KIPP
KIPP stands for the "Knowledge is Power Program," a network of free public charter schools founded by Michael Feinberg and David Levin in 1994. They seek to prepare students from disadvantaged communities for success in college and in life. This disadvantage is attested to by the fact that over 86% of KIPP students come from low-income families and are eligible for the federal free or reduced-price meals program. 59% of KIPP students are African American and 36% are Latino. They thought that it was important to impart in their students not only the knowledge that was traditionally emphasized in schools, but also out more focus on skills, character, and other habits they viewed as necessary for success. KIPP schools operate based on principles that they call the five pillars: high expectations, choice & commitment, more time, power to lead, and focus on results. KIPP's motto is "Work hard. Be nice," which they believe embodies their emphasis on good character and its role in academics. KIPP focuses on seven highly predictive character strengths that they have chosen based on the work of Duckworth, Seligman, and Peterson, which are zest, grit, self-control, optimism, gratitude, social intelligence, and curiosity. They seek to implement good character as well as knowledge. They aim to keep children at KIPP schools through graduation.
KIPP schools use the Seven Keys for Implementing Character:
1. Believe It and Model It: Breathe life into the James Baldwin quote: “The children are ours. Every single one of them… children have never been very good at listening to their elders but have never failed to imitate them.”
2. Name It: Give the intangible and often-unnamed a name. Only by labelling and talking about the character strengths that Martin Seligman and Chris Peterson identified can we embark on the journey to develop them.
3. Find It: Introduce kids to real-world and fictional examples that display the various character strengths.
4. Feel It: Help kids and adults feel the positive effects of focusing on, and developing, their own character strengths.
5. Integrate It: Create dual-purpose experiences and lessons that involve the character strengths. Learn more about how character is integrated into the KIPP Framework for Excellent Teaching.
6. Encourage It: Provide people with growth mindset praise (i.e. precise, descriptive praise) around character.
7. Track It: Record and discuss progress toward character goals regularly.
KIPP has developed a method to assess character as well, rather than only academic performance as in traditional schools, which they call the KIPP Character Report Card (see the report card and a link to the supporting materials used in the assessment here). On this report card they assess twenty-four character components, based on Seligman and Peterson's work. They seek to improve character as well as academic achievement among their students, who are all in some way disadvantaged.
Click here to be redirected to KIPP's website's homepage.
Below you can watch the two parts of a 15 minute video on KIPP called "KIPP on Making Schools Work."
KIPP schools use the Seven Keys for Implementing Character:
1. Believe It and Model It: Breathe life into the James Baldwin quote: “The children are ours. Every single one of them… children have never been very good at listening to their elders but have never failed to imitate them.”
2. Name It: Give the intangible and often-unnamed a name. Only by labelling and talking about the character strengths that Martin Seligman and Chris Peterson identified can we embark on the journey to develop them.
3. Find It: Introduce kids to real-world and fictional examples that display the various character strengths.
4. Feel It: Help kids and adults feel the positive effects of focusing on, and developing, their own character strengths.
5. Integrate It: Create dual-purpose experiences and lessons that involve the character strengths. Learn more about how character is integrated into the KIPP Framework for Excellent Teaching.
6. Encourage It: Provide people with growth mindset praise (i.e. precise, descriptive praise) around character.
7. Track It: Record and discuss progress toward character goals regularly.
KIPP has developed a method to assess character as well, rather than only academic performance as in traditional schools, which they call the KIPP Character Report Card (see the report card and a link to the supporting materials used in the assessment here). On this report card they assess twenty-four character components, based on Seligman and Peterson's work. They seek to improve character as well as academic achievement among their students, who are all in some way disadvantaged.
Click here to be redirected to KIPP's website's homepage.
Below you can watch the two parts of a 15 minute video on KIPP called "KIPP on Making Schools Work."