Woodrose Faculty and Staff attended the International Conference on Fostering Kindness and Respect in School and at Home. It was held on October 9, 2019 at the University of Asia and the Pacific, with Dr. Thomas Lickona as the main speaker.
According to Dr. Lickona, who is considered the father of modern character education, “CHARACTER is the key to self-respect, the respect of others, positive relationships, a sense of fulfillment, achievement in school and work, a happy marriage—to success in every area of life…LOVE/KINDNESS has been described as the heart of good character, the wellspring of the other virtues. It motivates us to be the best person we can be…But kindness doesn’t stand alone. It needs a supporting cast. We need WISDOM (good judgment) to know how to be kind. We need SELF-CONTROL to be kind. We need COURAGE to be kind in the face of fear.”
A very engaging speaker, Dr. Lickona shared best practices of parents and educators, as well as very practical tips on how to develop kindness in kids at home and in school. He said that “Good schools, like good families, do make a difference. That is a source of hope as we face the formidable challenge of renewing our moral culture.”
Dr. Lickona is a developmental psychologist and educator focused on helping parents and schools develop good character in children. He is also aprofessor of education emeritus and founding director of the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (Respect and Responsibility) at the State University of New York at Cortland, where he has done national award-winning work in teacher and parent education. He has authored nine books on moral development and character education including Raising Good Children, Educating for Character, Character Matters, and How to Raise Kind Kids.