Written by teachers, for teachers and parents!
Creating Character in the Growing Years is a company formed for the express purpose of providing character education tools for teachers, parents, and all educators to help create good character in young children - positive traits and values that are sadly lacking in our culture today. The writers have developed an effective early childhood character education curriculum called the Peddlesfoots designed for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades, although older children are also enjoying thePeddlesfoots stories and curriculum as well. The stories and curriculum are centered around a family of rabbits called the Peddlesfoots who through their varied antics and adventures, learn to make wise moral choices in the face of many pressures—relatable choices that our children are having to face each day.
In 2006, the Peddlesfoots was chosen by the Saginaw Intermediate School District as the centerpiece of an early childhood character instilling project (the T.R.U.E. Initiative), which received federal support and endorsement when it was selected as a Partnerships in Character Education Grant winner! This four year, million-dollar-plus award has enabled our curriculum to be distributed to hundreds of children/families in Saginaw County through distribution of teacher and parent kits via kindergarten and first grade classrooms and through area agencies who work with young children, particularly children at risk. The final year of this initiative we will be focusing on the preschool level, which we are currently in the process of developing.
The research component of our initiative has shown that since the kindergarten and first grade levels were administered, children have made positive progress in the areas of academic growth and improved social/emotional behavior.
The philosophy of the Peddlesfoots can best be summed up this way:
What's T.R.U.E. about good character?
Teach: Teach your children that having good character is important. It tells others what you are really like on the inside - not just what people see on the outside.
Reinforce: Reinforce the teaching of good character traits with examples that will remind the children what each concept means in practical terms.
Understand: Help children understand what each character trait means to them on a personal level. Make it relevant.
Engage: Engage your children with activities that will include the family and community.
Our hope is that through our curriculum, parents and educators will feel better equipped to do this important job. |
