Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Too Soon for a ‘Judgment Call’ on Character Education

November 12, 2010 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

Education Week‘s Oct. 27, 2010, Report Roundup summary on character education (“Study Finds Few Benefits in Character Education”) was very upsetting. As I read how a federal study did not find that character education programs produce any improvements, for the most part, in student behavior or academic performance, I became enraged. I do not feel that we have spent enough time researching, following, and adapting these types of programs to make any type of judgment call on this new study.

We, as educators, need to be reminded of the theorists, who, through trial and error, developed what we know today as the study of human development. Without study after study and new knowledge and advancement in different areas of human development, we would not know how the mind works and the effects the environment has upon human growth.

We, as educators, cannot stop trying and searching to find a way to reach and teach every student. It is our job to provide the youth of today, tomorrow, and the future with the best education possible. If we fail to see that by not pursuing our quest to ultimately find a more effective way to reach our students, then we are giving up on education, our students, and society.

We must push on, we must not give up, and we must not forget that education is not what it once was, and in order to gain success, we must not stop reaching out in every way possible.

Stephanie Wachman

New York, N.Y.

A version of this article appeared in the November 17, 2010 edition of Education Week as Too Soon for a ‘Judgment Call’ on Character Education

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: May 3, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: April 26, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: March 29, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Trending Education News
How well do you know the trending news in education? Test your knowledge by taking our quiz.