Whether your child is playing sports now or considering participating in a sport, you likely have an opinion about the value of sports in children’s lives. You may have your own positive or negative experiences with sports as a child. The social, emotional, and physical benefits of playing sports in […]
Resilience
Most educators agree that academic integrity plays an essential role in learning. Will artificial intelligence (AI) destroy or facilitate academic integrity? How do teachers create a classroom culture of integrity, despite fears that AI and programs like ChatGPT (“Generative Pretrained Transformer”) can encourage plagiarism and dishonesty? While we do not […]
Integrity
Parents and families play key roles in developing character traits for kids. Parents who create positive home learning environments also understand that fostering character traits for kids is as important as academics and homework. They know that family values get passed from one generation to the next. But how to instill values […]
Self-Awareness
Looking for inspirational family movies that foster great conversations with your maturing children? Watching movies as a family has regained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. But truthfully, this activity is a great way for families to slow down, relax, and enjoy each other’s company anytime. Watching family movies serve many […]
Compass-Inspired
Protests over the murder of George Floyd and the senseless deaths of so many African Americans question our integrity and remind us that the struggle for racial equity is never-ending. I was a college student during the protests of the 1960’s. Photos like this one pushed me out of my […]
Integrity
Research shows that young people who develop inner strengths and attributes during childhood and adolescence are more likely to flourish in school, careers, and adult life. That’s because success goes far beyond external achievements. It is driven by our core abilities to form positive relationships, collaborate, lead, and contribute to […]
Compass-Inspired
What skills do future leaders need? The answer may surprise you. Research suggests that great leadership is not about a bulleted list of teachable skills, but about the quality of the person. Why is this important to parents, teachers, and others who imagine the future leadership potential of today’s young […]
Compass-Inspired
Like many adults, I can recall the profound influence that youth mentoring has had on my life. Not only did my mentor, a high school teacher, support me through my challenging teen years, but I have felt her positive influence for a lifetime. Why is youth mentoring so important? How […]
Compass-Inspired
What are character strengths? What meaningful role does character play in child and adult development? It is widely acknowledged that character –not beauty, high test scores, or wealth–account for life satisfaction and well-being. Derived from the field of positive psychology, the term character strengths has become synonymous with a group […]
Resilience
Good teachers understand that character education is at least half their jobs. While teachers are hired to develop children’s skills and abilities in academics like reading, writing, history, geography, and math, there is a lot more going on in the classroom than meets the eye. Opportunities abound for students to […]
Integrity
Learning from mistakes and errors is an important part of child and adolescent development. Most adults understand this concept. Yet, we have failed to teach our children that there is a positive side to getting things wrong. Many children grow up in a society that pressures them to be […]
Resilience
Integrity quotes help children recognize that standing for what they believe is important for achieving a meaningful life. Integrity is the ability to act in ways that are consistent with the values, beliefs, and moral principles we claim to hold. It’s about doing the right thing, even when no one […]
Integrity
