What Makes a Classroom an Ideal Character Effect Classroom?
January 3, 2022
“As a teacher, I feel calmer and less anxious. It gives me the language to explain to students how I am feeling and how I can help a student take the time to take in and understand everything around them. I have told all my teacher friends about it at other schools!”
The Ideal Character Effect™ Classroom
The Character Effect™ is a complete, universal social and emotional learning program that improves the culture of a school’s community by building on everyone’s innate strengths. We accomplish this with a “teacher first” approach that focuses on teacher self-care through mindfulness, engages parents through fun and accessible tactics, and rallies all the adults in a student’s life around their strengths, to keep them focused on learning.
The Character Effect™ can provide you with tools to create an ideal classroom for mindfulness and strengths to thrive. So, what does an ideal classroom look like?
Empowered and Engaged Teacher
Everything with The Character Effect™ starts with teachers. We believe that teachers who are empowered and engaged have the best chance at successfully integrating The Character Effect™ principles and positively impacting their students. Teachers should be open to implementing mindfulness practices and strength-based language into their classrooms understanding the positive effect these items will have on everything from classroom management to academic achievement.
Strengths
Integrating the 24-character strengths into your routine is critical to the success of the ideal classroom. The 24 strengths identify the best of everyone and can help you direct your students towards success by leaning into their strengths. Teachers should use strength-based language whenever possible. Strength spotting is an easy and effective way to integrate The Character Effect™ into your daily routine. Strength Spotting is crucial as it always identifies what’s strong with a student, not what’s “wrong” with them. Students and teachers should all know their top strengths, how they show up, and how to use them more intentionally.
Mindfulness
Mindful practice can help your classroom run smoothly by bringing focus and attention to behaviors that have a calming effect on your students and yourself. You don’t have to turn your classroom into a yoga studio or invest in any special lighting or essential oils or anything. But consider the powerful positive psychology of mindfulness and how it can impact your students. Simply asking the students to try the S.T.O.P. activity can make a big difference. Of course, having your own intentional, strengths, and/or mindful practice can help you be ready to face every class each day. Try simply practicing mindfulness at the beginning of each day or each class to get into the routine of incorporating mindfulness in your classroom.
Online Resources
Check. Out. The Hub. The all-new online hub features neatly organized activities that focus on the 24-character strengths, mindfulness, and effective activities. We listened to the feedback from teachers and made The Hub easier to access, navigate, and use. The Hub Classroom Resources should be used organically throughout the day (i.e., show a Mindful Video after lunch to refocus, regularly Strength Spot your students, and do regular, Intentional check-ins with students Readiness to Learn). The Hub Weekly Activities, which are only 5-15 minutes in length should be utilized 3-5 days a week. Don’t forget our website, blog, social media, and our You Tube channel.
Visuals
Your classroom is yours. And it should reflect your personality, strengths, and unique personality. The Character Effect™ provides a wealth of tools, posters, and activities you can use to transform your classroom into an ideal strengths-based learning environment. Hang The Character Effect™ Strength poster prominently in your classroom. Deploy a Relaxation Station. Watch videos featuring The Character Effect™ Characters. Bringing the strengths and mindfulness to life in your classroom can help provide a visual reminder to your students and to yourself about the importance of these strategies.
Culture
The Character Effect™ is designed to positively change the culture of your school. And that change starts in YOUR classroom. Implementing the 24-character strengths and mindfulness practices and using them daily to enhance your regular teaching creates a richer atmosphere for your students to thrive in. What kind of culture do you want to see in your school? Manifest what you imagine for your school in your classroom. Share successes and challenges with your peers. Make changes that positively impact your students.
The ideal The Character Effect™ is going to look a little different for every teacher. What is the same is that an ideal classroom is a place where the 24-character strengths and mindfulness seamlessly come to life and create an environment that enhances your subject area and has an effect on your students?