Teaching Character in Schools

It is time to begin putting thoughts to paper and slides into computer as I contemplate an upcoming meeting with the faculty of a local private school who distinguish themselves (in my mind) by their desire to find a way to impart character to their students. So often comes to mind the ancient wisdom that a long journey begins with the first step, and too often that first step is lost in a wave of hopelessness over the totality of the undertaking.
How can one dedicated faculty fight the tide of a multitude of contrary influences? How can one person change the world?
That journey parallels the growth of the human brain, about which I intend to speak, and a single neuron which after migrating to a part of the unformed fetus of the yet-to-be-born child adapts itself and becomes a particular part of a much more complex organ, a lonely pioneer which when joined by many, many more of its kind will form a brain, a brain that when developed and joined one day by many other brains, can, in fact, change the world.
But our tiny neuron must take that first step, or none of this will happen.
In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions, wherein a small change occurring at one place in a nonlinear system results in a large difference in a later state.
In terms of character, the group of neurons forming the brain will develop and grow and that brain will mold itself through the influences of genetics and environment to direct its host organism in its attitudes, its perceptions, its beliefs. A character will develop, with or without the additional input of the educator, for good or for ill. But the trajectory of that nonlinear system can be effected, even if the attempt at that one time and place along the continuum seems as minimal as the flapping of butterfly wings. If we believe this can happen, we will take that first step, and educate for character.
In our clear and present world, our true investment isn't in stocks and bonds, it is in the currency of character. Everything else changes over time.
But in the same sense that you would not expect a driver from another state to learn the speed limit of your freeway by observing the speed of drivers around her, so we should not expect children to develop a beneficial set of personal standards and values by observing those around them, without specific directions.
And so we must teach them. But how? Where do we begin?
By the time the educator meets the child, character development has already begun. Our job, then, is to guide its growth.
Character germinates within a warm, nurturing environment, regardless of its aspect, as a beautiful flower may emerge from a pile of warm, nutrient rich dung. A loving, supportive surrounding is the construct for a platform of self-esteem out of which can grow courage, and trust, and respect.
Not all children have such an advantage. But the brain is malleable, it is never too late. The school can provide such an environment, in each classroom, in every meeting, in all of its corridors. And provide guidance toward those traits that lead to good character.
But whose definition of good character traits do we teach? The world is filled with all kinds of minds, and beliefs. The dispute over whose values to impart can be a distraction which can go on forever.
But look closely. There are values common to all societies around the world. They are these: industry, fairness, respect, and truth. Most world communities would not dispute the addition of responsibility, compassion and courage.
That's a pretty good set of tools.