Volume 5, Issue 5

Character Education

University of Illinois Extension has been a member of the Character Counts!sm Coalition for several years. The coalition is a consortium of the nation’s largest and most influential educational and youth-serving organizations united under one mission: strengthening the character of America’s youth. The coalition’s work is focused around the Six Pillars of Character sm: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. These six pillars were identified in 1993 by a group facilitated by the Josephson Institute of Ethics as common ethical values that transcend political, religious, socioeconomic and cultural differences.

Character Counts! is a service mark of the Character Counts! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute of Ethics. For more information about the Six Pillars of Character and the Character Counts! Coalition, visit www.charactercounts.org.

Ways 4-H Cloverbud Volunteers Can Incorporate Character Education into 4-H Cloverbud Groups

• Have members develop rules of acceptable behavior during group meetings.
• Present character building activities during 4-H Cloverbud meetings.
• Have character quotes of the month.
• Share books and stories that illustrate character.
• Use posters, songs, skits, and videos that reinforce principles of character development.
• Conduct community service projects.
• Praise good behavior.
• Set a positive example by your words and actions!
• Take advantage of a “teachable moment” when character traits can be taught (see below).

Looking Ahead to Next Year: TeRRiFiC Teachable Moments

4-H has a number of character education programs available for youth ages 8 – 18. However, a new program, TeRRiFiC Teachable Moments, appropriate for 4-H Cloverbud age youth will be available in the 2004-2005 4-H year.

Parents, 4-H volunteers, and teachers know the value of a “teachable moment”. With TeRRiFiC Teachable Moments at your fingertips, you can respond to character and behavior issues at a moment’s notice. The 75 hands-on, minds-on mini-lessons (about 10 minutes each) equip you to help children make positive character choices at home, school, and beyond. The activities are categorized using the Six Pillars of Character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Family life and youth development educators from University of Illinois Extension developed TeRRiFiC Teachable Moments. Check with your local Extension office to see if they have a set of the materials for loan or for purchase. Otherwise the print and CD-Rom materials are available for purchase from the University of Illinois by calling 1-800-345-6087. The print version of the activities for Pre-K through 2nd grade costs $16.50 plus $3.50 shipping. Training may also be available from Extension staff.

Step Up to Leadership

Another new 4-H Cloverbud curriculum that will be available in the new 4-H year is Step Up to Leadership. The Mentor’s Guide for Grades K – 5 is part of a series of new of leadership materials. The K- 5 activities are adult-guided to teach children the concept of leadership. Children begin to understand what a leader is and what they can do to become a leader. There are 10 activities that will help 4-H Cloverbuds acquire skills in communication, group process, relationship building, and planning and organizing.

Activity titles include: Good Things About Me; My Pet and Me; I Spy a Leader; Follow the Leader; Tell Me a Story!; Oh My! I Lost My Voice!; Let’s Have Breakfast!; Follow the Dinosaur Steps to a Party; Peace Puppets; and Choices, Choices.

The activity guide includes a listing of the supplies needed to get started as well as “Information Station” – a listing of age-appropriate children’s books related to the activity topic. 4-H Cloverbud groups will be able to enroll in this project next fall through your local Extension office. Look for more information in the Illinois Clover.

Thanks for All You Do!

As the 2003-2004 4-H year draws to a close, University of Illinois Extension 4-H staff would like to thank you for all your time and effort expended on behalf of 4-H Cloverbuds. At last count, we had 90 counties with an enrollment of 3365 4-H Cloverbud members. Have a great summer!

Written by: Sheri Seibold, Extension Specialist – 4-H Youth Development, University of Illinois Extension. Submit comments or newsletter content ideas to Sheri Seibold at sseibold@uiuc.edu.