A Core Curriculum

By Dr. Robert Beebe

Although New Hope School aspires to be the character education school of the North Jersey area, we do not overlook the importance of a core curriculum. There is significant knowledge that students must learn from kindergarten through middle school.
The Core Knowledge Foundation was established by Professor E. D. Hirsch. In a book published by Hirsch, The Schools We Need (1996), he explains how "(t)he institution of the common school, proposed by Jefferson and fostered by Horace Mann, had the goal of giving all children the shared intellectual and social capital [knowledge] that would enable them to participate as autonomous citizens in the economy and policy of the nation."
In studying the work of the Core Knowledge Foundation, it became clear to me that the curriculum of New Hope School must provide all students with a coherent foundation of knowledge in all major subjects. Students learn on the basis of what they know, not on a romantic concept that they will naturally evolve at each stage of development as problem solvers and valuable citizens.
So, for example, in our middle school World History class we use a text published by the Core Knowledge Foundation. It covers a range of subjects that students need to be familiar with if they are to succeed in high school and college: Greek and Roman Civilization, the major religions, European civilization, the medieval Christian Church, Latin American, African, and Asian civilization.
Obviously, the text can only introduce students to these topics, but over the 180 days of the school year a framework of knowledge will help students with further study. Imagine if none of this was taught. It would be difficult for students in high school to understand the impact of classical civilization on the United States.
In our survey of American civilization we use texts to cover the founding of our nation, the colonial period, the national period, the Civil War, the industrialization of America, and so forth, leading to the contribution of many cultures to the making of America.
We try to provide students with the knowledge of the best of America, as well as how we have often failed to live up to our ideals.
We want students to love their country so they can see themselves as contributing to the best of what America represents. We want them to be patriots. When we send our students on to further their education, they need to see the importance of what they learn so that they can dedicate their lives and their work in building a better America.

Dr. Beebe is Principal of New Hope School

Parents & Teachers: To What Degree Do We Identify & Encourage Students' Strengths?

by Mose Durst, Ph.D.

As parents and teachers, we know when students do well in their activities and when they struggle. Our job is to raise healthy, happy, intelligent, and compassionate young people. To do this we need to know something about those in our care.

While psychology has often focused on what is wrong with individuals, an important new movement in psychology emphasizes what is healthy and positive. Professor Martin Seligman and his team at the University of Pennsylvania have developed what has become widespread as "positive psychology". After lengthy research, in religion, philosophy, and culture, Seligman posits the idea that there are 24 potential strengths in each person.

For example, self-regulation, empathy, grit, perseverance, spirituality, etc. enhance the well- being of the self and others. Parents and teachers can spot these strengths (capacities for goodness and virtue) in young people, acknowledge them, and reinforce them. From this point children have a foundation to manage their well-being. This is a life-time process for children as well as adults, for unique situations will demand different strengths. The goal, however, is healthy individuals, strong families, and nourishing communities.

Fatima Doman, in her book Authentic Strengths, writes "...character strengths are those aspects of your personality that define what is best in you...positive traits that are beneficial to self and others...we flourish once we identify and flex our strengths." She goes on to emphasize the degree we use these strengths in all areas of relationship.

Unlike the young people who lack motivation and feel depressed, identifying one's strengths is a powerful force in accomplishing one's goals. Hundreds of scientific studies support the benefit of visualizing and using strengths. Lea Waters, in The Strength Switch, explains how strengths "...contribute to our goals and development." She explains that "A parent's role is to guide children in positive uses for their strengths..." As teachers we, too, are concerned not only with the academic achievement of students but also their well-being."

I ask students in my middle school class to reflect upon and identify their signature strengths, those which provide them with energy and are a central force in their lives. Kai explains how gratitude has become central to his life. He visited a poor township in South Africa and was confronted with a degree of poverty that stunned him. He returned home and has been grateful for everything in his home and his personal possessions. I mention to him that he is a humble student in class, and perhaps that is a reflection of his gratitude.

