Image: ASU Project Humanities.
Just a few years ago, it was hard to read anything about schools without encountering the phrase “character education.” Every campus I visited seemed to be plastered with colorful signs sporting character education catchwords such as compassion, forgiveness and respect.
I don’t hear as much about it these days, but I stumbled on that same trio of words not long ago as part of something called Humanity 101 created at Arizona State University in Tempe.
It’s driven by the recognition that being human is a lifelong learning experience. We can help kids develop caring, trustworthiness and responsibility while they’re in school. But there’s a lot of life left after graduation and plenty to distract us from really thinking about such things. Humanity 101 presents opportunities to revisit key elements of character education and adds a new twist that broadens its reach across the lifespan. Turns out character education isn’t just for kids anymore.
Recently I spoke with 16-year-old Jennifer Benito of Phoenix about some of the challenges facing today’s families. The North High School junior participates in youth poetry slams offered by Phonetic Spit, one of several Project Humanities community partners. “It helps kids express themselves and gives kids a voice,” says Benito. Although I often hear parents lament feeling like teens aren’t listening, Benito suggests it’s sometimes parents who aren’t paying attention.
“Parents forget what it was like when they were younger,” reflects Benito. They assume kids care only about themselves, she says, and not about deeper social issues. But Phonetic Spit writing workshops and poetry performance events called slams help youth share reflections on their experiences with others whom they value as good listeners.
Image: ASU Project Humanities.
Humanity 101 offerings include “Phonetic Spit: Value to Live By” at noon on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Burton Barr Central Library. It’s free, like other events in the series, and youth don’t need any special writing or performances experience to participate. Most Humanity 101 events are appropriate for high school and adult audiences, but there’s a family component, too.
Project Humanities presents “Humanity on Hayden Lawn: A Circus Extravaganza!” featuring an interactive circus arts performance by the Circus School of Arizona from 11:30am-1:3opm on Wednesday, Feb. 12 on the Hayden Lawn at ASU’s Tempe campus.
In reality, it’s all about families — the ones we’re born into and the ones we create while working side by side in our communities. Humanity 101 is designed to create conversations and actions around seven key principles, which resemble in many ways the values shared through character education in schools.
Compassion. Empathy. Forgiveness. Integrity. Kindness. Respect. Self-reflection.
They’re not new, says ASU Project Humanities director and English professor Neal Lester, but we need to be reminded.
We’re confronted every day with news accounts of all that’s wrong in the world, he says, recalling discussions with colleagues just a year or so ago when headlines were filled with school shootings and accusations against an iconic college football coach. How, they wondered, can we share stories of what’s right in the world?
Humanity 101 is part of the answer, says Lester, who describes it as a “toolbox” for creating more personal responsibility and social accountability. His observations reminded me of days spent in “new parent” mode, when playgroups, babysitting co-ops and parenting support groups helped me navigate the new joys and challenges of helping little human beings make their way in the world.
Today’s new parents face a whole new set of challenges, including the 24/7 world of social media. Yet many lack places to share their concerns, forge connections or help to craft solutions. Too often connections made at community hubs like coffee shops are with wall outlets rather than with people.
Image: ASU Project Humanities.
Jen Chandler sees the results every day while working as a program specialist at Hill Learning Academy, an alternative school in Chandler that helps junior high and high school students at risk for dropping out of school. It’s hard for kids to develop respect for others, she says, when it’s modeled too infrequently by the adults around them.
“We rely too much on technology,” says Chandler. “We’ve lost the concept of face-to-face communication.”
Gone are the days of dialogue around the dinner table. Chandler suspects most parents spend less than 30 minutes of concentrated time with their children each day. “We need to put our busy to-do lists aside,” cautions Chandler.
“Today’s kids are living in such small, busy worlds,” says Chandler. They crave deep thoughts and adults who will slow down and truly listen.
Consider the series a way to enjoy grown-up conversations beyond diapers and school lunches while still exploring ideas and actions that can enhance both your parenting and personal development. Series events focus on topics from gratitude to forgiveness and take place at a variety of Valley venues.
“An Evening of Poetry and Conversations with Nikki Giovanni” at Mesa Arts Center features time with the world-renowned poet, professor and activist. “Stories from the Invisible People” at the historic Ellis-Shackelford House in Phoenix features homeless seniors sharing their stories of compassion and respect. “Kindness is Contagious” at ASU’s Tempe campus features a film screening and discussion with filmmaker Sara Glaser.
Learn more about Project Humanities and specific Humanity 101 events and the Arizona Department of Education character education program.