California's Santa Clara University merges ethics with language arts to create a new curriculum that maps to State standards—according to Bob Michels at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at the University, it's being used in over 215 schools.

What is the curriculum?

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California developed a comprehensive character-based literacy curriculum that integrates ethics and language arts skills. While mapping to California State standards for language arts, the program addresses ethical questions centered on Responsibility, Self Direction, Self Control, Change Requires Effort, Respect, Integrity, Moderation, and Justice. The curriculum includes detailed lesson plans, literature recommendations, and specific activities to facilitate its implementation. Selected materials, such as plays, poems, and novels help teach students reading and writing and encourage students to self-reflect and evaluate their personal values. Value-themed units and daily oral, written, and visual activities correlate with lessons in coping and cooperation skills to increase literacy and redirect disruptive behaviors and antisocial thoughts. Teachers using the curriculum receive ample training and technical assistance from Markkula Center staff.

The curriculum is being used in over 215 schools in California, Washington State, and Texas.

Outlined in the purpose and model of the Markkula Center Character-based Literacy Program are several characteristics that make the program particularly appropriate for students in detention and teachers of students in detention.

In summary:

• The curriculum focuses on replacing antisocial behaviors, thoughts, and values with pro-social behaviors, thoughts and values.
• The curriculum allows for a flexible timeline and helps teachers set priorities for students in short-term placements.
• The program provides functional training in teaching language arts with explicit references to California standards and quality materials for teachers with little or no experience teaching language arts.
• The program provides field support with resource teachers and lesson planning support.

How can I learn more about the curriculum?

View the complete purpose and model of the Markkula Center Character-based Literacy Program (PDF).

Learn more about the Markkula Center Character-based literacy program. This page includes a description of the overall program and links to daily lesson planning, descriptions of the curriculum units, and registration information for workshops about character-based literacy.

For more information, contact:

Kim McCauley
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Santa Clara University
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053-0633
(408) 554-5319
kmccauley@scu.edu

 

Published April 2004

 

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