Anthony shares about his teamwork strength. He loves being part of a basketball team and learning to cooperate and work well with his fellow teammates. He admires his coach, who is able to draw out the best from his team. I praise his desire to use this strength when working cooperatively with others. I gently mention to him that the class is like a team and I am the coach. For our team to do well and learn new things, everyone needs to be focused on the activity of the moment. Enough said.
Caleb is a kind, gentle person who shows a great deal of care and respect to others. However, he does not know how to use these qualities when he fights with his sister. She starts to fight, he says, and he responds accordingly. I suggest to him that when he feels the urge to fight, he might go to his room and try to get in touch with his gentle, yet strong, nature. He might use his strength to visualize a scenario where he reframes the situation. He can be the source of strength that brings peace in the house and comfort to his parents.

As a teacher and parent, I need to encourage the best for those in my care. Also, I need to develop my own strengths of patience, perseverance, prudence, as well as a great dollop of humor.

About the Author

Dr. Durst is President of The Principled Academy, a sister school of New Hope School, located in San Leandro, CA.

The Joy of Empathy

by Mose Durst, Ph.D.

In class, we usually do exercises where students can feel the pain or sadness of another person. Adults can easily feel the suffering of others by reading the daily newspaper. I often take a newspaper fast, avoiding the horror stories of children separated from parents in immigration centers. The evening news on television can make me cry as I see how refugees in camps barely survive from day to day.
I turn on the television to check the score of the final game of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals. The Houston team won more than 100 games in the regular season, while the Washington team had lost 31 out of their first 45 games. Obviously, the Houston team was favored to win this final game of the series, especially since they were playing on their home field where their fans would cheer them on.
At first, when I turned to the channel on which the game was being broadcast, I saw images of ball players hugging people in street clothes and embracing each other. As I looked more closely, I realized those were Washington ball players wearing World Series hats. The Washington team had won the final game and were world champions.
The joy was over-flowing on the screen and I found myself feeling a similar joy watching the celebration. The smiles, hugs, and embraces brought great good feeling to me as I watched the jubilation on the screen. I felt my spirit uplifted and wanted to embrace someone. The T-shirts they wore revealed the motto of the team: "Stay in the Fight". I could reflect on challenges in my own life, and I felt the hope that I, too, needed to stay in the fight.
I am a New York Yankee fan, and I know nothing about the Washington ball club. In fact as a child it was common to hear the chant: "Washington: first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League." The name of the Washington team I knew was the Washington Senators; I didn't even know that their new name was the Washington Nationals. So, there was no reason for me to be so happy about the Washington victory - except seeing very happy people on the screen.
"Resilient, relentless bunch of guys," manager Dave Martinez said, "They fought all year long."

We need to encourage students to feel joy as they learn, as I do when I learn something new. We also need to encourage them to participate in a positive feeling when another student does exceptionally well in a school project. We are a learning community, and we can generate positive feelings when someone in our community excels. A victory for one is a victory for all.
Just as we can find empathy for those who are suffering, we can nourish our own souls by participating in the success of others.

About the Author

Dr. Durst is President of The Principled Academy, a sister school of New Hope School, located in San Leandro, CA.

Comprehensive Character Education

by Mose Durst, Ph.D.

