withhold coverage for individuals with certain genetic make-ups? Students also explored gene patenting by companies discovering certain genes. Finally, they talked about access to such technology and the ethical issues of who can benefit from it and who can't because of socio-economic differences.
News from the Primary School
Pre-K students learned about being respectful protectors of the Earth as they prepared for Earth Day. Mother Earth by Nancy Lueen inspired the children to create watercolor responses to the questions, "What does the Earth give to us?" After hearing the story, Franklin Plants a Tree by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark , they created an Earth Day quilt with a painting of the Earth for their classroom door. They also learned how to be more responsible by recycling and reusing materials to save the Earth. They generated a list of items they could help to recycle both at home and in school, and they actually made "new" paper from old newspapers in a five-step process that replicated the actual newspaper recycling method.
Kindergarteners enjoyed practical, hands-on lessons in responsibility as they cared for their duckling eggs. They practiced being responsible as they regulated the incubator temperature, misted the eggs with water twice a day. They carefully took turns as egg masters as they patiently waited for their eggs to hatch.
First graders in Dolores Avila's class preformed an original version of their Core Work, The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. The students enjoyed many ethical discussions about Peter's behavior.
Second graders in Regina Elberg's class studied ideas from Inch and Miles, the Journey to Success by the famous coach, John Wooden. Minutes before a glib game, a basketball team thinks back on the hard work it took them to get to their present point, especially all the effort it took to truly become a team. Regina shares the steps to success shared by the students: "hard work, enthusiasm, cooperation, poise, self-control, alertness, fitness, confidence, skill, action, determination, hard work, friendship, loyalty, and team spirit." Each child gave an explanation in the form of a rhyme for each step. The theme of the play was that success isn't owning lots of toys or having a big shiny trophy but being the best that you can be at all times."
Kindness Projects continue to flourish at the Primary School. This year they were: Pre-K, Montclair Senior Citizens; kindergarten, Dimes for Ducks; first grade, Court Appointed Children Advocates--for children in foster homes; second grade, 13 th Street School in Newark, and third grade, the Human Needs Food Pantry. Kindness Projects will be featured in the fall, when Donna Blanes and Donna Deutsch share a feature on the ethics of caring.
News from the Middle School
What does it mean to "Pay it forward?" The statement, from the title of a film about a challenge a seventh grade class accepts from a teacher to make a difference to others, generated much discussion in our fourth grade. They defined the phrase as, "Help someone after you are helped." Andrew wrote, "Make a chain reaction. Do something nice for people every day. If you pay something forward, that person might pass it on, making a good day." Maddie shared, "Doing a good deed warms the heart because if someone is having a bad day, all she wants is someone to be nice to her. You could just pick up a book that someone dropped, and it would be a good deed. Paying it forward can go on forever." Thea suggested being nice to siblings or cleaning your room when your parents don't ask. Common themes were sitting with someone who's all alone at lunch, helping people find what they have lost, making others feel better if they are sad, avoiding passing on rumors, and being patient with teachers. Jack recognized that "sometimes paying it forward can be a hard thing. But there are ways to make it easier. For example, if you don't like playing with someone, and you like being with someone else, you could get your friend to play with you and the person you don't like, so you won't mind as much. So paying it forward is a good thing to do. It doesn't just help one person; it helps many."
After studying the eighth grade Core Work, The Odyssey, students assessed the character of Odysseus from moral perspectives. Dan B. noted Odysseus's honesty when he "hears the prophecy about Scylla and Charybdis. Instead of keeping this to himself, he tells his crew everything he knows. This shows that they are all equal and how Odysseus is now a better captain." Justin's essay concluded, "He's slain the dragon within and become a more excellent king, husband, father, and person. He evolves from an arrogant, self-centered boy to a caring, wise, strong man. He really does show the pure essence of a struggling man to reach his destiny." In concluding his piece on the hero's journey, Dan S. spoke of the "wisdom that the Greeks call 'excellence' and Odysseus's "loss of hubris....He 'kills' that old, arrogant Odysseus and is reborn with the ethic and moral excellence to help him through the rest of his life."
Outside the classroom, an exciting new service-learning program for the Middle School was developed this year, with the help of a parent, Nicole Spain, PAMKA's MS Outreach Chair. She writes, "I am truly proud of the maturity that each homeroom displayed as they interacted with the children, ages 3-5, at The Montclair Child Development Head Start Program. This has been a humbling and extraordinary experience for fourth and seventh graders to give back to their community in a fun and deserving way." At either the Baldwin or Fulton Street site, they "served their community by cleaning out the basement, organizing boxes, raking and bagging leaves, washing school bus windows, playing board games, reading stories, assisting in reading and writing lessons, organizing outside games, assisting the teachers with preparing for lessons, and giving lots of hugs."
The experience was equally rewarding for the Middle School students. Seventh grade comments include, "I loved Head Start. All the kids were so welcoming, kind, and funny in their own way. They opened up very quickly, and by the end of the visit, my group and I were overwhelmed with hugs." "My time at Head Start was fun! All of the kids wanted me to sit next to them, play with them, or read to them. When it was time for me to leave, they all enjoyed hugs, and one little boy wanted a kiss." "When I went to Head Start, it was one of the best experiences that I have ever had."
What's Ethics Got To Do With It?
The proverbial "aha" moment. As a teacher, I often anticipate and am elated when I see that look of complete comprehension/understanding on one of my student's faces during class. I had a similar moment myself last summer while participating in the four-day ethics workshop given by Bill Wians and Karen Newman. They crafted a workshop that dealt not only with the content of Aristiotle's Nichomachaen Ethics and Plato's Meno but also with elements of backward design. In short, as a result of how they infused curriculum design with the content of these literary works, I was able to look at ethics and also student achievement through a different lens: process.
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Insights from the Adams Seminar
An opportunity to meet with colleagues from all three campuses to focus on character and ethical issues is always energizing, but sharing with teachers at a "sister" school, the Bancroft School in Worcester, MA, is an annual treat. This year, the Adams Seminar was led by Prof. Yaser M. Najjar, who helped us all delve into the complex role and impact of Islam in our culture. Prof. Najjar's extensive experience teaching in both American and Middle Eastern universities informed our role as educators. Representing MKA at Bancroft were; Laura Doto, Bridget Looney, Tom Nammack, Linda Stark, Lynn Salehi, and Kerry Verrone.
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The Ethics of Caring
On April 12th and 13th , I had the pleasure of attending Boston University's Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character (CAEC) Institute. For me, the event was an eye-opening and inspiring introduction to the world of teaching ethics in the classroom. We were treated to two days of presentations from a wide array of speakers ranging from law professors, art professors, an English professor and representatives from BU's major religious organizations. The most interesting concept we discussed was that of caring.
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From Aristotle to Angelou
Best Practices in Character Education
How is MKA active in ongoing research in the field of character education? Last year, we were honored to be one of six Character Education Partnership (CEP) national award-winning sites to be visited by Dr. Paul J. Dovre, president emeritus of Concordia College and a recent visiting scholar with the Program on Education Policy and Governance at the Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Dovre enjoyed his visits to all three MKA campuses and recently published his findings in the spring issue of Education Next.
His feature begins,"The modern character education movement emerged in the 1980s as a consequence of growing parental and public concern for moral drift, or...'the death of character.'" Dr. Dovre cites Sanford McDonnell, former chair of the CEP, "We have a crisis of character all across America... The good news is that we know what to do about it: get back to the core values of our American heritage in our homes, our schools, our businesses, our government, and indeed in each of our daily lives." The results of Dr. Dovre's research may be read at: www.educationnext.org.
