Chapter One

Education in virtue is the only education, which deserves the name.

Plato

Introduction

Character Education has recently become a topic of interest

across the country as educators grapple with the task of making

students into good people. The struggle to educate the students

character is not a new problem nor should it be viewed in simple

terms. Before introducing the big picture of my research study, I feel it

necessary to include a brief history of character education in America.

History of Character Education:

During our nations infancy, the student was educated primarily

at home by the parents, close family or a tutor. Students who attended

school outside of the home had two options: they could attend a

denominational school or a common/free school. Both schools used the

Bible as the main instructional text and both schools believed that the

main purpose of education was to train a persons mind and heart.

Leading up to the Civil War, common schools transitioned into

public schools, which are similar to the public education that we have

today. In fact, according to Thomas Jefferson, the goal of public

education is to educate the next generation in order to maintain a

functioning democracy (Davis, 2005). Derrick Davis, professor at

Baylor University, adds that, Jefferson and others did not conceive of
the publics as a replacement for sectarian schools, but as a means to

provide a free education for all citizens (Davis, 2005). As a

predominantly Christian culture, it would was seen as perfectly

acceptable for public institutions like schools to have Biblical truths

taught to their students.

At the dawn of the 19th century, the nations moral fabric along

with its cultural fabric began to pluralize. What once was a Protestant

culture, now needed to make room for Catholics, Baptists, and Jews. In

the schools, various instances occurred because of disagreements on

the type of religious instruction given. In order to by pass the conflict

on how to educate children from different denominations, William

McGuffey created the well-known McGuffey Readers. This well-known

set of basal readers were used to teacher children about honesty,

respect, and other valuable traits while simultaneously teaching them

the other core subjects (Lickona, 1993).

During the 20th century, many traditional American views and

believes began to fade away, among the affect areas was character

education. Russell Sojourner identifies the cause of deteriorating

confidence in character education to the, influx of students with

different ethnic backgrounds, resistance to authority and the perceived

indoctrination of character, and the growth of urban areas and societal

mobility. (Sojourner, 2011). And to make problems worse, the schools

decided it was best to remove character education programs for fear

that they would violate the 1st amendment.

By the 1960s and 1970s the culture was again experiencing

radical change. With many still healing from the moral dilemmas of

WWII and Vietnam and Civil Rights on the horizon, many people where

asking the same question, How do we instill values into our young

people? In a study titled Character and Citizenship Education, Althof

and Berkowitz comment that moral education, values clarification, and

Cognitive Moral Development were suggested as ways to improve the

character of the nation. In their study, Althof et al.., found that the

methods mentioned above were based on finds of Piaget and ideals of

Aristotle and Plate. These methods also focused on learned behaviors

with specific attention given to habits and how they impact the

decision a child makes (Althof, Berkowitz, 2006).

In the later half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st

century, studies have started to come out that focus on the results of

specific behavior strategies as seen in the classroom (Berkowitz, Bier,

2005). In the broader sense, the Character Education Partnership has

made an effort to provide specific teaching strategies and other

resources to assist the nations schools in building the childs character.

Such resources include the Eleven Principles Sourcebook (Beland,

Davidson, 2003), which describes the pedagogy associated with

character education but does little in the ways of practical suggestions

and advice.

Current State of Character in America:

Unfortunately, there is still a massive character crisis in America.

Although many books, articles, seminars, and organizations have

devoted much time to proposing solutions to the crisis; the epidemic

continues to spread. In my lifetime of 26 years, I have witnessed a

rapid decline in the family structure, increase in crime especially

among young people, increasing influence of media and technology,

and a decrease in common sense. It is not hard to see that our schools

are failing to engrave virtue into their charges. In fact, we have, as

Theodore Roosevelt once said, [Educated] a menace to society.

What can be done to reverse the trend and once again have a just and

virtuous society?

