October 2008

2009 Calendars

Character First! Calendars make great gifts! Get these decorative reminders for yourself, your family, and your coworkers.

Price: $6.99
(while supplies last)

View a sample, or order online


Leadership Seminar in Oklahoma City

Hear Tom Hill, founder of Character First! and others explain how to implement character-based leadership skills in your organization.

  • What is character, and why is it important?
  • The relationship of character to ethics and skills
  • How to build character in the workplace
  • How to correct poor character
  • How to hire employees with good character

Who should attend? Anyone in a leadership position!

Seminar Details:
October 28-29, 2008
$390.00 per person (call or email for group and non-profit rates)
Character Training Institute Headquarters, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Email: conference@characterfirst.com
Download: Registration Form
Phone: 405-815-0001 ext. 151


Respecting Authority

A traffic light cannot physically control vehicles, but ignoring its direction is dangerous. One driver might experience greater inconvenience than another, but both are protected in an orderly fashion. The effectiveness of the green, yellow, and red lights, however, depends on each driver obeying the light. Obedience can turn a deadly intersection into a safe intersection.

An obedient individual knows freedom comes from respecting authority structures and orderly processes, not from asserting one's own agenda. This perspective does not eliminate inconvenience, but it does establish a framework for maintaining order and promoting safety.

Learn more from the Member Library:


Character Builds Trust

The assignments you give an individual communicate a great deal about your trust of that person.

If someone proves diligent, you can give that person an assignment without worrying about his or her willingness to work at it. If another person is thrifty, you might give that person greater freedom to purchase materials.

Trust lets others know you have confidence in their character, even when significant resources are at stake. Trust provides tremendous motivation for others to prove themselves trustworthy.

As appropriate, let others know why you entrust them with particular tasks. You might say, "Paul, I admire your thoroughness in keeping your equipment clean. I have an important project that needs thorough attention...."

Do not use praise to build artificial excitement for mundane assignments. Look for ways to let others know you genuinely appreciate their character.

Learn more from the Member Library:


What Works in Education

Joyce Buser from Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, recently shared how she uses the Character First! curriculum in Greenwood Elementary School. Mrs. Buser works with other volunteers to present one character quality each month. She writes:

Last school year 2007-2008, we used the following activities to introduce a new character trait each month:

 

  • Introduce character trait with definition, five "I Wills," and the nature story.
  • Send home a hand-written letter to parents telling them the character trait of the month, explaining our nature and history lessons, and leaving a place for them to add comments. When students bring their sheets back to school signed by a parent or guardian, they receive small rewards, such as an eraser, pencil, pencil sharpener, character ribbon, etc.
  • We also keep a notebook all year for each child, which includes these letters, the hand-colored pictures of the animals, and the lovely character cards. Some students now in high-school tell me they still have their notebooks!
  • We also use the excellent lessons from history, the song and poem, plus many of the extra ideas. One of our mothers did the story of the "Ant and Grasshopper" from the Diligence Teacher's Guide.

Teachers in nearby middle schools welcome students from Greenwood Elementary because Greenwood students know how to study, respect the teachers, and are serious about education.

Download a sample Teacher's Guide, or share your story.


Character in the News

Visit our news page to read the latest news articles about character.