William Jenkins

Description

Values First is a character program that begins with values, twenty-five of the cherished values of the American people. Character is commitment to values; it is the degree to which one is committed to his/her values. Values+ Commitment=Character Kids who commit to good values demonstrate good character, the stronger the commitment, the stronger the character, the stronger the character, the stronger the person, the stronger the person, the stronger the country. This Values Based character program focuses on 25 values that are most cherished by the American people and are most embraced by the people who have made the greatest contributions to our way of life, and for whom we have the greatest degree of admiration. 1. Life and human dignity. 2. Religion and religious freedom 3. Country and citizenship 4. Personal freedoms 5. Respect for the rights of others 6. Respect for others' property 7. justice and fair play 8. Motherhood 9. Family 10. Respect for the elderly 11. Taking personal responsibility 12. Diligent and honest work 13. Knowledge 14. Contributing to society 15. Worthy accomplishments 16. Obeying The Rules 17. Respect for Authority 18. Taking care of our environment 19. Gratitude 20. Loyalty 21. Humility 22 Compassion (kindness) 23 Worthy accomplishments 24 Honesty and integrity in speech and deed 25. virtue The program has five main components or objectives: 1. to make students aware of the core values of the American people. 2. To get kids to see the importance of those values and to incorporate them into their lives. 3.To have students understand character and its relationship to values. 4. To get kids to choose to build their character around these twenty-five values-and other productive and positive values. 5. To get students to practice behaviors that will strengthen these values. Character is instilled through teaching and practice. Socrates put it this way, “The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be: all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.” During my tenure as a professor I witnessed the decline of young people's commitment to the core values vital to our country's success. From the time I started teaching in 1968 until the time I left the classroom in 2001, I saw a gradual eroding of the core values of the American people. I also saw dozens of character programs-but they all missed the mark. Many Public School teachers could not teach values because they did not know how to do so without using religion. Since they were not allowed to use religion many of the programs in schools today start with character, with the hope that students already have the appropriate values, or will arrive at them on their own. This program does not trust that assumption. In fact, it is very clear that many of the students today, on their own, are not likely to ever embrace the values that have been so important to the American people. Consequently, this program starts with values, not just any values, but the proven, time tested values of our heritage.

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