First Class Character Education Activities Program

This resource gives secondary teachers and counselors 95 ready-to-use lessons with reproducible activity sheets to promote healthy character development in students. The lessons are drawn from First-Class, a successful program initiated by students and teachers at Mundelein (IL) High School and can be used as is or adapted to fit the particular needs in any junior or senior high school. Major topics covered include:
* the nature of good character
* student behavior and the related issues of motivation, communication and family involvement
* anger management, stress reduction, dealing with failure and impulse control
* social issues such as family roles, violence and the impact of TV
* prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping and sexual harassment
* self-understanding and self-acceptance
* caring about the school, using appropriate language, maintaining personal appearance, and volunteering

Michael D. Koehler, Ph.D., was a teacher, counselor, and coach at Deerfield (IL) High School for 31 years and an adjunct professor of educational administration for 23 years. He has authored more than a dozen practical resources for educators with Prentice Hall and written and narrated a videotape for the College Board.

Karen E. Royer, M.A., is a former teacher at Mundelein (IL) High School, where she taught all levels of French, spearheaded the writing of one of the first "immersion" curricula in the state, and was one of the faculty who worked with students to initiate the First-Class character education program.