National Character Education Movement
Character Education is a national movement encouraging schools to create environments that foster ethical, responsible, and caring young people. It is the proactive Effort by schools to instill in students important core, ethical values that we all share such as caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect for self and others.
Montana Character Education Project
Our students cannot succeed as students, parents, professionals or community leaders until they first succeed as human beings.
The Montana Character Education Project is dedicated to WHATEVER IT TAKES to create success.
Character Education Benefits
All students and school staff benefit from character education as it contributes to safe and orderly schools, parental and community involvement, reduced discipline problems, greater academic achievement, and positive school climate conducive to learning.
Sample Model Success
Since implementation in 2002, Longfellow Elementary School in Great Falls, Montana is one of the schools that exemplify the school reform model promoted by the HR2 project.
AYP Status
2003:
2002-Present:
Removed from Improvement
Made AYP
Discipline referrals were reduced by more than half since implementation. The American Indian students are achieving at par with non-native students since 2005.
"We learned about respect, trustworthiness, caring, responsibility, courtesy and many other traditional values. The biggest thing I learned is to have respect for myself, and everyone and everything around me."- Hanna Goings
Heart Butte School
Blackfeet Reservation
"Our goal is to make every Indian child be proud of their heritage and be comfortable with who they are. When children feel accepted, they are more inclined to learn and accept others' differences. I ma here to show them no matter where you come from, you can succeed."
- Kathleen Brown
Character Education Teacher
Helena School District
Honor, Respect and Responsibility (HR2) Grant
The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI)'s Honor, Respect and Responsibility (HR2) Grant Project proposes to improve American Indian student academic achievement in Montana through the effective use of a character education school reform model developed by partner schools.
Cultural Relevancy
The Montana HR2 projects is unique in that it focuses on the cultural values and traditions of Montana tribes. The curriculum reflects this unique aspect and therefore promotes success through increasing a sense of belonging and purpose for the students.
The Montana Character Education curriculum meets the requirements of MCA 20-1-501, the Indian Education for All law. The framework can be used by any school district, although it is particularly effective in schools with significant American Indian student populations and/or multi-cultural backgrounds.
The HR2 Model Encompasses the Interdependency of the Following:
- School Leadership directing and modeling the re-form by promoting, reinforcing, and encouraging the incorporation of character education in all programs, dicipline and activities;
- Creation of a positive and inclusive school climate;
- Development of a sense of school and community belonging;
- Promotion of community/parental involvement;
- Alignment of activities to educational research and the underlying principles of character education;
- Use of culturally relevant curriculum and activities;
- Commitment to our Student Bill of Rights;
- Implementation fo non-punitive, redirected behavioral strategies promoting positive student behavior;
- Focus on academic mastery;
- Commitment to addressing the unique needs of each individual student;
- Academic learning based on literacy proficiency;
- Use of Montana Behavioral Initiative philosophy and the Indian Education for All goals; and
- Focus on sustained professional development activities and its incorporation into the school system.
2005-2009 HR2 Grantees
The OPI Character Education Program has awarded four-year HR2 Character Education grants to ten school districts.
- Box Elder Public Schools
- Browning Public Schools
- Frazer Public Schools
- Great Falls Public Schools
- Hardin Public Schools
- Hays-Lodge Pole Public Schools
- Heart Butte Public Schools
- Helena Public Schools
- Lame Deer Public Schools
- Poplar Public Schools
One criterion for receiving this grant is that each participant has a significant American Indian student population.
Although the projects share many similarities, they also distinguish themselves by their uniqueness, emphasizing each community's particular tribal traditions and practices.
Crow Elder with Students
James Woodcock, Photographer
Reprinted with permission of the Billings Gazette
