School Culture before Character Education: A Model for Change

Abstract

Alfie Kohn argues that developing caring, thoughtful citizens is a preferable end for character education than the obedient, unreflective workers many current programs (without practitioners realizing) may be cultivating. He argues that focusing on classroom culture rather than a narrow instructional program more effectively facilitates character development. I argue in this paper for further broadening the focus to include school culture. A group of schools in New York City belonging to the Center for Collaborative Education founded by Deborah Meier model ways to develop the caring and reflective community Kohn advocates. I describe this model contrasting it with less desirable cultures based on my year observing and teaching in sixteen member and nonmember inner city public schools. My conclusion suggests this model's alignment with Kohn's notions of character education.