Seven Character Traits Brochure Z

We are
Partners in
Educating
Students

Seven Character Traits that
Promote Academic Success
and Lifelong Learning

Bedford Central School District, Bedford, New York

Critical Factors

We are Partners in Educating Students – Seven Parental Support/Consistent Involvement
Character Traits that Promote Academic Success  Communication with child
and Lifelong Learning
 Positive talk about school at home
Funded by BCSD PG&D Grant
 Reasonable academic expectations
Created by M. R. Goodman, E. Lesser, and D. Venditto
 Cultivating a love of reading
Copyright © September 2013
 Attendance at school functions, events and
meetings

 Open, productive communication with school
staff

 Monitoring of child’s sleep quality and quantity

 Healthy eating habits

Resilience Character Traits and Habits

Recovering from or adjusting to missteps, setbacks or change Research shows that specific character traits and
Confidence to try again, belief in oneself, self-reflection, habits contribute to success. These traits and habits are
learning from mistakes definable and teachable. They can be developed over time
with adult encouragement and through deliberate practice.
On the home front
On the following pages, you will find definitions of traits
Ways children can learn to be resilient and habits that empower students to be successful in

 Learn from stories about how others made mistakes and school and in life. Also included are some suggestions to
how they picked up the pieces and moved on. help children take ownership of their learning. With

 Have the opportunity to discuss missteps and receive parental guidance and practice, these character traits and
constructive strategies for growth. “What can we learn habits can become a natural part of children’s lives.
from this, and what can we do to make sure it doesn’t
happen again?”

 Have a “secure attachment” (bond) with a parent/caring
adult. (A secure attachment makes a child feel safe and
confident to explore the world.)

 Learn from parents that asking for help is a sign of
strength and that everyone needs help sometimes.

 Learn from parents the importance of building a
network of friends and family that one can count on.

“Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce

Conscientiousness Growth Thinker

Being thorough, careful and having the desire to do a task well Being open-minded: likes to learn new things, takes academic
Responsibility/Accountability - preparation, organization, time risks, loves a challenge, optimistic about the future. “I can be

management, study habits, punctuality better. I am going places.”

On the home front On the home front

Ways children can become more conscientious Ways children can become growth thinkers
 Actively participate in conversations with adults about
 Learn how to pack a book bag at night with essential
materials and set alarm for morning wake up. Follow how a growth thinker has hope for the future, believes
similar routines each morning to ensure consistent that almost anything is possible and understands that
organization that encourages increasing independence. challenges are both fun and hard work.
 Through adult modeling of optimism, learn how to be
 Work with parents to set up a system to know where to flexible, positive and open-minded when approaching
find school belongings and how to make sure they are a task.
put away carefully.  Have the mindset that problems/challenges are the
source of creative solutions.
 Discuss with parents how to establish a consistent daily
routine and schedule time for homework and studying. "I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn
how to do it." -- Pablo Picasso
 Learn to acknowledge that work produced is a
reflection of who we are.

 Take pride in work presentation.

“Learning is not obtained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor
and attended to with diligence.” – Abigail Adams

Curiosity Perseverance

Having a strong desire to know or learn something Doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success
Being inquisitive, innovative, seeking knowledge: a creative Continued effort to achieve something despite difficulties,
failure or opposition
problem solver
On the home front
On the home front
Ways children can learn to persevere
Ways children can become more curious
 Listen to parents’ personal stories about their setbacks
 Observe parent and sibling curiosity and engage in and facing difficulties; have discussions on how life can
experiences that encourage active inquiry. be, and often is, difficult or challenging.

 Learn about others who have a love of learning and  Learn from examples of what takes place in the world in
recognize what they’ve accomplished through their general, such as when athletes/teams lose a game and
passion. then get ready to compete again. It is about trying.

 Spend time with others to share those things that are  Observe adults working hard and ethically to reach
exciting, intriguing and motivating. goals and learn from those observations.

 Embrace opportunities to allow for further exploration.  Commit to setting realistic goals. Recognize that goals
 Engage in thought-provoking, open-ended discussions. are often reached one step at a time, and one needs to
persevere in the face of challenges.

“I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to “It always seems impossible until it's done.”
endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be ― Nelson Mandela
curiosity.”―Eleanor Roosevelt

Mindfulness Self-Management

Being aware of the present moment and being responsible for Being responsible for goals, decision making, focusing,
one’s own learning and all that it entails. planning, scheduling, active listening, self-advocating, and

Self-reflective/Self-aware: “I am responsible for my learning having self-control.
and how I go about my learning. This is my job.”
On the home front
On the home front
Ways children can learn to self-manage
Ways children can become more mindful
 Participate in discussions about the purpose of school  Work with adults at home to set age appropriate goals
and learn that maintaining focus will result in attaining
and the student’s role in the classroom. Realize that those goals.
learning is a student’s job. It can be both fun and
sometimes a chore. In either case, it is still a student’s  Work with adults to learn how to make small decisions,
job. and increase those decision-making privileges over
 Through adult modeling and specific/direct time and with maturity.
conversation, learn to modify behavior to fit a variety of
different situations.  Learn to self-advocate: speak up when something
 Reflect on the day through conversations with parents, needs to be said, an idea needs to be shared, or when
self-assess, and share a new learning experience. help is needed. Effective self-advocacy involves being
both assertive and polite.
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”
– Stephen Hawking  Participate in discussions that require active listening.
 Strike a balance between electronic and non-electronic

activities.
 Learn the value of patience and calm self-control

through adult modeling and practice.

References:

Costa, Arthur L., and Bena Kallick. Discovering & Exploring
Habits of Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2000.

Dillon, James. No Place for Bullying: Leadership for Schools
That Care for Every Student. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2012.

Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. London: Robinson, 2012.

Gardner, Howard. Five Minds for the Future. Boston, MA:
Harvard Business School, 2007.

Kaufman, Scott Barry. Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined. New
York: Basic, 2013.

Lesser, Elissa Leibovici. Predicting Adjustment to College: A
Comparison between International and American Students.
Diss. Adelphi University, 1998.

Lickona, Thomas. Character Matters: How to Help Our Children
Develop Good Judgment, Integrity, and Other Essential Virtues.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.

Petersen, Katia, and Katia Petersen. Activities for Building
Character and Social-emotional Learning. Minneapolis, MN:
Free Spirit Pub., 2012.

Preble, William, and Rick Gordon. Transforming School Climate
and Learning: Beyond Bullying and Compliance. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2011

Tough, Paul. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the
Hidden Power of Character. New York: Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, 2012