Our Approach and Program

Adolescence can be a confusing and difficult time for students—physiologically, socially, emotionally, and academically—as they transition from childhood to their teenage years.

This confusion can manifest itself in negative behaviors and choices that undermine a student’s commitment to school and long-term wellbeing (e.g., academic failure, drug abuse, bullying, gang involvement, etc.).

Schools often struggle to cultivate and maintain a supportive environment for students to become autonomous, explore their identities, take risks, and build confidence in themselves.

Our Solution

Character Connection partners with schools, teachers, and families to help adolescents develop confidence, competence, and compassion. Through our classroom instruction, evening family programs, and professional development training, we create safe and nurturing communities in which students learn how to be their best self. Strengthening social-emotional qualities in young adults empowers them to make more positive choices and overcome challenges as they progress through life.

Our unique approach has three components:

  • Partner with schools, educators, and families to help students develop the social-emotional qualities needed to overcome challenges as they progress through adolescence;
  • Connect  students to what is going on within them through our character language, as well as mindfulness, writing, and guided conversation. As students develop an understanding of themselves, their self-confidence strengthens while cultivating a deeper connection with and concern for the people around them; and
  • Extend our program beyond the classroom by inviting families to join their children in our workshops.

Contact us to learn more about our program and partnership opportunities or apply for our program, today.


Program: School & Beyond

Character Connection’s flagship School & Beyond program (SAB) is available for middle schools. In addition to working directly with students in the classroom, we provide professional development training for teachers, facilitate family workshops, and organize a year-end essay contest as well as an award ceremony for students and their families. Our curricular content aligns with English Language Arts and Social Studies Common Core Standards: assessing close reading, document-based recall, and interpersonal communication skills.

dsc_5514Overview

  • 30 Weeks of in-class instruction led by a Character Connection instructor (45-minutes per class)
  • 1 day of Professional Development training for Partner Teachers (includes curriculum integration discussion)
  • 6 hours of Family Workshop facilitation (dinner also provided)
  • Year-End Essay Wrap-Up Contest
  • Annual Student and Family Award Ceremony
  • Annual program evaluation
  • All materials & resources

Contact us to learn more or apply today!