Schools We Mean to Be, (The)

Character education programs rarely focus on the school relationship that can be the most important in determining students' moral prospects—the relationship between parents and teachers. Schools need to focus on adult development—on the mentoring and moral capacities of teachers and parents—as well as on how parents and teachers can work together more constructively. Factors such as fear, politeness and formality, teachers' lack of time to work with a parent to understand a child, and parent aggressiveness can get in the way of good parent-teacher relationships. Nevertheless, all schools can engage parents in a community that creates moral expectations for parents and pushes them to look beyond their own children. Schools need to find more ways of engaging parents meaningfully; clearly articulate their moral goals and expectations for both parents and students through moral charters; have students read about and interact with moral exemplars; and provide opportunities for teachers, students, and parents to reflect on values. [author]