HONORABLE CHARACTER™
Our character development system helps children understand godly behavior by recognizing and acknowledging positive and morally correct behavior.
*See the full list at the bottom of the page
Our children's character education materials were created by teachers, for teachers based on Christian principles—we understand the aversion to adding more lessons when teachers are already overwhelmed with all they have to teach. That’s why we’ve developed Christian school materials that integrate seamlessly into every interaction throughout the school day.
Our system goes far beyond traditional Christian Sunday school materials. If you’re spending more time managing poor behavior and less time teaching the curriculum, this system can help you!
Our character-building program, based on Christian values and traits, helps students grow into compassionate, emotionally mature adults. Here’s how character training works:
ACKNOWLEDGE
Students' positive character traits exhibited throughout the day. Recognizing good behavior and positive choices minimizes disruptive behavior and provides classmates with a living visual example.
BOOST
Students’ well-being by recording their positive character traits on the class Recording Chart. Internalizing encouraging words advances character, academic, and social-emotional learning.
COMMUNICATE
Students’ honorable character with parents through the weekly Conduct Card. Providing feedback benefits all.
The results of our character curriculum: Students grow in self-awareness. Yet, just as important, students develop in "others-awareness."Positive relationships of honor and kindness emerge with classmates, teachers, parents, and God.
Founder of Honorable Character, Vicki Vaughn, is recognized as a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Inspired to create a positive tool for character building when her son was discouraged in school, Honorable Character has proven again and again, over many years, that the method WORKS. But you don’t need to hear it from us. Take a look at what our teachers have to say:
For over 20 years, our school has been deeply enriched by the use of the Honorable Character Classroom Management Program. Lisa Jacobs, our elementary principal at the time, learned about Honorable Character at an ACSI Conference, and she brought the program to our school, which we have used ever since. As students grow, learning character qualities, definitions, and verses, they become part of their character at school and in every aspect of life. We have found that the longer you implement the system, the greater the reward. We often hear of parents who use the same character language at home, both to encourage their children and to correct them. We are so grateful for the Honorable Character Classroom Management System and the positive impact it has had in shaping the minds and hearts of our students, creating young people of strong character.
Our Honorable Character Program is another tool we use to reinforce Christian Character development by transforming the heart to promote lasting change in behavior, thinking, and attitude. This happens when we consistently and clearly affirm their “honorable character” behavior. The students begin to understand honorable character traits. They are confident that they know what is expected of them, and they know they can do it. Positive behaviors become habits. Their behavior is changed into Christ-like behavior that can last a lifetime. You can read more about the Honorable Character Program here.
The Honorable Character approach is a natural fit for Christian school programs. Each character trait listed on our Character Development Charts is accompanied by relevant Scripture—this helps students see the connections between their choices and the Word of God. The Bible is rich in teachings about the dignity and goodness of hard work and perseverance.
These ideas align with the Honorable Character system, which help teachers encourage biblical character behaviors in the classroom and acknowledges students when they demonstrate traits like honor, self-control, responsibility and kindness. When students learn these important principles of the Bible from a young age, they develop healthy habits for life, which we are guided to do:
“Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”- Proverbs 22:6
Many schools today take a behaviorist approach to training, which assumes that children react purely to their environment. This punishments-and-rewards model uses conditioning and even manipulation to generate the desired behavior.
These approaches to training are not consistent with the Honorable Character system. We take a gentler approach—one that helps students build relationships with themselves, with God, and with their teachers, classmates, parents, siblings, and others.