Proposed Solution:

I propose that we direct our attention to a form of education that

has been functioning since the days of Plato and Aristotle. It has

shaped the minds of many scholars including the founding fathers of

the United States of America. We even see it in Jewish and early

Christian writings. To educate the whole child, I suggest that we look at

the classical education model, which engraves critical virtues into

students, and most of those students grow into mature, capable, and

well informed adults. In my research study, I have chosen to study at

Whitefield Academy, a classical Christian school in Kansas City

Missouri. While conducting research at Whitefield, I will be striving to

answer the following question: Does Whitefield Academy effectively

prepare students to be critical thinkers, clear communicators, and

compassionate leaders?

Conclusion:

Our society needs to rethink how we are raising our children. As

a young adult, and future parent, I am shocked at the way common

sense has disappeared and lawlessness has risen in its place. That is

why I am very interested in researching classical education and the

institution of Whitefield Academy. As mentioned earlier, I assume that

classical education will incorporate many tools that will produce

students who will be virtuous and intelligent. I realize that no student is

perfect, and that each graduate will have a different set of strengths

and limitations. Regardless of my assumptions, I am eager to continue

this study because I hope to highlight the strengths of classical schools

like Whitefield Academy and present my findings to their staff at the

end of the research project.

 Definition of Terms:

Classical Education: a form of education that focuses on teaching

students how to learn. Within the classical curriculum, students read

classical literature, learn and mastering Latin, and progress through

the stages of the Trivium.

Trivium- Element of the classical education in which the student

learns how to fully understand a topic (grammar stage) question

known facts (logic stage) and synthesize multiple sources of

information to solve problems with wisdom (rhetoric stage).

Character Education: to teach a child what is right and what is

wrong. Virtues such as honesty, hard work, kindness, generosity,

courage, patience, and self denial may be included in a character

education program. Literary works like fables and other classic tales

may be used to model positive and negative choices.

Great Books (classical literature): Books of western literature that

describes the trials, joys, and ponderings of man dating back to Homer,

and Aristotle. These books are challenging to read, but serve to teach

readers about human nature and to teach moral and ideological

lessons.

Whole Child Education: An idea that the whole child (mind, and

spirit) are trained and refined. In the early years of the United States, it

was common thought that they whole child must be trained in order to

function as a productive citizen in the republic.

Chapter Two

Literature Review

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all

Aristotle
 Introduction

The purpose of this research study is to present an overview of the discipline procedures

at Whitefield Academy and how this program prepares students for post secondary

academic experience or life in the work force. The main research question is:

Does Whitefield Academy effectively prepare students to be

critical thinkers, clear communicators, and compassionate

leaders?

The purpose of this literature review is to present a brief description of two alternatives to

character education, to describe the role of parents and teachers in the moral development

of a child, and to discuss literature as a tool used to develop moral literacy in children.

This review will also provide a very brief overview of classical education based on the

ideas on the works of Susan Wise Bauer, Dorothy Sayers, and Dough Wilson.

Values Clarification

During the turbulent decades of the 1960s and 1970s came forth the concept of

Values Clarification. Largely due to the effort to restore values and consistency to the

youth of that day, Louis Rath published a well-known book titled, Values and Teaching,

which was used to challenge the hands off stance that the schools had adopted in response

to growing concern over violation of the separation of church and state (Davis, 2006).

Stephen Ellenwood (2006), in the Journal of Education Article Revisiting

Character Education makes a claim that the Values Clarification movement started by

Simon, Raths, Howard, and many others was a large step forward in the effort to revive

the effort to revive the long lost moral element of education (p. 24). Ellenwood further
explains that the three-stage process was meant to prepare students to act in a responsible

way regardless of the situation they face. In context, a teacher acts as the facilitator when

the class discusses hypothetical situations and problems. Students are given ample time to

reflect on outcomes and then, with little to no feedback from the teacher, decide on a

course of action.

