By Andrew Barlow
CCSR Director Ellenwood Attends National Forum of the Character Education Partnership
Center for Character and Social Responsibility Director Steve Ellenwood participated in the 20th Annual National Forum of the Character Education Partnership held in Washington,D.C. October 24th-27th.
The National Forum featured distinguished journalist David Brooks. Brooks provided the keynote address, highlighting the educational power of biographies, particularly the importance of humility as a “key ingredient of good character.”
Ellenwood also met with Dr. Maurice Elias, who received the 2013 Sanford N. McDonnell Award for Lifetime Achievement in Character Education. Dr. Elias was the keynote speaker at the CCSR Workshop in SED held in January 2013.
Ellenwood states: “I benefitted from participating in several sessions and also led a session attended by 31 educators on Literature as a Path to Good Character and Better Decisions.“
CCSR Hosts Guests from Reitaku University for 2013 Kevin Ryan Symposium
We are pleased to report that the relationship between Reitaku University, Japan and Boston University’s Center for Character and Social Responsibility will now continue beyond the publication of Happiness and Virtue Beyond East and West. This September 24 - 26, 2013, we were reunited to collaborate on developing a cross-cultural understanding of the power of service learning for educators.
At the School of Education Symposium on September 26th, President of Reitaku University, Osamu Nakayama, along with Professor Shujiro Mizuno, Professor Peter Luff and Reitaku University alumnus, Norikazu Furukama presented their insights about anticipated challenges as they expand their emphasis on refining the character and moral decisions of students. Professor Steve Ellenwood, faculty director of the Boston University’s SED Center for Character and Social Responsibility, outlined the School of Education’s vision to incorporate a three-component service learning requirement for all undergraduates. This was followed by respondents, Professor Phillip Tate and Professor Joel Scott, who synthesized the perspectives of American education with their knowledge of Japanese education to our diverse audience of students and educators in both the K – 12 sector and higher education.
Below are photos from the Symposium.
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- Boston University Provost, Dr. Jean Morrison; University President Osamu Nakayama; Professor Steve Ellenwood; Photo Credit: Andrew Barlow
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- Professor Peter Luff Albert; Professor Steve Ellenwood; University President Osamu Nakayama; Dean Hardin Coleman; Professor Shujiro Mizuno; Mr. Norikazu Furukama, University Alumnus; Photo Credit: Shannon Power
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- Dean Hardin Coleman address Symposium Audience; Photo credit: Shannon Power
Dr. Ellenwood’s CEP Proposal Selected for National Forum on Character Education
Dr. Stephen Ellenwood, Director of the Center for Character and Social Responsibility, has been selected as a speaker for a breakout session at the Character Education Partnership's (CEP) 2013 National Forum on Character Education - Educating for Character at Home, In School, and In Communities. Dr. Ellenwood's breakout session will focus on his written proposal - Literature as a Path to Good Character and Better Decisions. The Forum will be held in Washington, D.C. from October 24 to 27, 2013.
CEP's 2013 National Forum aims to bring together educational professionals and leaders to "focus on school safety, character education and the [National] Common Core, assessment, leadership and community involvement," and more. Forum members will be able to learn about and discuss strategies, solutions, and frameworks for the important issues facing schools in the United States.
CEP is a national nonprofit association based in Washington, D.C. that advocates for character education. CEP is a "coalition of organizations and individuals committed to fostering effective character education" in US schools.
CCSR Seminar on April 3, 2013
On Wednesday, April 3, 2013, the Center for Character and Social Responsibility will be hosting a seminar titled Love and Jazz in Higher Education. The seminar will feature Dean Kenneth Elmore, Boston University, as the key note speaker.
The Center for Character and Social Responsibility is dedicated to exploring the complex relationship between a person’s character and action that reflects a sense of social responsibility. Boston University has a long history of producing civic leaders from Rev. Edgar J. Helms who started the Goodwill Industry in the 1890′s, through Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to many current students and recent graduates. This is no accident. BU takes the role of creating character and supporting social responsibility very seriously. Kenn Elmore, the Dean of Students, will share with us how the BU approach to student development helps us produce leaders who make a difference in the world.
Kenneth Elmore has served as the Dean of Students at Boston University since 2003, with more than 20 years of experience in higher education. Kenn Elmore has studied Psychology at Brown University; Education in Policy, Planning & Administration from Boston University; and law at New England Law.
The format for the seminar will include Elmore's presentation, comments from Rev. Dr. Robert Hill, Marsh Chapel Dean, and then an open discussion.
The seminar will be held in Boston University School of Education on April 3, 2013. Visit here for more information.
