EXCELLENCE & ETHICS BLOG

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  Dynamic People + Think Tank = Innovation

  Eric Martin posted in Character Blog at 3:21 pm on July 2, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  This week the team at IEE and the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs hosted educators from across the United States and two foreign countries and provided an opportunity to dive into the many aspects of character development strategies and competencies. The experience exceeded expectations as only they know how to do.

  The unique blend of people and backgrounds created an environment for synergistic sharing, teaching and learning. As the week unfolded someone in the group dubbed it a “think tank.” This descriptor was right on track as we explored so many interesting topics that are relevant to not only character and culture but also the authentic alignment of this work to education reform, 21st Century Skills, RTI, PBIS and so much more.

  The IEE team’s passion and commitment to evolve the Power2Achieve programs to a new level of excellence was very evident. Through the field research process, the team has incorporated feedback and data from students, teachers, administrators and partner organizations to strengthen the innovative programming, assessment tools and online resources.

  What I think is most exciting about the entire week is that I see applications of this work on many levels including K-12 education, athletics and the workplace. To extend the reach of applications one step further, consider that the participants who attended are connecting these concepts and programs to their work from Iowa to Bronx, NY, from Kansas to Costa Rica, and from Texas to Japan and numerous other cities and states in between.

  Now that is true innovation.

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  Eric Martin posted in Power2 Community at 2:19 pm on May 10, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 21st century skills (3), Iowa, moral character (2), P2A (2), performance character (2), Power2Achieve (4)

  In Iowa, we continue to create a strong foundation and partnerships for the continued growth of the Power2Achieve programming across the state. As the first Power2Achieve Regional Center in the nation, we are thrilled to partner with IEE on several innovative projects that has an impact on the culture of excellence and ethics.

  Starting several years ago with our initial training at IEE, we have partnered with the Iowa Department of Education, inviting the DE Learning Supports Consultant to attend an intense and inspiring immersion in the Smart & Good research and the evolving Power2Achieve programming. This collaboration has been invaluable as we all work together to define and refine the P2A program and its authentic alignment with Iowa’s Core Curriculum and 21st Century Skills roll out. Our complimentary work together is best captured in a document that was generated by Director, Judy Jeffrey and her colleagues at the Department of Education which I have posted below.

  We’ve established the foundation and are looking forward to continued opportunities to work with the DE, administrators, faculty and students in Iowa’s schools with the Power2Achieve programming.

  A statement by the Iowa Department of Education on Power2Achieve™ Programming:

  Although significant resources have been invested in improvements to teaching and learning, most schools across the nation have failed to close the achievement gap. Iowans want every student prepared for today’s technology-rich, global economy regardless of ethnicity, income, or geographical location. The Core Curriculum helps Iowa Schools deliver that education through a student-based approach that supports higher expectations for all students. It builds on Iowa’s long history of community leadership in education and relies on partners across the state for implementation in high schools by 2012. The Iowa Core Curriculum bolsters Iowa’s education structure through mandated state content standards and benchmarks aligned to improve student achievement. A continuum of learning supports that remove barriers to learning will increase the capacity of the Iowa Core Curriculum to reach all students.

  Power2Achieve™ programming is designed to develop the culture and competencies of excellence and ethics needed for teaching and learning in Iowa’s high schools. Implemented together the programs boost teaching and learning in all classrooms (1) by identifying the competencies needed for learning and developing them through everyday teaching and learning, and (2) by reinforcing academic achievement and pro-social development through the whole-school culture of excellence and ethics. The Power2Achieve programming is designed to impact essential elements of the Iowa Core Curriculum and newly required 21st Century Skills. The combination of a highly relevant and rigorous Core Curriculum within a school-wide culture dedicated to the development of excellence and ethics is a recipe for success.

  Through collaboration with the Institute for Character Development and the Institute for Excellence & Ethics the Iowa Department of Education will connect the culture and competencies of excellence and ethics with the Core Curriculum (21st Century Skills) and Learning Supports Initiatives. Power2Achieve™ programming is based on the ground breaking research of Dr. Thomas Lickona and Dr. Matt Davidson outlined in the Smart & Good High Schools Report. To support data-driven school improvement, the Power2Achieve programming utilizes the Collective Responsibility for Excellence and Ethics (CREE) Assessment Tools and Processes to benchmark and continuously assess the culture and competencies of excellence and ethics.

