Character education

Character education is an umbrella term generally used to describe the teaching of children in a manner that will help them develop as personal and social beings. Concepts that fall under this term include social and emotional learning, moral reasoning/cognitive development, life skills education, health education; violence prevention, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and conflict resolution and mediation. This form of education involves teaching children and adolescents values including honesty, stewardship, kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, justice, equality, and respect.

Common goals
Common goals in character education are to assist youth in developing into ethical, morally responsible, community-oriented, self-disciplined adults. Character education helps students become responsible members of society.

In school programs
In the United States, the most common practitioners of the character education curriculum are school counselors, although it is growing in popularity within the curricula of other professionals in schools. However, the most effective character education in schools is that which is practiced and modeled by the teachers and ALL other adults (faculty, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, maintenance staff, etc) with whom the students come into contact while in school.

In books & media
An additional means for character education is through storytelling which can be through books and media. Good stories inspire children and young adults with role models. It teaches them about honesty, integrity and a means to participate in the community. Also, "Character Education in the Classroom" is a current program that has been used in school to teach character ed to students.