In stage two, Ellenwood writes that, Students are supposed to cherish and

publicly announce their conclusions.(Ellenwood, 2006). Students are not given any

boundaries for their responses. No standard for right and wrong is set and the morals are

just ideas that the students discover on their own. In the final stage, the students must

come up with a plan to carry out their decision keeping in mind how their actions will

affect their community. Simon (1972) even suggests that this plan be used as part of the

students mode of operation that wont be based on independent morals but on shared

values.

In criticizing Values Clarification method, many educators and concerned

stakeholders have said that this method of moral education does not lay the groundwork

in establishing what is right or wrong. In his 2006 article, Return of Character

Education, Thomas Lickona concludes that, Values Clarification says [to the teacher],

dont impose values; help students choose their values freely. In essence the Values

Clarification ideology fails to provide a foundation through which the students could

build in becoming morally and academically literate adults.

Cognitive Developmentalism

At about the same time that the Values Clarification method was taking hold,

psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg introduced his idea of Cognitive Moral Development to

willing educators across the country. In explaining the psychology behind Kohlbergs

curriculum Stephan Ellenwood (2006), states that, [Kohlberg] elaborated on the

Piagetian scheme but held fast to the concept of stage sequences. He also predicated his

reform on the analytic process necessary for students to resolve moral dilemmas.

Kohlberg believed, strongly, that morals and justice were free of the influence of culture,

individual choice, family, and faith background. However, according to Kohlberg,

reasoning skills played a large role in the moral development of a child. At each of the six

stages of Kohlbergs theory, there is a new development of thinking which was not

available at an earlier age. According to William Kilpatrick, author of Why Johnny Cant

Tell Right From Wrong, Kohlberg wasnt saying that the smarter you are, the better you

are- but he was skating close to that conclusion. (Kilpartick, 1994). The theory of

Cognitive Moral Developmentalism was used to liberate students from a culture that

transmitted its values in traditional means and allowed the students to no longer be held

to any formal authority like family, culture, history, or even literature. Thomas Lickona

(2006), added by freeing students from supposed oppressive ideologies will produce

freethinking individuals. Why then, have generations of children turned into adults who

are morally confused?

Parents and Teachers as role models

To begin this section, I would like to take a detour to emphasize that teaching

through role modeling is not a new educational phenomenon. It has, in fact, been around

for well over 2,000 years. As seen in rabbinical methods and even those of Jesus, we

learn that the disciple gives up everything they own to go and live with their rabbi.
During that time, the student observes how the rabbi lives out his life. Some disciples

even start to adapt to speak and even talk like their beloved rabbi (Tverberg, Spangler

2009). It is through this method of teaching and leading by example that we, along with

our students, continue to develop into men and women of character.

In a 2008 Education Digest article titled Character Educationa Joint

Responsibility Dianna Brannon, professor at Elmhurst college explains that, Children are

being exposed to more adult-oriented material at a much younger age than in the past.

Because of the increasingly intrusive nature of television and other media forms, Brannon

continues to suggest that social/moral learning opportunities through interacting with

friends and others from the community are declining while the children are becoming

more and more confused as to what makes them a good person (Brannon, 2008).

According to a study mentioned in the article The Meaning of Role Modeling and

Character Development, 45% of schoolchildren mentioned that their parents were

influential role models during their childhood years. (Yancy et al.,2002,2011). Sanders,

author of the article mentioned above, concluded that, What this suggest is that parents,

friends, or teachers do have a certain influence on our (moral) development.. (Sanders,

2013). Role modeling in the home, even if it is as simple as modeling a love for reading

or a discipline to write a budget each month has proven to make a tremendous impact in

the lives of children.

Brannon (2008) added in her article that students watch everything the teacher

does; picking up on body language, tone, and other aspect of the teachers character. Thus

making it ever more important for the teacher to be modeling character traits that he/she

wants the students to live out. Marvin Berkowitz and Melinda Bier, co researchers in a
2005 study, Character Education Parents as Partners, make the case that role modeling

is crucial for character development. Students imitate and practice what they see adults

doing. We see this in imaginary play when little girls play house and little boys play fire

fighters. The same goes for character education. Children absorb and do what they see

their parents and teachers doing. In the best outcomes, the parents and teachers will be

intentional to carefully model the person they want their student to become.

