This document outlines the process taken by Tallis School to develop a shared set of character values called "Tallis Character". It involved focus groups with teachers and students to identify common values, lessons with students, and input from parents. Through this process, five core traits were identified: ethical, helpful, friendly, optimistic, and modest. The school aims to strengthen its community and give more prominence to character education through articulating what it means to belong at Tallis. The document reviews research on character education and desired student outcomes related to prosocial and epistemic values.

1. Character and Community
An outline of Process and Pedagogy
Aims:
To exemplify a process used to arrive at
a set of shared community values
To highlight the role of character in
pedagogy and practice

2. Our Aims
• Why
did
we
decide
to
develop
‘Tallis
Character’?
– We
are
all
character
educators
– We
wanted
to
give
more
prominence
and
status
to
the
non-­‐academic
things
that
we
do
– We
believe
that
part
of
understanding
the
world
and
changing
it
for
the
be>er
is
personal
and
moral
development
– We
wanted
to
strengthen
our
community
by
ar4cula4ng
what
it
means
to
belong
to
the
Tallis
Community
and
focusing
on
how
we
treat
ourselves
and
each
other

3. “We are all character educators”
• Through
what
we
teach
• Through
the
resources
we
use
(do
our
resources
show
diversity
and
respect
for
other
views
and
lifestyles?)
• Through
how
we
teach
• Through
how
we
act
• Through
how
we
treat
students
and
each
other

4. The function of education is
to teach one to think
intensively and to think
critically… Intelligence plus
character – that is the goal of
true education.
-- Martin Luther King Jr.

5. What is Character Education?
It
is…
• All
educaBonal
acBviBes
that
help
young
people
to
develop
a
moral
compass
• The
culture
and
ethos
of
a
school
or
classroom
• Ethical
and
‘right’
acBon,
common
morality
• Something
that
happens
in
our
classrooms
whether
we
acknowledge
it
or
not
• The
Tallis
Way,
or
what
we
want
it
to
be
It
is
not…
• Moral
indoctrinaBon
• PromoBon
of
moral
ideas
of
a
parBcular
belief
system
• Based
on
the
values
of
an
individual
or
small
group
• Mindless
condiBoning
• Exclusively
religious
• IndividualisBc
or
conservaBve

6. Living in the School Community
Character
EducaBon
Assumed
Unconscious
ReacBve
Random
Character
EducaBon
IntenBonal
Planned
Organised
ReflecBve

7. What is Tallis Character?
• Five
core
character
traits
• An
umbrella
term
for
all
aspects
of
the
school
curriculum
that
are
not
part
of
the
academic
curriculum
– Student
voice
– Healthy
Schools
– School
Travel
Plan
– Clubs
and
CompeBBons
– Community
Days
– Assemblies

8. Process so far…
• Research
base
– conducted
by
Tallis
Character
lead
• IdenBfying
Common
Values
– Focus
Group
with
Chaos
Pilots
–
6
teachers
and
6
students
to
understand
the
‘story’
of
the
school
and
find
any
common
values
– Year
7
lesson
conducted
on
Alligator
River
and
which
values
are
important
at
Tallis
– Parental
input
from
year
7
students
who
did
a
homework
talking
to
their
parents
about
values
• ExisBng
iniBaBves
– Inset
Day
from
Bill
Lucas
looking
at
AcBon
Research
and
Habits
of
Mind
highlighted
‘pro-­‐social
values’

15. Tallis Character
(Synthesis of focus group work)
• Ethical
– Empathising
with
others
– RespecBng
diversity
– Caring
for
the
planet
and
its
creatures
• Helpful
– SupporBng
your
friends
and
family
– Volunteering
to
help
your
community
– NoBcing
when
someone
needs
assistance
• Friendly
– Being
kind
and
generous
– PrioriBsing
the
needs
of
others
– Making
new
personal
connecBons
• OpBmisBc
– Thinking
posiBvely
about
the
future
– Working
to
make
things
be>er
– Believing
in
collecBve
creaBvity
• Modest
– Feeling
quietly
confident
– CelebraBng
the
achievements
of
others
– Building
your
self-­‐esteem

