WESTBRIDGE Seminar for Teachers: May 19 & 22

CHARACTER MATTERS:
Urgency & Importance
Mann Rentoy

“For the first
time we are
preparing
children for a
future we
cannot clearly
describe.”
- David Warlick
Steve
Wheeler,
University
of
Plymouth,
2011

Do you really know
what your students
are up to?

1. Emphasis on popular music (which include
swearing and sexual lyrics)
2. revealing clothes
3. suggestive dance moves
4. algorithm designed for maximum hunger for
likes, followers and comments (famewhore)

Principles
•Every Teacher is a Character
Formator
•Not just another subject
•Education is not just covering
curriculum

Principles
•No other better way to teach
character than through the power
of our example
•The teacher is the most
important teaching tool

Principles
•The school is only as good as its
teachers.

LOGO
Now more than ever,
this work of formation is
urgent and important.

SOCIAL MEDIA
CAPITAL OF THE
WORLD

Movies
TV Shows
MTVs
Billboards
Magazines
Websites
Twitter
Apps

CRISIS OF THE
DIGITAL GENERATION

Selfie
FB Live
Followers
Likes

Craving for Constant
Connection (ICYMI)
Deadly Digital
Distraction

Teach the great
character strengths:
•By your example
•By your direction
•By your verbal explanations

As Aristotle taught,
people do not
naturally become
morally excellent or
practically wise.

They become so, if at
all, only as the result
of life-long
personal and
community effort.
- Jon Moline

“The Altruistic
Personality”
A 1988 Research by Samuel &
Pearl Oliner

People who “rescued”
Jews from the Nazis
did it “because that
was how they were
raised”.

Character
can be a matter of life
and death

Psychiatrist Frank
Pittman
“Stability of our lives
depends upon
CHARACTER”

Psychiatrist Frank
Pittman
“CHARACTER, not
passion, keeps
marriages together.”

Psychiatrist Frank
Pittman
“CHARACTER
enables people to
survive, to endure, to
transcend misfortunes.”

Metal detectors in schools
Installation of cctv and other
sophisticated cameras
Home-schooling option
becoming a real alternative

But the real key solution:
Character Formation
Moral Literacy
Moral Intelligence

Enhancing MORAL
INTELLIGENCE is our best
hope to get them on the right
course so that they
ACT and THINK
right.

1. Commit to Raising A
Moral Child
Research: parents who feel
strongly about their kids turning
out morally usually succeed
because they committed
themselves to that effort.

1. Commit to Raising A
Moral Child
Research: teachers who feel
strongly about their kids turning
out morally usually succeed
because they committed
themselves to that effort.

If you really want to
raise a moral child,
then make a personal
commitment to raise
one, and don’t stop
until he does.

Each day ask
yourself: “If my
student had only my
behavior to watch,
what example would
he catch?”

3. Know your
beliefs and
share them.

They will hear
messages that
counter your values:
music, videos,
television, internet.

5. Use
discipline as a
Moral Lesson.

7. Reflect on
the behaviors’
effects.

10. Incorporate
the Golden
Rule.

Without morals, the
young do not learn how
to deal with others
correctly and
appropriately.

What is the
content of good
character?
10 Essential Virtues

1. Wisdom (Good Judgment)
2. Justice (Golden Rule)
3. Fortitude (Inner Toughness)
4. Self-control
5. Love (Sacrifice for Others)
6. Positive attitude
7. Hard work
8. Integrity (Honesty w/Yourself)
9. Gratitude
10. Humility (Desire to Be Better)

Introducing the youth
to appropriate role
models

Direct and indirect
instruction

Craving for Constant
Connection (ICYMI)

60 pounds of
pressure on the neck

Dizziness
Neck Pain
Stress
Tiredness
Headache

Insatiable need to be
noticed
validated
entertained
Insatiable need to be

The brain is being fed
“FASTFOOD”

Substitute Brain
Thinking in Headlines
Need for Instant Response
(Instant Gratification)
Inability to Memorize

We’ve lost the
Art of Handwriting

Disorders
Dissatisfaction
Ranting that leads to Regret
Narcissistic Tendencies
Inflated/Deflated Ego
Self-Centered Disposition
Sleep Disorder: Insomnia

Disorders
Dizzy Spells
Headaches
Eye Strain
Muscle Pains
Brain Stress

Disorders
Cyber Bullying
Indecent Exposures/Scandals
That Have Led to Suicides
Wounded Self-Esteem That
has Led to Depression

10 minutes a day on social media
=
60 hours a year

Delete
Hide
Mute
Block
Take a Break
Unfollow
Unfriend

AIRPLANE MODE
is not just for Airplanes.