Students, according to Sanders (2013), value teachers stay true to who they are

while teaching. Claudia Chandler, adjunct professor at The University of Saint May,

encouraged future educators to show the students a little bit about themselves so that they

can connect with the teacher on a personal level (Chandler, 2016). Students learn

character traits best from teachers who are intentional in their interactions. This takes

practice but it is worth it when the student remembers the impact years after they have

left the classroom.

Berkowitz & Bier (2005), further explain that character education and child

rearing require the parent to encourage positive behavior development through modeling

and relationship. Because the parent in the first teacher, it is crucial that parents are given

ample space to equip their children for success in the future. In the next section I will

present my findings on how parents and teachers work together in the character education

of their students.

Parents and Teachers as a team

Marvin Berkowitz and Melinda Bier (2005), also add to Brannons idea with the

idea that parents need to show students that they are valued and cared for. At the same

time parents and teachers need to be sure to have structure and consistency in their
interaction with young people. This will only benefit the children for when misbehavior

occurs there will be accountability and structure in both the school and the home

environments.

Stephen Ellenwood (2006) makes a case for teachers and parents to provide

consistency between the home and the school. He advices that parents and teachers

should model a reflective disposition in the hopes that students will begin to imitate this

behavior and eventually become reflective students. Modeling a reflective life style will

not only increase students self awareness, it will also enable the students to recognize

when to make changes to better the outcome of a situation. If parents model reflection,

they are sending the message that they are committed and well balanced adults.

Along with modeling reflective thinking, teachers and parents should model

character traits such as respect for themselves and for others, responsibility toward work,

community, and family, trustworthiness, fairness, and compassion (Lickona 1993). In

order to instill core values into students, schools and parents must model and directly

teach that these values are important.

Parents and teachers should try to collaborate more often, but that is often difficult

due to time commitments and other life circumstances that many parents struggle with in

the balance between home and work life. Berkowitz and Bier (2005) have identified

several schools that are implementing programs aimed at increasing parent involvement

in the school day. For example, parents at West Hillsborough Elementary in Hillsborough

California greet the students as they proceeded through the doors each morning. The

administrators found that after the first week of having parent greeters, more parents were

asking to help in other areas of school life.

 Another example of schools connecting with families is found at El Gabilan

Elementary School in Salinas California. The families are invited to attend a reading

night hosted by the teachers and student of the El Gabilan learning community.

According to Berkowitz and Bier (2005), Families are randomly assigned to small

discussion groups after the session. Aside from increased family involvement in the

school community, the teachers at El Gabilan elementary school wanted their students to

practice reading and who better to read to than their families?

In summary of this section, I would like to end with an idea found in the article Is

There a Place for Character Education? Author K.L. Creasy (2008), accurately

concludes that the transition children make each day from home to school and back again

will be much smoother if the parents and teachers agreed to teach the same set of values.

Not every school has parents or a community that is willing to partner with the school,

but such a union exists, the children will benefit all the more because they are being

treated with dignity and consistency. This is what every individual longs for, and it is

what teachers and parents must instill in their students.

Literature and the development of virtue

In the not so distant past, character education was based on Judeo Christian values

and were largely taught using well written childrens literature like that of the ever

popular McGuffey Reader. In the article Return of Character Education, Thomas Lickona

makes the case that the McGuffey reader taught students about virtue, often from Bible

stories, fairy tales, and poems. While the students were learning writing and other
academic skills they were also learning valuable lessons in character development.

