Shop In Our New Virtual Catalog

Everyone’s favorite flippy, our virtual CC! product catalog, has been updated. Showcasing our newest products in a clean design, you can zoom in on items that interest you or send pages electronically to friends. It’s almost like having the paper catalog in your hands – only better. Click here to flip those virtual pages.

Free Book, Activities, and Lesson Plans

When you register for this year’s National CC! Week (October 19-25) you will gain access to everything you need to plan and celebrate a week of character in your community: free lesson plans, community and parental outreach flyers, letters, talking points, Red-Ribbon Week tie-in activities, and samples from our in-house products.

Additionally, our partners at ETA/Cuisenaire have made available to CC! Week registrants a full-color PDF of one of their hugely popular WorldScapes series of books on cross-cultural topics, along with activities worksheets.

Our newest partner, Bearing Books, has also contributed to the celebration by creating an exciting lesson plan on the 2008 Presidential election.

Both are tantalizing tasters of what you can expect when you order either of those products from our online store. Sign up for CC! Week and receive both of these free gifts.

Register on the CC! Week page to find out more »

It Just Takes One to Make Character Count: Q & A With Kathryn Otoshi

Kathyrn Otoshi is an award-winning San Francisco-based children’s book author and illustrator. Her latest book, One ($16.95, www.kokidsbooks.com ), is a story about bullying that teaches tolerance through imaginative use of colors and numbers.

During the day she works at director Robert Zemeckis’s film company, Imagemovers Digital, which has produced such animated moves as Monster House and Polar Express. Before that, she was the graphic design art director for director George Lucas at Industrial Light & Magic.

With bullying such an issue on school campuses, we asked Otoshi what she hopes kids, parents, and teachers will learn from the book, how images can instill character, and why a good children’s book is like haiku.

CHARACTER COUNTS!: What inspired you to write One?
KATHRYN OTOSHI: Originally, it started as a story about physical differences, about children with different colored faces. Instead of white, black, brown skin tones, etc., I used colors like green, purple, blue, and orange and made the characters splotches of colors instead of faces. It was a risk because of the abstraction, but it gave me more leeway to touch upon complex themes.

CC!: Was your goal to inspire kids to assert themselves and strengthen character?
OTOSHI: The theme was acceptance and tolerance. How one voice can count and affect change. Many times we think “I’m so small. What can I do?” But we do have an effect. It’s about changing thinking. When one person stands up for something, it might be just enough to tip the next person over and inspire him or her to also stand up.

CC!: Did you research bullying beforehand?
OTOSHI: I was introduced to Diana Flasher, who speaks to schools about bullying. Diana gave me some handouts about bullies and their motivations. What surprised me was that sometimes bullies don’t want to change, even when they’re talked to and reasoned with. That’s why it’s important for children to know that while it’s good to stand up for themselves, it’s absolutely vital to have an adult address the situation once it reaches a certain level. There are times for all of us when things are too big to handle.

Ellen Dodge, a well-known communication expert, also had a big impact. At that time, my book ended with the Colors standing up to the bully and “Red turns even redder and rolls away.” Ellen told me, “In your quest to have everyone stand up for themselves, make sure they don’t bully the bully.” As life has it, I had a friend whose little girl was acting out her frustration by hitting other kids. She told me in near tears how hard it was to be the parent of a bully. So I rethought Red’s character and made him change, too.

CC!: Were you bullied in school?
OTOSHI: Not any more than other kids, but I was one of the few minorities in my school. I can’t tell you how long I wished I had blonde hair and blue eyes! There was one other Asian girl who couldn’t speak English well and was bullied mercilessly. I don’t know what became of her, but every now and then I think of her. I wish I had spoken up. I was like the colors in my story who don’t like what they see but don’t know what to do. I didn’t think I was hurting anyone by not saying anything. Or maybe I was afraid people would realize I was Asian, too, and pick on me. I’m hoping my story will be a launching pad for parents and teachers to discuss acceptance and differences so children will know what to say or do when a situation arises.

CC!: In One, Red is the bully, yet that’s your favorite color. Were you showing empathy for bullies?
OTOSHI: Colors have such an emotional quality. I don’t want children to think, “RED is bad and BLUE is good.” What I was trying to show is that all colors have wonderful qualities, just like people. And it’s true. I do love red. It’s a fiery, bold color...a great color.

