Current research and practice

Books

• James Arthur – ‘Of Good Character: Exploration of Virtues and Values in 3-25 Year Olds‘ – a primer on character education by one of our Trustees.
• Paul Tough – ‘How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character‘ – Tough makes the argument that character matters more than academic skills and knowledge when it comes to success.
• Scott Seider – ‘Character Compass: How Powerful School Culture Can Point Students Toward Success‘ – a fantastically useful book about how three US middle schools educate for character.
• Aristotle – ‘Nicomachean Ethics‘ – classical exploration of the virtues and their benefits.
• Julia Annas – ‘Intelligent Virtue‘ – in which Professor Annas argues that virtues are like skills and can be improved accordingly.
• Carol Dweck – ‘Mindset: The new psychology of success’ – teaching a growth mindset creates motivation and productivity in education and other life-domains.

Articles

• Dan Willingham (a leading Cognitive Scientist) – Can Teachers Increase Students’ Self-Control?
• Sunday Times – ‘Primary pupils to gain true grit at knight school‘
•  The Jubilee Centre for Character and Values (The University of Birmingham) – ‘Schools should build ‘character’, say parents‘
• James O’Shaughnessy (Founding Director of Floreat Education) – ‘Why character is the key to a perfect education’
• Martin Seligman (Director of the Penn Positive Psychology Center at University of Pennsylvania)– ‘Give children same psychology training as US Army’
• Dr. Anthony Seldon (the Master of Wellington College) – ‘Lessons in ‘character’ should be placed on curriculum‘
• Paul Tough (Writer and author) – ‘What if the secret to success Is failure?’
• Tom Bennett (Teacher and TES behaviour expert) – ‘I know therefore I can’
• Geoff Smith (Primary Head) – ‘Is character caught or taught?’
• Ryan Niemiec (Education Director of VIA Institute on Character) – ‘Character strengths help young students learn and improve’
• Tristram Hunt (Shadow Secretary of State for Education) – ‘Character can and should be taught in schools’
• James O’Shaughnessy (Founding Director of Floreat Education) – ‘Restoring character to its rightful place’
• E.D Hirsch – Reading Comprehension Requires Knowledge – of Words and the World (this article is about knowledge rather than character)

Organisations:

• KIPP Public Charter Schools – a network of free, open-enrollment public schools in the US that operates in under-served communities and delivers rigorous academic and character education.
• The Character Education Partnership – an advocate and leader for the character education movement and accredits a network of US schools which explicitly promote character education to their pupils.
• The University of Pennsylvania – the Positive Psychology Center at the University promotes research, training, education, and the dissemination of positive psychological ideas and practices.
• Character Lab – a new non-profit organisation that bridges the worlds of psychological research and school-age education practice in order to help pupils learn and flourish.
• Positive Education in Schools Association – a group of Australian Schools dedicated to promoting mental health and wellbeing in education.
• Positive Education Summit – 2nd to 4th October 2013 – Education experts from around the world gathered to discuss and present ideas on Character Education.
• The Jubilee Centre for Character and Values – a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre focusing on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing. The centre promotes a moral concept of character.
• Mindfulness in Schools – a non-for profit organisation whose aim is to encourage, support and research the teaching of secular mindfulness in schools.
• Roots of Action – sharing research-based articles and inspiration for parents and teachers – helping kids make their positive mark in the world.
• The Jubilee Centre for Character and Values – a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre focusing on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing. The centre promotes a moral concept of character.
• Character Education Partnership – providing vision, leadership and resources for schools, families and communities to develop ethical citizens committed to building a just and caring world.
• VIA Institute of Character – a non-profit that empowers people, worldwide, with knowledge of their unique character strengths so that they can live their best lives.

Taxonomy around the world:

• United States – Character Education - Performance Virtues
• United Kingdom – Character Virtues Education
• Central/South America -  Social Emotional Learning
• Bhutan -  Life Skills. Gross National Happiness
• Singapore  - Citizenship Education
• Australia  - Mental Health and Wellbeing