Educating Leaders of Character New framework offers a comprehensive approach to character-based education By Tami McMann As students walked onto campus last August to begin school year 2021-22, they couldn’t help but take note of colorful displays expressing The Summit’s new character education program. From the lampposts to the hallways, from floor to ceiling, the eye-catching blue, turquoise and gray triangles were impossible to overlook. Tailored for children of all ages, Leaders of Character is a comprehensive and scaffolded effort to focus on three actions (“domains”) that contribute to personal development: Serves God, Builds Community and Grows Self. The Leaders of Character framework is the result of nearly two years of research and development led by Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs, Dr. Kirstin McEachern, with guidance from the Center for Creative Leadership.
“Our Leaders of Character framework identifies the character-based leadership attributes we explicitly teach, practice and model,” says Dr. McEachern. “This intentional sequence for classroom application prioritizes developmental needs. The domains are repeated throughout the years to allow us to reinforce the skills and provide students with multiple touch points to practice and develop them.” Grows Self We educate for life and understand that leaders of character seek continued growth. “Grows Self” is a focus beginning in Montessori and further explored in Grades 3, 6 and 10 where the featured attributes are: Accountable - answers for and owns one’s thoughts, actions and words
Abby Roebel ’34 and Jordan Roebel ’28 work together on a Leaders of Character activity in the Exploratarium.
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