  Four field research schools in Iowa are implementing Power2Achieve programming (Power2Learn and Power2Teach) during the 2009-2010 school year (along with approximately 20 high schools around the country). The Power2Achieve™ programs are supported by including leadership development, staff and faculty coaching, ongoing professional development and user-friendly multimedia learning support resources.

  The innovative Power2Achieve™ programs provide powerful tools for realizing the goals of the Core Curriculum and the 21st Century Skills across the state of Iowa including decreasing dropouts, boosting academic achievement, improving workforce preparation, and preparing youth to become productive citizens and lead fulfilling lives.

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  Eric Martin posted in Character Blog at 12:41 pm on May 10, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  A Smart & Good interview: I just got off the phone with a highly respected and award winning middle school educator in our community, he was on his way to participate as a panel member in an interview for a new high school principal. He informed me that he had his copy of the Smart & Good report in his hands and planned to have it out in front of him on the table and refer to it throughout the interview, connecting his interview questions to the concepts found in the report.

  His question to me was this: “What (character-based) questions would you ask if you were on this panel?” During this very brief discussion on the phone we talked about forming questions around the culture of the school and the culture of the community, 21st Century Skills as they relate to Performance and Moral Character and how the principal would plan to bridge the strength of the character development work done in the elementary and middle schools that feed into this high school.

  It was an energizing and insightful conversation for several reasons. 1) This outstanding champion educator simply “gets it” when connecting character to academics. 2) It reinforces how important it is for an Administrator to have a vision for character development and the impact it has on the school and community and 3) What a great way to embed the numerous strategies found among the top performing high schools in the nation into an interviewing process. I would love to be a fly on the wall to hear the candidates responses.

  My questions for you is: What Smart & Good questions would you ask if you were on that interview panel?

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  Is Caring a Performance Character trait?

  Eric Martin posted in Character Blog at 9:08 am on September 17, 2009 | 1 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Health Care, moral character (2), performance character (2)

  Recently, my colleagues and I facilitated an extensive training series with the entire staff at a regional medical center in Iowa. The focus of our work was on character and ethics in the workplace, specifically in the healthcare environment.

  We introduced the concepts of both Performance and Moral Character through an opening activity where the participants identified who in their life helped guide them to success both personally and professionally. As they shared aloud the person and traits that had an impact on their life, we captured the traits in two columns on a large flip chart in the front of the room.

  The word “caring” quickly surfaced in each of the sessions and was initially listed on the Moral Character column in our exercise as an obvious trait associated with being our “best self.” The employees had a great discussion around the fact that in health care, caring is essential for them to do their “best work”- which we know would be classified as a Performance Character trait. We as facilitators agreed with their insightful dialogue and rationale. We listed caring in both columns.

  This post is not to question the definition of Performance and Moral Character but to illustrate how critically important both concepts are in the workplace. It was very gratifying to hear a cross section of health care professionals and support staff engaged in a conversation around the importance of character in the workplace. Can you think of other professions that might list certain traits as both Moral and Performance Character? How often do you pull from your moral character to do your best work? How often do you pull from your performance character to be your best self?

  Eric Martin
  Director of Outreach
  Institute for Character Development
  Smart & Good Regional Center-Iowa

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  Iowa Launches Power2 Programs!

  Eric Martin posted in Power2 Community at 9:51 am on September 11, 2009 | 1 Permalink | Reply
  

  Greetings from the Institute for Character Development, the nation’s first Smart and Good Regional Center!

  We are thrilled to be working with five outstanding Iowa High Schools as Field Test Research Sites for the Power2Learn and Power2Teach programs. It has been amazing to watch the schools present the P2 materials to their faculty and now their students. To borrow the quote from Matt Davidson and Tom Lickona; “We shape the culture, the culture shapes the character,” our schools are committed to creating a culture of excellence for academics and character development.

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  Eric Martin posted in Power2 Community at 9:52 pm on September 3, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Institute for Character Development (2)

  Greetings from the Institute for Character Development, the nation’s first Smart and Good Regional Center!

  We are thrilled to be working with five outstanding Iowa High Schools as Field Research Sites for the Power2Learn and Power2Teach programs. It has been amazing to watch the schools present the P2 materials to their faculty and now to their students. To borrow a quote from Lickona and Davidson:  ”We shape the culture, the culture shapes the character;” we feel our schools are committed to shaping a culture of excellence for academics and character development.

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