At the beginning of a school year it is prudent to define the goal of education, especially for preschool to 8th grade students. All parents want their children to be intelligent and to succeed academically. But more important we want good, caring, respectful and responsible children. Such is the goal of character education.
The great religions have emphasized that every human being is precious. In Judaism and Christianity the Bible states that we are all created in "the image of God". What this suggests is that everyone has the potential to exhibit great intelligence and love. As our nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, we are reminded of the extraordinary intelligence, creativity, and desire for humans to accomplish this goal.
Psychology has taught us that each child has potential strengths that need to be drawn out (educare: to draw out) empathy, compassion, creativity, and curiosity, for example. Professor Martin Seligman, the "father of positive psychology", identifies 24 core strengths that exist potentially in each child. These are often identified as the virtues that religions teach.
The goal of character education, in the language of Professor Thomas Lickona, is "to know the good, desire the good, and do the good." We want children to develop their intellect so that they can identify the moral issues in complex situations, in literature, for example. Further, we want students to understand how to manage their emotions. And, we need to provide situations where students can participate in service to others.
Actually, everything within a school offers opportunities to exhibit virtuous behavior. Every day we can do simple acts of kindness with a morning greeting or a warm smile. Students can learn to build positive relationships while collaborating with others on science projects. Teachers can model the care and respect that they demand from the students.

Since parents make the greatest impact on student's lives, the school needs to work closely with parents in helping children develop their character. In addition, the school needs to collaborate with service organizations where children can learn about and participate in genuine good work for the community.
The school community, then, should be a model for the larger society. What greater need does our nation have besides intelligent, ethical, caring citizens seeking to serve the common good? The character education school provides the foundation for strong families, public civility, constructive dialogue, and the ideals of justice and love. They can be developed every day in a classroom.

About the Author

Dr. Durst is President of The Principled Academy, a sister school of New Hope School, located in San Leandro, CA.

Care of the Soul

By Mose Durst, Ph.D.
"No one can give a definition of the soul. But we know what it feels like. The soul is the sense of something higher than ourselves, something that stirs in our thoughts, hopes, and aspirations which go out to the world of goodness, truth, and beauty." Albert Schweitzer
On my daily walk, I often stop at a used bookstore near my home. Since I can be overwhelmed in a large bookstore, feeling there is so much I have not read, I usually just peruse the special table of "books of the month". Recently, I stopped at the table with the bright sign "Spiritual and Religious Books." I walk over to the table and spy a book entitled Care of the Soul by Thomas Moore.
I remembered his name but had not read any of his books. Since the price was right, two dollars, I made my big purchase and walked on. The title of the book appealed to me, for a motto I framed in my classroom reads, "Have You Nourished Anyone's Soul Today?". On the first day of class I ask students to reflect on that motto.
In Care of the Soul Moore defines soul as "a quality or a dimension of experiencing life and ourselves. It has to do with depth, value, relatedness, heart, and personal substance." Even the dictionary has a pretty good definition: "a person's moral or emotional nature or sense of identity."
My school, dedicated as it is to character education, provides activities and experiences to promote social and emotional learning. We believe that each of us has great strengths that need to be cultivated. As Albert Schweitzer points out, we have a nature that aspires to truth, beauty, and goodness and, I would say - above all - love. But this nature, or soul, needs to be nourished, developed, and activated for the well-being of self and others.

Education is not just about developing the individual, for it has implications for all of culture: family, community, work, the environment, and politics. "Soul-making [Moore writes] is a journey that takes time, skill, knowledge, intuition, and courage." In another of Moore's books, he writes that politics should be the "care of citizens".
Next to family, friendship is perhaps the most important relationship in life. The soul has to be nourished and cared for if we are to have genuine friendships, not Facebook friends. We need not only soulful families and friends but a caring, creative community. Moore writes elsewhere that "Community makes the heart come alive and in that particular way brings charm and deep satisfaction to a person's life."
We express ourselves in language, and we may avoid expressing the depth of our heart by using clichés. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Caring for the soul also means caring for how we use language. Everything I have written has been a concern for the transformation of culture. Care for the soul leads to compassionate lives. Where institutions exploit or ignore the depth of who we are as human beings, we are diminished. Empathetic and compassionate individuals, faithful, loving, and committed families, communities of genuine love and care, political and economic systems that produce wealth as
well as the care for all of its citizens - these are the true goals of education.

About the Author

Dr. Durst is President of The Principled Academy, a sister school of New Hope School, located in San Leandro, CA.