Last summer five of our administrators went on a road trip to Atlanta, Georgia, to spend time with generation and leadership expert, Tim Elmore. Dr. Farien, Mr. Hardiman, Ms. McDaniel, Mrs. Smeltser, and Mrs. Petermann learned that this generation of learners relates to images and personal stories in a deeper way than previous generations of students. Tim Elmore developed the leadership series, Habitudes, from extensive research and time spent with Generation Z.
Habitudes is a distinctive leadership development curriculum that harnesses the power of imagery to empower educators, coaches, parents, and adult leaders in preparing students for leadership roles. Through engaging stories, vivid visuals, and immersive experiences, Habitudes equips our middle and high school students with invaluable perspectives and leadership habits, empowering them to:
Take charge and set the pace for their team.
Conquer challenges with creative persistence.
Leverage personal strengths for career readiness.
Cultivate critical thinking skills for making informed life choices.
Recently, Habitudes was launched to FACS students in grades 6-12. For sixth graders, Mrs. Katie Roberson dedicates a portion of class time each week to delving deeper into different character-building themes. For secondary students, Thursdays have been set aside to come together as a class and spend time sharing, laughing, and working through the character lessons.
Last week, our students dove into character, responsible decision-making, and ethical responsibility. Responsible decision-making entails making constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions, considering ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, consequences, and the well-being of oneself and others.
They explored ethical responsibility using the metaphor of an iceberg, symbolizing your student's leadership abilities and capacity for ethical responsibility. Ethical responsibility involves following a morally correct path, recognizing, interpreting, and acting upon multiple principles and values within a given context. We believe that ethical responsibility stems from character. While following a morally correct path is crucial, it's only 10% of the equation. Your child's character, constituting the remaining 90%, fuels them to lead virtuous and ethical lives.
We encourage parents to get involved and follow up at home, reinforcing the lessons learned in Habitudes. Engaging in discussions about character, decision-making, and ethical responsibility can further solidify these important concepts in your child's understanding and behavior. We are hopeful for what this program will bring to not only our students but staff as well.