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Character Education

Birmingham Public Schools adopted the Character.org 11 Principles of Effective Character Education as part of the 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. Harlan is a Charcter.org Model School and became a National School of Character in 2014.

Below are some examples of intentional and meaningful ways we provide effective character education at Harlan.

student in classroom
Principle 1

The school community promotes core ethical and performance values as the foundation of good character.

Principle 2

The school defines “character” comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and doing.

Principle 3

The school uses a comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approach to character development.

Principle 4

The school creates a caring community.

Principle 5

The school provides students with opportunities for moral action.

Principle 6

The school offers a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them to succeed.

Principle 7

The school fosters students’ self-motivation.

Principle 8

The school staff is an ethical learning community that shares responsibility for character education and adheres to the same core values that guide the students.

Principle 9

The school fosters shared leadership and long-range support of the character education initiative.

Principle 10

The school engages families and community members as partners in the character-building effort.

Principle 11

The school regularly assesses its culture and climate, the functioning of its staff as character educators, and the extent to which its students manifest good character.