Stories can teach us in ways that television cannot. Sheryl OSullivan, contributor to the

International Reading Association writes that, The founders of the United States felt that

the democracy would be unworkable without an educated and morally responsible

populace. (OSullivan, 2004). As mentioned previously, story telling has been part of the

nations educational heritage since the founding. This method has prominence even today

because it relates directly to the minds ability to think in narrative form. Even in the

Bible, and other ancient texts, stories are used as a means to teach in a dynamic way that

cannot be said without visual imagery (Egan, 1986).

On the topic of narrative thinking, Stephen Ellenwood comments that, narrative

thinking is more fitting and effective in developing complicated moral understanding in

the lives of young students. (Ellenwood, 2006). Stories awaken the moral imaginations

to give us a chance to learn lessons that cant be taught unless the student lives through a

dramatic experience. William Kilpatrick (1994), further explains in his book that the

imaginations is stirred when a story is read. When students read, they learn the same

lessons that the character learns. In his book Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, Jerome

Bruner (1986), proposes that thinking in stories gives value to life. In fact, William

Bennett, secretary of Education during the Regan administration stated that stories

provide, a stock of examples illustrating what we believe to be right and wrong it

helps anchor our children in their culture, its history and traditions. (Kilpatrick 1994).

Learning from literature requires the reader to stop and think. To reflect on what they

have read and to attempt to assimilate the information into situations that are relevant to

their lives. (Ellenwood 2006). Therefore, knowing that enriched literature is very
 important, what criteria should a parent or teacher use when looking for books to teach

character education?

Sheryl OSullivan (2004), provides specific, common sense guidelines for parents

and teachers to consider when choosing books for their students. The following

suggestions are not all there is to consider, but it is a good start.

Choosing well-crafted literature that has a moral struggle. (Example The

Giver by Louis Lowery)

Characters are relatable and close to the readers age (Example Chronicles

of Narnia by C.S. Lewis)

Content covers wide range of cultures and backgrounds. Books that

feature boys and girls as the main characters.

By being intentional about what our students read, teachers and parents can

engage their students in reading literature that will engage their moral imaginations while

they are reading. It is the hope of many that this reading and learning will help to

internalize character lessons and engrave positive values upon the hearts of students of

every age.

Classical Education: A Summary

At this point, I will begin to introduce classical education. My research is

primarily based on the works of Susan Wise Bauer and Dorothy Sayers. Others in the

movement are Bill Douglas and Leigh Bortins. For the purposes of this literature review,

we will focus on Bauer and Sayers and their definitions of classical education. In the

1940s, Dorothy Sayers published an essay titled The Lost Tools of Learning. In it Sayers

noted that students were not prepared with the mental armor needed to discriminate
between truth and lie when it comes to the messages on the radio, newspaper and other

media forms. (Sayers,1948). Ms. Sayers argues that in the absence of a true foundation of

learning, a child will receive a partial and inadequate education at best. Sayers admits that

she is not an expert in the field of child psychology, but she is a student of history. Sayers

reflects that the three-pronged method known as the Trivium could be used to restore a

strong educational foundation to the minds and hearts of young people.

Susan Wise Bauer along with her mother Jessie Wise (2009) co authored the book

The Well Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home. In a reflecting on her

personal experience with Classical Education Susan comments:

My mother taught us the way shed be taught our education was language
centered, not image-centered; we read and listened and wrote She spent the early
years of school giving us facts, systematically laying the foundation for advanced
study. She taught us to think through arguments, and then she taught us how to
express our selves. (p.13)

Through observation of struggling students, and witnessing several occasions where tact

and eloquence of self-expression were sorely missing, Bauer and Sayers recommend that

educators seek to teach their students how to learn, read, write, and speak through age

appropriate and time tested method known as the Trivium. Based on the findings in

Bauers work and with support from Sayers essay, I will now present a brief outline on

the three stages of the Trivium.

