JOHN ZURN, Educational Author
photo by Garrett Jackson
The finest schools have always understood that educating students in both academics and virtue is not an either-or proposition. Strong academics and strong character reinforce one another rather than compete for classroom time. A student who is organized learns more efficiently. A student with grit perseveres through difficult assignments. A collaborative student strengthens the learning of everyone around them. A responsible student requires fewer reminders and achieves greater independence. Great schools never sacrifice academic excellence to build character, nor do they sacrifice character in pursuit of higher test scores. They recognize that the two are partners, not rivals.
Ironically, the “Secrets of Success” are about as secret as the recipe for peanut butter and jelly. Employers have been looking for dependable, resilient, collaborative, and trustworthy people for generations. Parents want these qualities in their children. Communities need them in their citizens. Yet for much of the past century, schools have gradually treated these life skills as pleasant by-products of education instead of essential learning goals. Somewhere along the way, report cards became crowded with academic grades while the habits that determine long-term success were quietly escorted to the back of the classroom. It is time to invite them back to the front where they belong.
Throughout my years in independent schools, our faculty refused to leave character development to chance. We intentionally created a common language around the Elements of Success—Organization, Focus, Courage, Generosity, Grit, Positive Mindset, Resilience, Independence, Collaboration, and Responsibility. Teachers spoke about these traits in classrooms, on playgrounds, during athletic competitions, and in conversations with parents. Students learned that success was measured by more than the score on a math test or the grade on an English paper. They learned that becoming a successful adult requires building habits that last far longer than any final exam. Those lessons, more than any textbook, may prove to be the most valuable education we ever offered.
We welcome you to the conversation. Please let us know that you care by liking comments, forwarding posts, or joining in our dialogue at johnzurn.com. We would love to hear your own “Stories From the Classroom….”.
From our first posting:
“As parents and teachers, we need to reclaim our traditional role as influencers of our children – not by shouting louder than the influencers our children discover online, but by stressing ideas that are more important than fancy shoes and snappy TikTok tunes. We need to emphasize traits that everyone agrees children will honor. We need to convince our children that the people who are most important to them have a better understanding of what it takes to be successful in life.”
#charactereducation #successtraits #parentingtips #homeschooling #teachertips