Garry Teachers Hope Program Helps Raise Student Morale School Adopting Character Counts! Curriculum

After school ended last year, many members of the Garry Middle School staff were unhappy with the school climate. Teachers realized there was no consistency in enforcing the school rules, and the actions of students in the halls, in the cafeteria and after dances showed it.

Also, a student survey revealed that not many felt they were respected by their peers or treated fairly by teachers.

Clearly, something had to be done.

So, Garry joined a growing movement of schools that are spending some time teaching things other than academic subjects as part of the Character Counts! program.

The Character Counts! curriculum, created by the California-based Character Counts! Coalition, teaches students six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

At Garry, a lesson on one of the pillars is team-taught every third week by teachers, school administrators and staff, so that everyone in the school is working on and thinking about the same character pillar.

So far, students are thrilled with the difference the program seems to be making.

“This year, there is so much school spirit. People are more excited about school,” said eighth-grader Whitney Parker.

“I feel more comfortable around others,” added classmate Brianna Scott. “It’s easier getting up in front of people knowing they have respect for you even if they don’t like you.”

The character lessons, students say, are part of why the program has been so well-accepted.

“(The lessons) really make you think,” Scott said. “And the teachers are so into it, it makes everybody excited about it, too.”

Also, teachers make an effort to refer to the character pillars often during regular classes.

“It reminds you to be a better person,” said eighth-grader James Giglio.

Matt Thistle was one of four teachers, including Liz Mattes, Ron Jones and Kelly Bacon-Hord, to travel to California for a four-day Character Counts! training session last summer. He said it’s really too soon to tell the full impact the program will have on the school, but already small changes are making a difference.

“I used to drink my coffee in the hall every morning,” Thistle said. “But when I thought about it, I realized that since students can’t eat or drink in the halls, that wasn’t being ethical. It wasn’t sending a good message.”

Thistle hopes that the program will eventually change the overall climate of the school and is excited about how well it has started.

“We’re trying to change the fundamental ways people think, to get them to scrutinize their behavior,” he said. “I’ve never seen the staff as united as they are about this.”