Will connecting at this
moment really help me
achieve my goals?

SUCH IS THE NOBILITY OF
YOUR JOB AS
TEACHERS

I AM ENGAGED IN THE
BUSINESS OF ENHANCING
LIVES

9 reasons to get into
teaching

1. Inspire
the next
generation

6. International
opportunities

" Teachers don't impact for
a year, but for a lifetime."

Example isn't
another way to
teach,
it is the only
way to teach."

DEDICATION
LOYALTY
COMMITMENT
PROFESSIONALISM
PERSEVERANCE
RESILIENCE
GRIT
HONOR
TOUGHNESS
LOVE

I CHOOSE
TO BE THE
BEST
TEACHER I
CAN BE.

“You were hired to impact lives.
You were hired not so much to teach
third grade, or history, or physical
education, as to influence lives. ”

BIG IDEA
TO EDUCATE KIND KIDS,
WE MUST:
1. Help each student build
a strong personal
character based on
virtuous habits
(kindness, respect, etc.).
This is the work of habit
formation.

BIG IDEA
TO EDUCATE KIND KIDS,
WE MUST:
2. Build a strong culture of
character in the school
and every classroom that
expects and supports the
development of good
character and brings out
the best in all.

BUILD
CHARACTER,
BUILD
CULTURE.

Tips for Building Character
in Online Schools

Agree on TENETS as a
class: “must-haves” for
the class to run smoothly.
This must come from the
students themselves.

Very much like
the strategy of
Hal Urban

Be clear about the ground
rules. Specify what you
expect to see from your
students, and what is
unacceptable.

Be sure to be a
good example
yourself as
well.

allow students to suggest
helpful rules that could
benefit the class.

praise students who exhibit
good behavior and good
character

employ a reward
system for good
behavior such as
points or gold
stars

Good Deeds Bowl
Trophy Technique
Star Tags System
Good Deeds Journals
Anonymous Compliments
Compliments Game

Students choose
role models
whether a
teacher or adult
helps or not

Invite friends, family or
role models to appear
on screen: alumni, staff,
other teachers, student
leaders, guests.

Deliberately teach
about people that
your students can
emulate.

Talk about the behavior
of current world leaders,
sports figures and
celebrities as well.

Ask students if a person’s
words match their actions.

Discuss how life is
improved with good
character traits.

Your Online Room
should be firmly
established on a
foundation of respect.

Self-respect and respect for
others are the basis of all other
positive character traits.

Negativity and abuse of any kind
should not be tolerated, and met
with appropriate consequences.

Even in the Online Set-Up:
Create anti-bullying campaigns

Never fail to extol the virtues
of treating all classmates with
respect and dignity.

A caring attitude can
be encouraged by
having a zero-
tolerance policy on
name-calling and
character assaults or
bullying.

Make sure that all
students are
included in
activities.

In remote learning, children
are missing out on same-aged
peer interactions that are
necessary to shape their social
behaviors.

teachers can assign
students to groups
to work on online
projects

Allowing students to have
online roleplay on a
regular basis can help
them become better
team players.

Bring the “random acts of
kindness” concept to the Digital
Sphere.

highlight the virtues and
importance of volunteerism

Start Online volunteer
programs among your
students

CREATIVITY IS
THE WAY.
BUT HEART IS
KEY.

Community Pantry.
FundMe Initiatives for Covid
Victims.
Prayer warriors.
Spread good vibes.
Mental Health Check Ups.
Fact Checking for the Good.
Vote Right Campaign.
Trump the Trolls.

