The Golden Compass - Character.org

SEE’s Golden Compass process described helps students learn how to use pro-social character strengths and The Golden Rule to guide their choices.

While The Golden Compass process can be applied K-12, the cases in the workbook are written for application in middle and high schools. The activities and skills taught through applying The Golden Compass empowers students to make the right decision for the right reasons.

Benefits of Student Mastery of The Golden Compass Process

• Provides students with the dilemmas so they can practice how to make the right decision
• Supports your school’s character development initiative
• Uses ethical cases found in history, literature or science
• Offers resources for health classes
• Prepares students to understand, care about and consistently practice core ethical values

“Golden Compass dilemmas are among the best character education activities I’ve ever read. I highly recommend this book!”

Dr. Hal Urban

Author, Life's Greatest Lessons

The School for Ethical Education has been supporting the character-based decision making process with The Golden Compass since 2006. The Golden Compass Workbook presents 56 dilemmas to help students master the Golden Compass process. The dilemmas are ethical situations relevant to the life of middle school and high school students while at school, home and in the community. The Golden Compass Workbook can be used in literature, history or science and health classes.

Free online Professional Development Webinar (two-part series)
provided with every purchase of The Golden Compass workbook.

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Commitment

Parents need to commit to model and reinforce to their children the core values and character strengths that mean the most to them. They also need to be creative and offer meaningful experiences that illuminate how important these character strengths are to the family’s core values.

Conversations

We know “We need to talk” freaks kids out, but too often parents avoid having conversations about character, especially as children get older. While it may not be easy to talk sometimes, we know from the research that parents who avoid talking to their children about serious matters quickly lose trust and connection.

Celebration

Parents need to find ways for their children to be active participants in their own character growth. Optimal character development occurs when children begin to make self-motivated commitments to consistently practice a core value (e.g. “I want to be the kind of person who is always honest and shows up on time.”) Parents need to celebrate these moments to shape and define individual character.

The Golden Compass Workbook

Consistency

Community

Commitment

Conversations

Celebration