Frequently Asked Questions

We answer your frequently asked questions about CHARACTER COUNTS!

What is CHARACTER COUNTS?

CHARACTER COUNTS! utilizes its Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship as foundational strategies while incorporating other best practices and methodologies.

Besides emphasizing and promoting a focus on a positive school climate, other defining elements of CHARACTER COUNTS! are intensive decision-making strategies, mindfulness, growth mindset, and behavioral change theories. These character education practical strategies produce exceptional results in the academic, social and emotional, character development, and school climate domains (The Four Wheels of Success). CHARACTER COUNTS! is a fully integrated student development framework that incorporates the most critical research findings and current theories from all major research and evidence-based strategies.  CHARACTER COUNTS! will help organizations infuse their central methods into the DNA by assisting youth to reach their academic potential, gain the ability to succeed in school, live happy, worthy and fulfilling personal lives, and become engaged, and responsible and productive citizens. CHARACTER COUNTS! offers curriculum (Model Standards), training materials (other curricular-like materials and support materials, posters, etc.), and training in the field at your school or organization.

Our training is individually crafted and taught by specialists in the field (Master Trainers).  Our trainers can custom-build needs-based instruction for schools, school systems, and other educational, spiritual, and community-based organizations. Give us a call to discuss your needs at 515-271-1910 or submit a request!  CHARACTER COUNTS! can enrich the climate of any organization by promoting positive change and enhancing everyday life.

What does CHARACTER COUNTS! training entail?

Our training, Student Development Workshop (SDW,) is for educators or Community Development Workshop (CDW) for community members and uses the latest research to prepare participants to reach today’s students. The workshop presents:

  • Engaging material utilizing various methods to appeal to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners
  • Effective strategies for achieving positive outcomes in the Four Wheels of Success
  • An emphasis on best instructional practices and classroom management strategies
  • Numerous resources and handouts for program implementation
  • Lessons that are still based on our foundation of the Six Pillars of Character
  • Strategies focusing on school, organizational, and community climate by enhancing social and emotional learning based on the nation’s best practices, promoting a growth mindset, and teaching resiliency

Besides the 3-day training, are there other opportunities for a school to implement CHARACTER COUNTS?

We also provide one-day in-service, professional development workshops, ongoing support, and coaching, along with the resources to create the most complete and unique packages to suit the individual and unique needs of all those we serve. We come to your organization or to a training site of your choice. You may co-sponsor training with one or more other organizations to help offset expenses and foster an insightful and learning-filled event.

Do I need to go to training? Is training really necessary?

It is highly encouraged and recommended that schools, school systems, youth-serving, other educational, spiritual and community-based, people-helping, organizations work to sponsor or co-sponsor a three-day workshop and provide the necessary resources to implement true climate change by enhancing social and emotional learning based on the nation’s best practices while promoting a growth mindset and teaching resiliency. We are highly regarded as experts in the field of ethics, character education, and social-emotional learning and are skilled at imparting the most critical research findings and current theories from all major research and evidence-based strategies by way of the most highly qualified and accomplished master trainers.

How much do workshops, training, or professional developments cost?

Because CHARACTER COUNTS!  is implemented in many ways, there are several options. Below are cost guidelines for various training solutions. For an exact quote, please call us at 515-271-1910.

Student Development Workshop (SDW)

This workshop involves an intensive three-day training program. Participants who complete the training will receive a certificate as a CHARACTER COUNTS! Champion. The standard fee for the three-day workshop is $10,500 excluding additional expenses. Up to 40 participants may attend.  It also includes our Premier pre-package of support, curricular and awareness materials. We also offer our Community Development Workshop (CDW) for communities, customized to meet the specific needs of the communities we serve.

Customized On-Site, One-Day CHARACTER COUNTS! Introduction or Professional Development Workshops

We also offer an extremely attractive $2,500 package for a 3-6-hour on-site workshop for up to 40 participants. You may find that a customized in-service for a CHARACTER COUNTS! introduction or a chosen topic from our professional development topics will provide both a better value and meet your school’s or organization’s specific needs. One of our Master Trainers will work with your school or organization prior to the training date to customize an upcoming event. We have a variety of One-Day and Professional Development Workshops Available.  Contact our Customized In-Service Solutions Team to allow us to tailor your workshop.

Distinguished Speakers and Consultants

CHARACTER COUNTS! offers the services of distinguished speakers and consultants which can be made available to inspire the masses at various events and help enthuse assemblies, including guest note addresses by Michael Josephson, on a variety of topics to varying audiences, from schools to parents and caregivers to businesses, organizations, government offices, etc. The costs for Distinguished Speakers vary depending on the speaker, allotted time needed, etc. Please contact our customer service agents at customerservice@charactercounts.org to tailor your specific need.

What are the Four Wheels of Success and how do they differ from the Six Pillar of Character?

The Model Standards for Academic, Social, Emotional, and Character Development identify the Four Wheels of Success. This fully integrated student development framework incorporates the most critical research findings and current theories from all major research and evidence-based strategies in order to instill academic, social, emotional, and values, mindsets, and character traits to help students. The Six Pillars of Character are just one component of the program.