Objective
There are several reasons why I feel it is important to connect character education with the current English curriculum. First, I would like my students to come away from this unit with a new set of skills that they can use when faced with a moral dilemma. I want them to understand that their character is directly correlated to the choices they will make in life. They will learn that there is a process to making decisions, and though pressure from outside forces will persuade them to make certain choices, they must determine the outcome and accept all responsibility for it. When faced with an ethical dilemma, I want them to put thought into their choice and make a decision they can own up to and be proud of. Along with making good decisions, I want my students to observe their own reactions and judgments of others when faced with a moral decision, and understand where that judgment stems. In the end, I want them to accept their peers' decisions without judgment, but with support.
My second objective is purely selfish. I am doing this to become a better educator. I understand my strengths and weaknesses as a teacher. In my classroom, I teach character education separate from content. I choose to do this because I rely too much on state adopted curriculum to help teach both English and History. As an elementary trained teacher, I took general education classes that were not specific to one specialized subject area. Thus, I do not have the vast knowledge of one subject to stray far from the curriculum I am given. During the year, my time is limited and filled with many obligations; time to build this unit has allowed me to venture out of what I consider my "comfort zone." I understand state standards and know what my students need to learn, but my resources are limited because my knowledge is limited. This experience allows me to create a unit that incorporates character education that is rich in text and meaning not found in the state adopted curriculum I use every year.
Lastly, I will use this unit to reach out to other elementary teachers who, like me, do not feel comfortable in their ability or knowledge to stray away from state adopted curriculum to combine character education and content. I want teachers to use this unit as a springboard in creating lessons of their own that incorporate both areas of learning. Teachers often get comfortable with the resources used to teach, in what they teach, and in how they teach. Passion is derived from new experiences; teachers often lose the passion they once had for learning and bringing new ideas into the classroom. This unit serves as a reminder that learning is the most important aspect of being an educator.
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