16. Desired Outcomes of Learning
(Bill Lucas Action Research Inset)
Prosocial
• Kind
(not
callous)
• Generous
(not
greedy)
• Forgiving
(not
vindicBve)
• Tolerant
(not
bigoted)
• Trustworthy
(not
decei^ul)
• Morally
brave
(not
apatheBc)
• Convivial
(not
egoBsBcal)
• Ecological
(not
rapacious)
Epistemic
• InquisiBve
(not
passive)
• Resilient
(not
easily
defeated)
• ImaginaBve
(not
literal)
• Cra_smanlike
(not
slapdash)
• ScepBcal
(not
credulous)
• CollaboraBve
(not
selfish)
• Though^ul
(not
impulsive)
• PracBcal
(not
only
‘academic’)

17. Virtues
(The Jubilee Centre “A Framework for Character
Education in Schools”)
Virtue
Courage
JusBce
Honesty
Compassion
for
others
Self-­‐discipline
GraBtude
Humility/Modesty
Defini4on
AcBng
with
bravery
in
fearful
situaBons
AcBng
with
fairness
towards
others
by
honouring
rights
and
responsibiliBes
Being
truthful
and
sincere
ExhibiBng
care
and
concern
AcBng
well
in
the
presence
of
tempBng
pleasures
Feeling
and
expressing
thanks
for
benefits
EsBmaBng
oneself
within
reasonable
limits

18. Our characteristics (Year 7 work)
Yr7
class
• Honesty
• Respec^ul
• SensiBve
• Helpful
• Caring
• EmpatheBc
• Humorous
• Hopeful
• Loyal
• Fair
• Sharing
• Understanding
• Kind
• Polite
• Friendly
• Considerate
• Though^ul
Yr7
parents
• Respec^ul
• Trustworthy
• Hard-­‐working
• Honest
• Friendly
• Kind
• Considerate
• Gratefulness/graBtude
• SensiBvity
• Empathy
• Tolerant
• PaBent
• Willing
• Fairness
• Confidence
• Forgiving
• AmbiBon
• OrganisaBon
• Discipline
• PosiBve
Abtude
• Love/Friendship
• Selfless

19. Process so far…
• IdenBfying
Shared
Values
– Staff
meeBng
to
discuss
traits
and
work
done
so
far
– Looking
at
how
to
present
Tallis
Character
across
the
school
– IdenBfying
challenges
– CollaBng
feedback
• The
five
most
favoured
traits
(including
synonyms)

20. Tallis Character
Kindness
Honesty
Respect
Fairness
OpBmism

21. Process so far…
• Engaging
students,
introducing
the
traits
– RegistraBon
acBvity
–
tutor
groups
asked
to
rank
the
traits
in
order
of
importance
• Understanding
the
traits
– Community
Day
–
year
groups
focus
on
one
trait
explicitly
and
then
verBcal
groups
present
to
each
other
– Tallis
Character
in
the
new
student
planners

22. Community Days
• Different
groups
working
together
– Pastoral
– Curriculum
– VerBcal
• Key
themes
– Tallis
Choices
(PSHCE/CEIAG
focus
in
tutor
groups
on
a
carousel
in
a
suspended
Bmetable)
– Tallis
Protests
(Democracy
and
poliBcal
process
focus
in
usual
class
groups
and
usual
Bmetable)
– Tallis
Voices
(ConsultaBon
focus
in
tutor
groups
and
verBcal
groups
in
a
suspended
Bmetable)

23. What
does
it
look
like?
What
colour
is
opBmism?
Syllables
Op-­‐4-­‐mism
Pronuncia4on
Op-­‐tuh-­‐miz-­‐uhm
Defini4on
ExpecBng
everything
will
turn
our
well.
OpBmism
means
believing
that
posiBve
results
are
likely.
(He
remained
cheerful
because
he
was
op4mis4c
(hopeful)
of
a
posiBve
outcome)
Simply
put:
Be
posiBve
Related
Terms
cheerful,
confident,
hopeful,
assured,
posiBve,
upbeat,
encouraged
Fundamental
Ques4on:
How
can
I
train
myself
to
see
things
in
a
more
posiBve
light
?
Is
op%mism
the
best
word
for
this
trait,
or
do
you
prefer
one
of
the
related
terms?
Or
do
you
prefer
a
different
word
your
group
has
come
up
with
OPTIMISM
Op%mism
is….