Professor Maurice Elias Presents at CCSR Annual Workshop
On January 10th, 2013, Professor Maurice Elias gave a brilliant and compelling presentation at the CCSR’s annual workshop, Creating a Positive School Culture and Climate.
Participants gained a tremendous amount of knowledge on social emotional character development (SECD), networked with colleagues throughout Massachusetts (and Maine) and returned to their respective schools with steps to implementing SECD.
The powerpoint by Professor Maurice Elias is accessible here. Please stay tuned as we continue the conversation on SECD.
CCSR January Conference: Professor Maurice Elias to Present
Professor Maurice J. Elias, Ph. D., will present at the Center for Character and Social Responsibility Conference: Creating A Positive School Culture and Climate, on January 10th, 2013. Professor Elias is a Rutgers University Professor of Psychology and Director of their PhD Program in Clinical Training.
Professor Elias will share proven and practical approaches to building students' competences and character. K - 12 administrators, classroom teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists and school staff will have the opportunity to assess the climate of their respective schools and be given valuable tools to create action plans for improving classroom and school climate.
Visit here to read a full interview with Professor Maurice J. Elias.
Visit our Professional Development page to register for the conference. To attend the conference, please register by December 19, 2012.
CCSR Represents at the 2012 National Forum on Character Education
By Samantha Rabinowicz, Professional Development Coordinator for the Center for Character and Social Responsibility
The 2012 National Forum on Character Education took place in Washington, D.C. from Nov 1 – 4, 2012. In addition to the diverse and experienced keynote speakers, I attended several breakout sessions. Of them all, I found the following to be the most informative and meaningful: In Youth We Trust with Cathryn Berger Kaye, Federal Policy and Character Education with Jon Terry, Developing the Culture, Competencies and Positive Behavior Needed to Enhance Academic Achievement with Matthew Davidson and a hot topic discussion on Why is Character Education an Effective Tool for Transforming Climate? with Phil Brown and Jonathan Cohen. The hot topic discussion touched on the theme of school culture and climate, a subject we emphasize at the Center. The group discussion forced me to reflect on my own classroom climate/culture and tools I can use to create a positive, safe, and effective culture within my own classroom and school at large. In addition, I represented the Center for Character and Social Responsibility (CCSR) at a discussion emphasizing the Partnerships in Character Education Partnerships (CEP). I felt it was a tremendous learning experience, representing not only the CCSR but Massachusetts’ teachers as well. Please reach out for further information on the takeaways of the Conference.
Professor Seider Published New Book: Character Compass
Professor Scott Seider's new book, Character Compass: How Powerful School Culture Can Point Students Toward Success was recently published by Harvard Education Press.
In Character Compass, Scott Seider offers portraits of three high-performing urban schools in Boston, Massachusetts that have made character development central to their mission of supporting student success, yet define character in three very different ways. The schools Seider profiles are Boston Preparatory Charter Public School, Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, and Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School.
Boston Prep focuses on students’ moral character development, Roxbury Prep prioritizes performance character development, and Pacific Rim emphasizes civic character development. Drawing on surveys, interviews, field notes, and student achievement data, Character Compass highlights the unique effects of these distinct approaches to character development as well as the implications for parents, educators, and policymakers committed to fostering powerful school culture in their own school communities.
Boston University School of Education will be celebrating Professor Seider's publication with an Character Compass: Book Talk event. The Book Talk will be held on Thursday, November 1st, 2012, 6 to 7:30 pm. The event will feature Seider and educators from the profiled schools.
For more information and to register for the Book Talk, please visit here.
CCSR is Now on LinkedIn
The Center for Character and Social Responsibility (CCSR) is now on LinkedIn.
The CCSR group is designed as an opportunity for colleagues to stay connected with the CCSR. Through the LinkedIn group, members can not only connect with the CCSR, but they can also network with other professionals in the field of character education.
The CCSR LinkedIn group is an open group. Members are encouraged to invite colleagues, who share the vision to incorporate character development and social responsibility into the daily education of our children, to the CCSR LinkedIn group.
Join the CCSR LinkedIn group page here.
Ellenwood Appointed as New Faculty Director of CCSR
Professor Steve Ellenwood, history education, is the new Faculty Director for the Center for Character and Social Responsibility (CCSR), following three decades serving as Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at SED.
Professor Ellenwood was a member of the original advisory board for the CCSR (previously named the Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character), founded in 1989.
As Faculty Director, Ellenwood plans to increase the range of professional development opportunities offered through the Center, build the role of service learning within the undergraduate curriculum in the school, and support the development of graduate programming in the areas of character and social responsibility. He aims to build on the wonderful traditions created by previous Directors, Kevin Ryan, Karen Bohlin, Bernice Lerner, and Hardin Coleman.
