{"id":6383,"date":"2022-01-21T11:12:33","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T16:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/character.org\/?page_id=6383"},"modified":"2022-01-27T10:49:06","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T15:49:06","slug":"making-caring-common","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/character.org\/making-caring-common\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Caring Common"},"content":{"rendered":"
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.13.0″ _module_preset=”a614a53b-3883-423a-98ac-13745a7f969b” custom_padding=”36px||0px||false|false” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”0732397e-3855-4f78-9176-f7553a694335″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.11.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.7″ _dynamic_attributes=”link_option_url” _module_preset=”858a9cc5-3383-4258-a2c8-83180b3465ba” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”||36px||false|false” link_option_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wYWdlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6IjE4NTcifX0=@” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/character.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Making-Caring-Common-name.png” title_text=”Making Caring Common-name” url=”https:\/\/mcc.gse.harvard.edu\/” url_new_window=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-16px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.11.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”858a9cc5-3383-4258-a2c8-83180b3465ba” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
This month I had the honor to talk to Richard Weissbourd, faculty director of <\/span>Making Caring Common<\/span><\/i><\/a>, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Rick is also the author of\u00a0<\/span>The Parents We Mean to Be: How Well-Intentioned Adults Undermine Children’s Moral and Emotional Development<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Dr. Arthur Schwartz,<\/strong> President, Character.org<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.13.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.13.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.13.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-8px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/character.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/rick-weissbourd-1200-1024×683.jpg” title_text=”Rick Weissbourd” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.4″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Q. Every organization has its own genesis story. Share with us how <\/b>Making Caring Common<\/i><\/b> came to be.<\/b><\/p>\n About nine years ago we realized we had to do something to change the narrow metrics by which we measure the success of children. Everything was hyper-focused on individual success. We thought it was vital to place front and center in the national conversation caring, justice and the common good. I think it’s become clear that we won\u2019t survive as a society if we don\u2019t make these things strong priorities in child-raising. Other generations before us saw that far more clearly.<\/span><\/p>\n Q. Let\u2019s imagine that one of our readers is just learning about <\/b>Making Caring Common<\/i><\/b>. What\u2019s your elevator pitch?<\/b><\/p>\n Right now, our current argument is connected to the moment we\u2019re in. We have neglected to prepare far too many of our children to be ethical and respectful citizens. Caring, gratitude, honesty, the capacity for sacrifice, a commitment to justice and other moral qualities need to be at the center of our families, schools and communities if we want to protect democracy, deal with threats like the pandemic and build healthy communities.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Early on, what was one of your first \u201cshining moments\u201d when you knew Making Caring Common was making a difference?<\/b><\/p>\n There are two moments that stand out for me. In 2014 we released a report \u201cThe Children We Mean to Raise\u201d<\/a> that got a lot of media attention, including a piece in the TV program <\/span>Good Morning America<\/span><\/i>. I think it drew needed attention to problems with our child-raising priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n What did the Report focus on?<\/b><\/p>\n The report sought to alert Americans to how dangerously skewed our child-raising priorities are. We surveyed both parents and children, across a wide spectrum of races, cultures, and classes. Our survey indicated, for example, that teens were 3 times more likely to think their parents would be prouder of them if they got good grades than if they were caring community members at school. The report also described what we called the \u201crhetoric\/reality gap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/Y0bmZEX7zzM” image_src=”\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Y0bmZEX7zzM\/hqdefault.jpg” _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-32px|||||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-20px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/character.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/mcc-students-1024×683.jpeg” title_text=”mcc-students” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/character.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/mcc-dad-1024×407.jpeg” title_text=”mcc-dad” _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.10.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.7″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n What is the rhetoric\/reality gap?<\/b><\/p>\n It\u2019s the gap between what parents say are their top priorities and the real messages that they send to their children day to day. While parents say caring for others is a top priority in their child-raising, their children were far more likely to report that their parents prioritized aspects of success\u2014happiness and achievement.<\/span><\/p>\n What was your second \u201cshining moment\u201d?<\/b><\/p>\n In 2019 we launched the <\/span>Turning the Tide<\/span><\/i><\/a> College Admissions Campaign<\/a>. About 100 colleges and universities endorsed our <\/span>Turning the Tide<\/span><\/i> Report. Today, over 300 colleges have signed the Deans Commitment Letter, an extension of the Turning the Tide report.<\/span><\/p>\n What are these colleges committing to?<\/b><\/p>\n The Report<\/a> focuses on ways to reduce student anxiety during the college admission process, and it signals that a large number of colleges value a student\u2019s ethical and intellectual engagement, not just grades and test scores.<\/span><\/p>\n