The Grammar Stage (kindergarten- 4th grade): Students will master the

fundamentals of language, math, science, writing, reading, history, and

many other areas. Students in Kindergarten through fourth grade will learn

through memorization methods including reciting chants about state

capitals. Students are sponges during this stage of development, so

 exposure to visual images, stories, and facts are highly encouraged. Bauer

states that, The goal is to supply mental pegs on which later information

can be hung. (Bauer, Wise, 2009). During this stage students will dig

deep and explore everything from planets to the pyramids. This

foundational period can, when done with intention, equip the student with

the tools to launch in the next phase of the Trivium, the Logic stage.
Middle School students who are in the Logic phase are learning to dig

deeper and ask why in order to deepen their understanding. The Students,

in this phase, move from teacher directed instruction to a mode of

independent learning and inquiry. To develop logic skills, students learn

the following set of rules to aide them when hearing or reading new

information:
1. What facts support this argument?
2. What is the meaning behind the speakers message?
3. Will I use this information accurately?
4. Is the speaker trying to blur my understanding on the topic?
5. What is the speaker trying to get me to accept?
6. Do I believe them? Why or why not?
7. What other viewpoints exist on this topic?

From the above tools, Bauer and Wise conclude that the student, with ample time to

practice, will be able to process information with a critical eye (Bauer, Wise, 2009).

Sayers (1948), states that the student will leave this stage knowing the mechanics of the

English language, how to speak clearly and accurately, and most importantly, how to

identify misconceptions. By the time the student is entering high school, they will have

mastered critical thinking skills, and will be ready to move into the Rhetoric stage.

In a period of life where personal expression is of utmost importance, the

Logic stage lays the groundwork for students to become fluent and
 persuasive writers and speakers (Bauer, Wise 2006). At the beginning of

the Logic stage, students are given specific ideas to discuss and eventually

shifts to an area that the student is interested in. Bauer (2009), mentions

that students must learn elocution, memorization, and delivery. These

three skills, according to Bauer, should be practiced in a practical way

such as debate club or writing class.

Classical Education is one of many methods that use time tested strategies to

instill positive academic and social disciplines into the character of each student. It is too

soon to tell if classical education will gain a greater influence in our nations schools.

However, there are a growing number of private and public schools that are adopting the

classical model. Two such examples are Ridgeview Classical School, a public school

located in Fort Collins, Colorado and Whitefield Academy in Kansas City, Missouri.

These schools, among many others, have successfully implanted the Trivium and other

core elements of the classical model into their curriculum.

Conclusion:

As we have discussed, there is a problem with character education in the public

schools. Many times, parents and teachers are not collaborating and teaching their young

students through example. The students are confused because of the many expectations

on them from society, home, and school. Students need consistency and high

expectations. Literature, especially well crafted books, provide a great opportunity for

students to learn from the characters in the books. Literature provides rich food for

thought as well as fuel for the imagination. Teacher and parents will set their students up

for success if they provide enriched literature and ample time for the student to discuss
and reflect on what they read. Classical education trains the whole student from the time

they are kindergartners to when they graduate. This model of education contains many

effective and age appropriate tools to equip students to be life long learners, appreciators

of beauty, and seekers of what is true.

Chapter Three

Research Question:

Does Whitefield Academy effectively prepare students to be critical

thinkers, clear communicators, and compassionate leaders?

Review of Classical Education:

According to Dough Wilson, author of Recovering the Lost Tools

of Learning, the word classical refers to the structure and form of

education. Most classical schools use the Trivium as a foundation for

their curriculum. As mentioned in chapter 2, the Trivium is divided into

three stages; grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Students learn the

foundations of each subject area in the grammar stage, debate and dig
deeper in the logic stage, and express deep understanding in the

rhetoric stage. By the end of their time in a classical school, students,

ideally, should be able to learn any subject because they have learned

how to learn.

Classical education has also become synonymous with the study

of the Great Books, including works by Charles Dickens, Shakespeare,

and Plato to name a few. Lastly, for the purposes of this study, I must

also add that daily scripture study is a crucial element in classical

Christian schools. For these schools, a Christ centered education is

foundational and without it, the students are only receiving a partial

education.

