As part of our mission to deliver whole-person education, character education is an important part of our daily lessons. Based on our eight character strengths, we have designed a curriculum that meets the needs of the Pao School community. Students receive lessons during their character education lesson time, and learn about the definitions and discuss how they can show these strengths in their daily lives. Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to reflect on these character strengths in each of their lessons. At Pao School, we believe that every teacher is a character teacher and eventually every student will be a character teacher.
| Pao Student Core Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Compassion | Integrity | Balance | Confidence |
| Curiosity | Commitment | Creativity | Reflection |
YK Pao Primary School has developed a multi-faceted Pastoral Programme to help students shape their character and identity across five main areas as they progress through the school.
• Developing Pao School's Student Characteristics - both moral and intellectual
• Developing their emotional self-regulation
• Learning to care for their environment
• Becoming responsible and respectful citizens of their community and country
• Understanding how to stay safe online and offline
To this end, the School has developed and incorporated different elements into the Pastoral Programme. These include the Chinese Moral Education programme,Second Step (a core component of the Character Education programme) and Service Learning.
The School also incorporates varied activities to ensure students embody its core values and student characteristics, acting as another key pillar within the Character Education programme. These activities include structured curriculum teaching time, school assemblies, student-led activities and class meetings, as well as collaboration with parents such as the Character Parents and Story Team.
These parent groups help to organise out-of-school activities and projects for students, giving them an opportunity to demonstrate active implementation of the School's core values. Parents are also welcomed on campus for special occasions, during which they present about the activities they have organised, and charitable efforts and community projects they have been involved with. Parents also offer regular year group assemblies and character lessons supported by teachers.
Guided by the Pao School mission, the Middle School Character Education Programme is designed to promote skills and attitudes that contribute to students' learning and social success. The programme provides a safe learning environment in which to develop understanding of Pao School's eight character strengths. The programme also nurtures students to become well-rounded young people who will contribute their talents and wisdom to benefit their own local communities, and society as a whole.
Empathy and communication
Preventing bullying
Emotion management
Problem-solving
Dedicated academic class time: 50 minutes once every 5 cycles
Dedicated in-depth discussion time: during Homeroom time once every 2 cycles
The Characters' involvement; monthly activities jointly led by students and parents
To promote and instill a sense of ownership and responsibility, each month teachers nominate students to be 'Junior Characters' to help plan and lead monthly activities with 'The Characters' parents.
At Pao School, we believe that offering effective character lessons requires the involvement of the entire community. For this reason, Pao School parents have supported the delivery of 'The Characters' programme:
'The Characters' are a group of parents who plan and deliver monthly lessons and activities based on the character strengths and the topics covered during Character Education class.
Guided by the Pao School mission, the High School Character Education Programme is designed to promote skills and attitudes that contribute to students' learning and social success. The programme provides a safe learning environment in which to develop understanding of Pao School's eight character strengths. The programme also nurtures students to become well-rounded young people who will contribute their talents and wisdom to benefit their own local communities, and society as a whole.
Empathy and communication
Preventing bullying
Emotion management
Problem-solving
Compassion: Assisting support staff; three acts of kindness
Empathy and communication
Responsibility: Dorm tidiness; plant care
Reflection: Daily reflection; lessons learned from life experience
Respect: Politeness in school; respecting the environment
Self-management: Locker use; time management
Balance: Managing school work and stress; iPad use
Integrity: Academic code; honesty
Resilience: Learning difficulties; boarding life
Dedicated academic class time: 50-60 minutes per week
Two to three teachers co-plan each unit or project
Guest speakers to speak or lead workshops for the entire year group(s)
Teachers' nominations of good behaviour/character
Students' self-evaluations of their character development
Posters/presentations to share learning from students' projects