24. Suggested Sidebars
Speaking
of
op4mism
Op%mists
tend
to
do
be2er
in
school
and
social
situa%ons
than
do
pessimists.
They
tend
to
be
healthier
too.
Why
do
you
think
this
is
so?
What
other
advantages
are
there
of
being
op%mis%c?
Op%mism

25. Taking it to the next level
Op%mists
tend
to
see
themselves
as
ac%ve
par%cipants
in
their
present
lives
and
the
future.
They
make
real
differences
in
their
communi%es.
How
can
you
begin
to
par%cipate
in
the
future
by
helping
your
community
today?
Put
your
ideas
onto
your
presenta%on
Op%mism

26. Optimism – Dilemma
Mukith
had
always
been
in
top
sets
for
Maths
and
never
felt
that
he
had
to
study
very
hard
to
get
decent
marks.
In
fact,
he
usually
sailed
through
exams.
Whenever
an
exam
was
coming
up
teachers
would
try
to
impress
upon
him
the
importance
of
revising.
Mukith
was
always
posiBve
about
exams
and
replied
to
teachers
that
he
was
confident
and
they
didn’t
have
to
worry
–
everything
would
be
alright.
Mukith’s
teachers
complained
that
he
was
arrogant
and
and
needed
to
take
exams
more
seriously
but
Mukith
knew
that
he
was
good
at
Maths
and
remained
upbeat.
A_er
one
test,
Mukith’s
teacher
came
to
speak
to
him
to
tell
him
that
he
had
not
performed
very
well
and
would
have
to
be
moved
down
a
class.
Mukith
was
devastated.
His
teacher
tried
to
explain
to
him
that
this
could
be
the
best
thing
for
him
and
that
he
should
think
more
posiBvely
about
the
move.
Mukith
didn’t
understand
–
why
was
it
that
he
was
being
told
to
think
posiBvely
now
but
when
he
was
being
posiBve
about
his
exams
he
got
into
trouble
for
not
taking
them
seriously?
What
was
the
difference?
Why
was
it
ok
to
think
posiBvely
someBmes
and
not
others?
How
was
he
supposed
to
know
the
difference?
Surely
thinking
posiBvely
about
exams
was
a
good
thing.
What
could
be
good
about
moving
down
a
class?
Op%mism

27. Notes for the facilitator
• This
dilemma
highlights
the
difference
between
‘blind
opBmism’
and
remaining
posiBve
about
set
backs
and
difficulBes
and
not
lebng
them
bring
you
down
• It
should
be
noted
that
this
does
not
mean
that
people
can’t
be
upset
or
angry
–
all
emoBons
are
a
normal
part
of
the
human
experience
and
ought
to
be
acknowledged.
This
is
more
about
not
placing
blame
externally
and
trying
to
work
for
the
best
in
whatever
situaBon
is
presented.
• It
is
also
important
for
students
to
understand
that
being
opBmisBc
should
not
be
seen
as
a
way
of
abdicaBng
responsibility
for
an
issue
or
event
but
is
rather
a
posiBve
outlook
on
life
–
the
idea
of
the
silver
lining
Op%mism

28. Discussion
• What
is
the
difference
between
opBmism
and
blind
opBmism?
• How
can
it
be
beneficial
to
have
a
posiBve
outlook
on
life?
• What
kinds
of
difficulBes
might
be
the
hardest
to
be
opBmisBc
about?
Can
you
think
of
the
silver
lining
in
these
events?
• Do
you
know
anyone
who
is
opBmisBc?
What
are
they
like?
Why
are
they
opBmisBc?
• What
could
be
the
health
benefits
of
being
opBmisBc?
Op%mism

29. Next steps
• PresentaBon
of
Tallis
Character
• PromoBon
of
Tallis
Character
around
the
school/in
the
community
• Evidencing
• Rewarding/recognising
• Develop
links
with
Birmingham
University
• Engage
a
working
group/student
council
to
move
forward
next
year

30. Just a thought…
• Take
a
moment
to
think
about
the
Tallis
Character
traits
(or
your
own
school
values)…
how
could
the
fostering
of
these
traits
impact
on
the
classroom?
• You
could
think
of
your
own
classroom
pracBce,
the
behaviour
or
engagement
of
the
students
or
something
else