Empowering Students Through Character Education

Early childhood education, including emotional development, is crucial for creating competent and caring adults. At Lakeside Charter Academy, we encourage our students to understand and manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Our Character Education program teaches core social learning concepts through direct instruction and preventative activities.

What ideas do we help our K-8th graders explore? Personal values, growth mindsets, stress management, understanding and demonstrating empathy, conflict resolution and more. Every week, every student attends a Character Education class at our tuition-free public charter school. We consistently teach social skills, friendship boundaries, and respect for self and others as a part of this program. Our goal is to foster empathy and resilience in our students.

An unexpected bonus of this unique program is that we can uncover children struggling with emotional or mental health concerns early. Providing a safe and supportive environment to talk and explore complex topics can detect underlying issues before they escalate and interfere with students' academic progress or overall wellbeing. For example, our kindergarten through 2nd-grade students learn an expansive emotional vocabulary and practical strategies to help manage hard feelings at school and home. We teach perseverance, courage and confidence at Lakeside.

3-5th Grade Character Education

Our 3rd through 5th-grade students learn to expand their values and worldview and appreciate diversity in class. Our Character Education teacher, Ms. Conaway says, "It has been an honor to be a part of that growth. It's fantastic to watch students who were quiet and reserved at the beginning of the school year find their voice when talking about their culture and things that are important to them. My 5th grade class wrote a screenplay about diversity, anti-bullying, and the school's values as a special project. Their teamwork and dedication to the project were impressive!"

6-8th Grade Character Education

For our middle school students, Ms. Conaway notes, "My 6th through 8th-grade students have worked hard on learning communication skills such as active listening and using I-statements to improve their ability to lead others and stand up for what they believe in. They concluded the year with a mock election where they were encouraged to showcase their qualifications and unique ideas for the school."

Ms. Conaway has been a part of our Lakeside family for two years and has a background in children's mental health. She has a Master of Social Work and previously worked as a school-based clinical therapist.

We are excited to give our K-8 students tools and the freedom to express unique thoughts, opinions, fears, and dreams. This makes Lakeside much more than fun; it makes us empowering. When we see students using critical thinking skills and reveling in the learning process, we know our students are prepared for bright futures.

Character Education is one of our stand-out programs, and we're proud of it! We tell parents about this part of our curriculum during school tours and open houses at the beginning of the school year. We are now enrolling for 2022-2023 and would love to share more about this and show you our incredible public school.

About Lakeside Charter Academy

Lakeside Charter Academy is a K-8 community-driven school where caring educators, parents, and local business leaders work to provide unparalleled education. Our approach is nurturing yet challenging, innovative while embracing proven traditions. We offer a safe, fun environment where children reach their highest academic potential. Enroll your child today.