 |
|
Kids of Character One Minute Mentoring Messages Excerpts From The Foreword Dr. Thomas Lickona Center for the 4th and 5th R’s “What is character? Why does it matter? How is character developed? Who is responsible for developing it? In character education, those are the “big four” questions. Wise answers to those questions are gathered together in KIDS OF CHARACTER authored by Russell Williams. “What is character? Russ makes clear, it’s having the “right stuff,” the strengths of mind, heart, and will—including justice, compassion, integrity, courage, humility, hard work, and determination—that enable us to discover and develop our gifts and use them to make a positive difference in the world. “Why does character matter? As these essays repeatedly demonstrate, character is essential for living a fulfilling life. Cultures around the world affirm three sources of authentic happiness: (1) maturity of character; (2) loving relationships such as marriage, family, and friendship (religious believers would include friendship with God), and (3) contributing to the lives of others. Developing good character is at the heart of all of these pursuits. “How is character developed? In three ways that are well-described by KIDS OF CHARACTER. We become the kind of person we are in large measure because of how other people treat and teach us. Character is nurtured by the love and instruction we receive from good mentors—parents, teachers, coaches, and others. “Second, through example. As common sense and a half-century of social learning research tell us, the models we are exposed to profoundly influence our attitudes and behavior. “Third, through personal effort. To become a person of character is to strive to become the best person we can be. Each of us, aided by God’s grace, is ultimately the architect of our own character. “Who is responsible for building good character? All of us, beginning with young people themselves but including everyone else with the power to influence youth—families, neighborhoods, schools, faith communities, youth organizations, sports leagues, the wider community, government, and the media. Character education is our shared work and obligation.” Organized into seven life values chapters, each comprised of twelve character essays, Russell Williams, founder of Passkeys Foundation, comments on the call to adults to become character mentors. “Every child and young adult is blessed when their life intersects with an adult character mentor. As a youngster I was fortunate to be influenced by such people. My parents led the team that I now understand were part of a small community of significant folks that included a 5th grade teachers, a high school coach, a pastor and an adult friend, a neighborhood parent. I was positively influenced to pursue the story of building a noble character. Now, these many years later, I am passing along that experience to those I can influence.” To make a purchase, select the quantity amount and click the "Add to Cart" button. You will go to the PayPal site where you can adjust the quantity and finalize your purchase.  |
|