Description of Research Site

I have requested and received permission to conduct my

research study at Whitefield Academy, a private, nondenominational

Christian School in Kansas City Missouri. This school has a student

body of 250 students with 40 faculty and staff and a student teacher

ratio of 12:1. Ethnically, the student body is made up of 75%

Caucasian, 8% African American, and 4% Hispanic. Academically,

Whitefield Academy students have earned an average score of 27 on

the ACT (2014). Lastly, Whitefield Academy is a member of the

Association of Classical Christian Schools.

Whitefield Academy is named after the Anglican cleric, George

Whitefield. Mr. Whitefield was a key servant-leader in the 18th century

Great Awakening that took place in Great Brittan and the American

Colonies. Whitefield was known for his oratory skill and unswerving

devotion to Jesus Christ. The teachers and staff at Whitefield academy,

according to the student handbook, hope to emulate Whitefields love

for Christ and his concern for all people (2015)

Protocols:

In order to prove the effectiveness of Whitefield Academys

character education philosophy, I will be surveying 12th graders and

their parents. I will be giving both parties a similar survey in the hopes

that their answers will agree. If differences are found, I will adjust the

study by asking specific follow up questions.

Along with surveying, I will also interview and observe teachers

at various grade levels. I will be looking for specific examples of how

the teacher functions as a role model, how he or she disciplines, and

how the students interact with the teacher. Afterward, I will interview a

few teachers to reflect on the observations and to gain their

perspective on the Whitefield experience.

In addition to the methodology described in the paragraphs

above, I will be gathering artifacts that having been created by the

school as well as books for further reading that were recommended by

teachers and administrators.

After collecting all the data, I will triangulate the data given from

each party so that my study will prove to be a credible and holistic

evaluation of Whitefield Academys educational mission: To graduate

students who are critical thinkers, clear communicators, and

compassionate leaders. (2015)

Rationale of Methodology:

The data that I am looking for will be best drawn from personal

interactions with teachers and students. In regards to character

education, I want to know what the teachers are doing to teach and

model character during the school day. For that purpose, I will use

observations, interviews, and surveys. In order to gain understanding

of the type of person that Whitefield claims to produce, I would like

invite 12th grade students to participate in a series of surveys.

Moreover, because parents play a vital role in the moral and academic

development of their children, I feel it is appropriate to survey parents

regarding their thoughts on classical education, and their methods for

modeling sound character in the home.

Role of Researcher:

My role as the primary investigator will be that of an interviewer,

observer, and administrator. While functioning as an observer, I will be

visiting different classrooms in the lower and upper schools in order to

immerse myself in the school culture and to gain a deeper

understanding of the classical model. As an interviewer, I will be taking

the role of an active listener, so that the teachers can share their

thoughts and comment on what is effective and what is not effective.

Lastly, I will be administering surveys to 12th graders and their parents.

During this time, I will be available in person or through email to

answer questions.

After the research project is completed, I am looking forward to

presenting my findings not only with the University of Saint Mary but

also with the teaching community at Whitefield Academy.

Conclusion:
This chapter has served to create a brief outline for the hows

and whys of my evaluation of character education at Whitefield

Academy. While there are many elements of this research study, the

main point is to highlight how the character education program at

Whitefield Academy equips students to be examples of virtuous and

informed citizens in an increasingly confused and chaotic world.

 References

Algera, H. F., & Sink, C. A. (2002). Another Look at Character Education in Christian
Schools. Journal Of Research On Christian Education, 11(2), 161.

Althof, W., & Berkowitz, M. W. (2006). Moral Education and Character Education: Their
Relationship and Roles in Citizenship Education. Journal Of Moral Education, 35(4),
495-518.

Beland, K., Tolman, J., & Davidson, M. L. (2003). Eleven principles sourcebook: How to
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