On today’s episode, you will hear from three educators who have a combined 51 years of experience! At Vestavia Hills Elementary West, Sarah Woodroof is a fifth grade teacher, Shannon Stewart is a first grade teacher, and Susan McCall is the Assistant Principal. Listen in as we discuss the importance of developing CLASSROOMS of character that lead to a school culture of character.

In this episode, you'll learn:

     -What a person would see and feel as they walk into Vestavia Hills Elementary - West (VHEW) that lets them know that VHEW is a special place and one that is grounded in character?

     -How morning meetings and Conscious Discipline have been “game changers” for VHEW

     -Advice from Sarah and Shannon on how to run morning meetings as a way to further the mission of creating a culture of character

     -The four components of morning meetings

     -The role of CLASSROOMS of Character in a School of Character

     -Starting the year by collectively writing a “Class Family Promise”

     -How using a “Quote of the Day” can help support a culture of character

     -How can a teacher or school begin to move away from doing right for the sake of rewards and toward doing right for the sake of doing good

     -How class family meetings can be used for accountability and celebrations

     -Examples of how VHEW promotes student autonomy

     -The practice of “Lightbulb Lunches” as a vehicle to amplify student voice

     -How discipline referrals are used as opportunities for character development

     -Examples of how VHEW’s core values of kindness, respect, and responsibility are infused in in all that they do

Resources from the episode:

Vestavia Hills Elementary West https://www.vhcs.us/west

Hope Institute https://www.hopeinstitute.org/

Conscious Discipline https://consciousdiscipline.com/

Character.org https://character.org/

Connect with us!

     On Twitter:

Jennifer Hogan - @jennifer_hogan

Communities of Character - @Samford_CCC

     On Instagram:

Communities of Character - @Samford_CCC

     On Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/shannon.stewart.908

https://www.facebook.com/sarah.woodroof.7

https://www.facebook.com/susan.d.mccall.3