CC!: Can intolerant people ever change?
OTOSHI: Oh yes, I believe so. We have to believe so! One teacher told me she sat bullies down with the kids they had antagonized. She asked the bullies how it would feel if someone punched them and called them names. She didn’t judge or condemn; she made them think. It was a very enlightening discussion. The bullies were surprised at what they learned, said they wouldn’t like what they’d done, and stopped pushing the other kids around.

CC!: What makes a successful children’s book?
OTOSHI: The text, the illustrations, the design, the font, even the size of the book is important. A children’s book is so limited in text that you must boil the story down to its core essence: What is each page saying in the least amount of words possible? It’s like haiku. It’s about rhythm, simplicity, poetry, intuition, and understanding the form. It’s also crucial to read the story to children, parents, teachers, booksellers, and librarians before it’s released. They are your audience.

CC!: What can children’s books do that other books can’t?
OTOSHI: The illustrations are as important as the text and say what the text does not. If your story starts out “Morris was a lonely mole,” the illustrator has a wonderful opportunity to show how lonely Morris really is. Is he so lonely there are cobwebs on his doorknob? Briar branches blocking his pathway? A new and shiny welcome mat that’s never been used? Pictures are a glorious way to engage young readers because they understand images before they learn to read.

CC!: What is your favorite children’s book?
OTOSHI: The Gardener by David Small and Sarah Stewart. To me, it is a perfect children’s book. I love it because they take risks. The story takes place during the Depression, rather a daunting subject. It starts with a girl who must live with her grumpy uncle while her parents find work. We get closer to this girl, who loves to garden and give to others. Slowly, she changes everyone’s life. It’s a wonderful, emotional story packed within 32 pages. Amazing!

I also adore Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann. What a prime example of showing in the illustrations what the text does not. And, of course, Maurice Sendak’s classic Where the Wild Things Are.

CC!: What are the challenges of teaching character in a children’s book?
OTOSHI: Don’t sound too preachy! Children’s books are all about showing, not telling. Character is best defined by action. The tricky part is to show this through illustration and with the least amount of text possible. In the end, you have to hope and believe what you’ve done will have meaning to your readers. If you’re able to create something that influences a young reader in some positive way, however minor, that is true success.

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Teacher's Lounge

Professional Development: Pitfalls and Perks

In an era of education reform, there is more pressure for teachers to achieve highly qualified teacher (HQT) status. One way to do that is through professional-development programs.

School districts spend between 2 and 5 percent of total annual expenditures on professional development, between $5 billion to $12 billion nationally! These are just the dollar figures. Add to that days spent away from students on in-service programs and lost time and revenue if the program’s ineffective. There’s a lot riding on these programs.

How do you know which professional-development course is right for you? Although the U.S. Department of Education states “there is a broad consensus about the elements that constitute an effective professional-development program” (classroom-embedded practices and programs that enhance student learning), research is scarce and schools don’t often have time or resources to investigate every professional-development course out there. So what can you do to make sure your dollars are being well-spent?

The Pitfalls – How to Avoid Them
Because schools are allocating considerable financial resources for professional development, the efficacy of such programs has come under increased scrutiny. Among the questions that teachers and administrators should ask when choosing a program are:

• Is it a waste of time? With so many other issues on their plate (economic instability, over-crowding, NCLB requirements), teachers need to believe their time with students won’t be compromised by professional development. Find out if other schools have used this program. What is the program’s reputation? What is its history? Word-of-mouth is usually a good way to find out how other teachers and schools have reacted to the program. Visit other schools that have attended and used it. What changes have they seen as a result? Ask those schools why they chose the program.
  
  
• Will it meet the needs of my school? What will you and your school get from the outlay? Has your staff bought into the program, or are they simply fulfilling the requirement? What long-term goals do you expect to meet from attending? What will the staff and students accomplish after one year? After five years?
  
  
• Which one is best for me? What’s best for one teacher may not be ideal for another. “The content must be relevant to the educator’s position and interests,” said Anne Morris, professional development program director at Madonna University in Livonia, MI. “If a teacher attends training in a subject area that isn’t related to his or her teaching position, the knowledge won’t make a significant impact.”

