The primary principle of the Character Development & Leadership middle school leadership program/curriculum is, “Character First, Leadership Second.” In other words, leadership without character is a failure of leadership.
A person should never be placed into the position of leadership until a strong foundation of character is formed. A person should know what they believe, why they believe it and be willing to stand up for those beliefs. An effective leader should know their strengths and weaknesses. This formation of character is not learned in a day or even a week, rather by challenging oneself on a daily basis over an extended period of time.
We understand that it is quite possible to be a tremendous human being, who possesses qualities such as integrity, honesty, respect, and yet still be a lousy leader. Therefore, once, a solid foundation of character is established, the next step is to understand the qualities of an effective leader.
This middle school leadership program/curriculum provides 12 overall lessons per unit to instill character and leadership. We have two distinct modules that focus solely on teaching leadership. The first is leadership through study (leadership principles) and the second is leadership by doing (leadership activities).
Leadership Principles
17 leadership principles are presented and studied in this curriculum. For each unit, a different leadership principle is delivered in the form of virtual lectures. These short 8-10 minute videos are provided by Dr. Hoedel (the author of the curriculum) and other respected leaders. Discussion questions are provided to initiate classroom discussion. At the end of this series of videos, students should understand the qualities of an effective leader.
Leadership Exercises
We also understand that leadership is not something that can be simply taught through study, rather it needs to be experienced. For each unit we provide a leadership exercise to give students the opportunity to work together as a team and develop leadership skills. These are hands-on activities that get kids out of their chairs and learning by doing. Each leadership exercise is unique and different, yet challenges students to work together as a team.
Next Steps
Explore the Classroom Curriculum
Explore Middle School Approaches
Watch Our Free Automated Webinar
Read What Students are Saying About Our Curriculum
Read What Teachers are Saying About Our Curriculum
We want to hear from you!
To receive more information on this program (pricing, samples of curriculum, samples of Role Models textbook, research reports, common core alignment) call Dr. Joe Hoedel (231) 938-4140, Email jhoedel@characterandleadership.com, call or complete the form below.
Fields marked with an * are a required field.
[vfb id='1']