Fostering Standards of the Heart: Engage Students’ Minds
Characteristic 6: Engage Students’ Minds
Rationale and Principles for Implementing Characteristics of
Successful Schools
Rationale:
Engaging students’ minds keeps them connected to school
and makes them responsible for their own learning. Students
who are connected to school have the greatest opportunities
for becoming caring, contributing, productive, and
responsible citizens.
Principles:
Create school environments that reflect and honor the
cultural traditions of all people.
Create an environment in which students feel free to
express their thoughts and feelings or to make mistakes
without ridicule.
Develop thoughtful, challenging tasks and learning
experiences.
Involve students in building connections between learning
and everyday life.
Offer students many different ways to learn and
demonstrate learning.
Offer students a chance to work in groups and teams to
foster social skills.
Involve students beyond the classroom in meaningful
participation in other activities such as school plays,
clubs, sports, music, etc.
Include service-learning alternatives in classes to foster
connections.
Expected Results of a Citizenship Initiative
Students Will
Staff Will
Families and Community Will
Value learning because of its connection to
everyday life
Show greater acceptance and appreciation of
diversity
Develop perseverance in and outside the
classroom
Have many opportunities to build on their
individual talents and interests
Enjoy school and want to be there
Develop a variety of teaching strategies to
meet the diverse needs of students
View themselves as facilitators of learning
Share the responsibility for learning with
students and families
Experience a higher degree of student
involvement and satisfaction
Have greater opportunities to be involved in
students’ learning
Understand the school’s citizenship goals
and curriculum
Feel excited about the innova-tions they see
at school
Help develop and participate in
community-based learning opportunities for youth