The Perks – How to Find Them
Professional development can be immensely beneficial. Unfortunately, research in the field hasn’t kept up with the burgeoning demand and number of programs.

It doesn’t make sense to measure the efficacy of the program solely on student achievement. Many factors can disrupt the benefits such as personnel and policy changes, but there are steps you can take to determine if your professional development is working:

• Keep records of participation. For your staff, make a log of what hours are spent on which courses. Use these figures to gauge what the benefits were. Ask participants to keep a diary of what they did and reflect on the course’s effectiveness afterward.
  
  
• Link student learning to teacher learning. Track any changes in teaching and learning according to what the students produce. If the professional development changes teacher practice, student learning should change as a result. Is it improving? Although this should not be the only indicator of success, it’s an important one.
  
  
• Monitor teacher practice. Some professional-development programs focus on changing the climate of the school through teacher practice. Improvements in student learning are a secondary benefit. Conduct pre- and post-course evaluations of your school and how teachers operate within it. Use this data to reflect on the benefits of the program.
  
  
• Increase teacher collaboration. An effective way to measure what is being taught is to collaborate with other teachers and examine the program together. What one person takes from a program may be different than what others do. Share notes immediately after the program and in the months that follow.

“No matter how excellent our education or career preparation is, we can never expect to learn everything in two, four, or six years,” said Erica Bouris, program director at San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies. “Learning new things energizes us and pushes us to embrace new challenges and responsibilities.”

Character Development Seminars
Josephson Institute has run professional-development seminars for 15 years. The most popular one is the Character Development Seminar, which trains participants in the core concepts of the CHARACTER COUNTS! framework. Graduates are eligible to receive credit from accredited institutions such as the University of San Diego, San Diego State University, and Madonna University.

CDS is ideal for teachers, administrators, youth group leaders, and community builders who want to learn character education strategies that really work. Our professional development can enhance your effectiveness as a leader and bring your school or organization a new way to cope with behavior problems, student underachievement, and drop-out rates. We can even customize training for your unique needs.

CHARACTER COUNTS! improves the lives of adults who teach it and communities that embrace it.

“It’s exciting to partner with an organization that views character development as a critical area that needs to be addressed in education,” said Anne Morris of Madonna University.

Successful professional-development programs develop and meet the goals of the school and expand them to achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders. This is the Josephson Institute approach.

Learn more »
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Our Foundations for Life program offers free writing prompts, lesson plans, and cross-curricular connections based on character-related maxims that complement your existing programs.
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Monthly Lesson Plan: Character Bookmarks

Curriculum integration just got a little bit easier with these fantastic character bookmarks. They're brightly colored so you're sure to never lose your reading place, and they include inspirational quotes to help you keep on track in the moral maze of life.

This month's lesson plan extends their reach by exploring the origin of the quotes and by encouraging students to develop their own words of wisdom.

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Would you like to see your lesson plan published? Send it to us and we’ll share our favorites!

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Commentary by Michael Josephson

Ramadan: The High Holy Days for Muslims

Last week saw the beginning of Ramadan, the highest religious days for Muslims.

Unfortunately, so many Americans have come to associate Islam with Arab extremists who have adopted a campaign of terror as part of their jihad (holy war) against America that the scope and meaning of this holiday is little understood.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are expected to express their devotion by fasting, contemplation, and prayer. They are expected to pay special attention to charity and self-accountability.

Muslims must arise before dawn, eat, and perform the first of five daily prayers. Once the sun comes up, they must fast all day until sunset.

Islam is based on Holy Scripture called the Quran as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Like Christianity and Judaism, many rituals and prayers are designed to define and demand virtuous personal conduct.

Muslims are to be even more self-conscious than normal about strengthening their faith and family ties and controlling negative emotions like envy, greed, anger, and lust. They must also avoid words that demean or injure others.

The self-discipline and sacrifice entailed in the daytime fasting is considered an act of deep personal worship designed to stimulate understanding, sympathy, and charity for those who are less fortunate. All this brings the worshipper closer to God (Allah).

On the evening of the 25th day of this month, Muslims celebrate the night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. According to the Quran, this is when God determines the course of the world for the following year.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Adapted from Michael Josephson's Gabriel Award-winning radio commentaries, airing every day across the nation. They also appear daily in the Commentary blog, where you can post responses and see what others have to say.

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