Encouragement for Teachers.
Support for Teachers Grappling
with Tech.
Support for Students Grappling
with Internet.
Support for ALL.
Support School Staff Grappling with
Joblessness.
Support for School Enrollment.

Throughout the school year,
challenge students to create
class projects that can benefit
the school or community.

Brainstorm ideas that cultivate
the Pillars of Character

strive for a strong community
spirit

Have older students manage
these projects. Work with
students to plan the steps
necessary.

Enlist parental and community
support

Use your imagination
—
the sky is the limit.

CHARACTER
FORMATION
MUST GO
ON!

If You Have Religious Faith,
Share It With Your Students
Teens who regularly practice a faith and rate
their religion as important to them are:
 More involved in service activities.
 Less likely to steal, be violent, or use drugs
and alcohol.
 Less likely to have sex.
—Child Trends, “Religious Involvement and Children’s
Well-Being” www.childtrends.org

1) Sin
2) Lack of a personal relationship with God
3) Absence of a personal prayer life.
Without prayer, God will be an abstract idea, not a Person.
—Father Hugh Thwaites
3 Reasons for Falling Away from the Faith

Reasons That
Make Teaching
the Noblest of
Professions
And why it continues to be noble in the Online Set-Up

Educating the
Difference between
Right & Wrong

9. Cultivating
Love &
Friendship

10. Motivating
Constructive
Behavior

Because the sowers of
evil are not slowing
down:

war
Divorce
Euthanasia
Abortion
Total Population Control
Homosexual Marriage

It is not enough to teach
what Jesus taught.
We need to teach how
Jesus taught.

MATTHEW 7:28
When Jesus had finished
saying these things, the
crowds were AMAZED at
His teaching.

MATTHEW 13:54
Coming to His hometown,
He began teaching in their
synagogue and they were
AMAZED.

MARK 1:22
The people were
AMAZED at His teaching.

MARK 1:27
The people were all so
AMAZED that they asked
each other: “What is this?
A new teaching – and with
authority!”

Our students must be formed to fall in love:
with our Catholic Faith
with our Mother the Church
with our Catholic Life

Mark 4:2
HE TAUGHT THEM MANY THINGS IN
PARABLES.

Mark 4:33
WITH MANY SUCH PARABLES HE
SPOKE THE WORD TO THEM…

Mark 4:34
HE DID NOT SPEAK TO THEM
WITHOUT A PARABLE

Matthew 22:1
AND AGAIN, JESUS SPOKE TO THEM
IN PARABLES

Matthew 13:34
ALL THIS JESUS SAID TO THE CROWDS IN
PARABLES; INDEED HE SAID NOTHING TO
THEM WITHOUT A PARABLE.

* Your Own Life
* Bible
* Story-Rich Books
* Butler’s Lives of Saints
*CatholicComeHome.Org

JESUS GAVE THE APOSTLES
PERFORMANCE TASKS

LUKE 9:1 – 6:10
He sent out the Apostles and report
back when they were done.

LUKE 18: 18 – 23
He told the Rich Young Man: “Go,
sell everything you have, give to the
poor, and come, follow me.”

JESUS PRACTICED WHAT HE
PREACHED

LUKE 5:16
He did not just teach them to pray,
He often withdrew in prayer.

MATTHEW 9:10 – 12
He did not preach about loving
sinners, He dined with them.

Character Formation, in
whatever form, can
only be effective if the
teachers model the
program, not just parrot
it or give lip service to
it.

Research:
“Children learn more
from what we do than
from what we say.”

“Practice what you preach…
But don’t forget to preach
what you practice!”
- Tom Lickona

2 Active
Ingredients
Essential to
Formation of
Character

Loving
Relationships
Setting Good
Example

The Power of
the Teacher to
Impact the Lives
of the Students

REFLECT ON THIS:
All Teachers leave
their marks on
children everyday.

REFLECT ON THIS:
Some of those
marks are
temporary. But
some are indelible.

WESTBRIDGE Seminar for Teachers: May 19 & 22

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WESTBRIDGE Seminar for Teachers: May 19 & 22