What is character education?
“Character education is a learning process that enables
students and adults in a school community to
understand, care about and act on core ethical values
such as respect, justice, civic virtue and citizenship, and
responsibility for self and others. Upon such core
values, we form the attitudes and actions that are the
hallmark of safe, healthy and informed communities
that serve as the foundation of our society” (U.S.
Department of Education).
BENEFITS OF INCORPORATING CHARACTER
EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR IMPROVING STUDENT
OUTCOMES
• Supports social-emotional learning
• Increase student academic achievement
• Decreases student behaviors
• Helps develop ethical behaviors for students and
staff
• Creates a positive school environment & creates
positive relationships with students, parents,
CAPTURING KID’S
HEARTS
GREYHOUND INTERMEDIATE
SCHOOL VISION AND MISSION
“Our vision is to inspire students to take pride
in their work, be good citizens and actively
participate to enhance their learning. By doing
this, they will achieve success as a learner and
acquire the tools needed to be successful in
life”(Greyhound Intermediate school).
(Capturing Kids’ Hearts, 2016
IMPLEMENTATION OF CPK
1. Set two days in the summer for a coach to teach/implement
capturing kids hearts.
2. Review capturing kids hearts at staff meetings. PLCs, and SAT
meetings.
3. Present cpk model to students through grade level assemblies –
social contract, EXCEL model, and simple ways to get student
attention in class.
4. Share with families at meet greet night, class dojo, and
paperwork with expectations.
5. Teachers create social contract and use this to guide student
behaviors in/out of classroom
Capturing Kids’ Hearts Pathway of Change (SOURCE).
(Wake County Public Schools, 2020
Grade level standards
met relationships.
Building meaningful
EXCEL model
Social contract
Team building skills
Techniques to deal with negative behavior
GOALS FOR CAPTURING KIDS HEARTS
• “Strengthened student connectedness to others by enhancing
healthy bonds with teachers.
• Consistent rules of conduct with reduced disciplinary escalations
and referrals.
• Dramatic reduction in truancy and dropouts.
• Reduction of negative behaviors such as isolation, violence, and
substance use.
• Significant improvement in student academic performance.
• District-wide improvements in test scores.
• Higher rate of job satisfaction among teachers.
• Increased teacher retention and improvement in teacher recruiting”
EVALUATION PROCESS
o Academics will be evaluated through state testing
(NWEA & MSTEP), the SAT process, and through
student growth during the year. Data will also be used
yearly to see the differences to see a positive change.
o Behaviors will be evaluated through SAT process,
number of suspensions/expulsion, and teacher survey
data during the year & throughout the following years.
o Teacher satisfaction will be collected through different
surveys over the years to identify student behavior
changes and academics.
SUPPORT FOR CAPTURING KID’S HEARTS
Teachers can support cpk by:
Involving parents and community
Actively incorporating cpk through the day and
continuing it through the entire year.
Positive conversations with peers, parents, and
community.
Supporting and collaborating with other staff.
COMPARING CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Character Choices:
Character Counts:
Nine monthly traits: respect,
Achieves growth in:
responsibility, cooperation,
Academics, SEL, and
compassion, good judgement,
leadership
Focusing on four aspects of integrity, perseverance,
citizenship, courage.
student character
Develops behaviors, parent
Moral, performance,
and community involvement,
Intellectual, and civic
(Character Counts, 2022) social media appropriateness,
character
and parent involvement.
Monthly activities
(Dove Academy of Detroit, 2022)
REFERENCES
• Capturing Kids Hearts. (2016). Welcome. [Link]
• Character Counts. (2022, August 20). Character education and SEL curriculum
resources, activities, lessons, and more! [Link]
• Dove Academy of Detroit. (2022, August 16). Character Choices - Dove
Academy of Detroit - Michigan. [Link]
• Eaton Rapids Public Schools. (n.d.). Greyhound Intermediate School. Schools -
Eaton Rapids Public Schools.
[Link]
• US Department of Education (ED). (n.d.). Character Education���Our
Shared Responsibility. U.S. Department of Education.
[Link]
• Wake County Public School System. (2020). Capturing Kids’ Hearts. Capturing
