Instilling Touchstones of Character

Author: Gary Smit

ISBN: 978-1-62137-476-3 (softcover)
ISBN: 978-1-62137-513-5 (eBook)

214 pages

This engaging and practical book will assist parents, educators and youth leaders in the intentional and explicit teaching of character. You are going to find lessons, strategies and experiential activities that will capture students' interest while facilitating the development of attitudes, beliefs and convictions about values and character traits. There is no set formula on how to teach character and values. But, in this straightforward resource guide, you will discover "Touchstones of Character" or key beliefs for Common Core and 21st century skills, explicitly crafted to assist in creating or enhancing an existing character program. These beliefs, values and character traits are conveyed in a unique and incomparable resource with 240 inspiring quotations, hundreds of strategies to link values and character traits directly and intentionally with academic content, 96 constructive and experiential hands-on games and activities, and over a hundred stories and links to video clips shared as vicarious experiences for your students.What makes this book timely and relevant for students is that there is direct teaching content on 16 values, skills and character traits. In short, "Instilling Touchstones of Character" provides you with a flexible, ready-to-use guide for teaching children and young people to understand and apply values and character traits to their everyday lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gary Smit holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate in educational administration from Northern Illinois University. Committing 34 years to public education, he has been a teacher, principal and served 25 years as a school superintendent. His most recent superintendency was Lombard School District 44 in suburban Chicago where he was instrumental in the adoption and implementation of CHARACTER COUNTS!

Now, as one of the Josephson Institute’s most popular, experienced, and versatile speakers, Gary has trained educators and community leaders in character development, ethics in sports and school administrator ethics. His trainings have been held throughout the United States, and in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Bermuda and Nigeria.

An attention-grabbing and practical presenter, Gary speaks not only to the head but the heart. No one leaves without grasping the passion and desire to live a life in which character truly matters. Gary is the author of numerous journal articles and has co-authored the resource guide, Living the Four-Way Test – The Rotary Ethical Leadership Framework for Youth.