Birchwood Blog
2025
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April
Practicing Character: Self-Control
By CHARLES DEBELAKRead More
Founder-in-Residence
This is the seventh installment of Mr. Debelak's Character Education series. This academic year, through essays and videos, Mr. Debelak will discuss Birchwood School of Hawken’s character education program, explaining what we mean by good character, why we place importance on character education, and how we carry out an effective program that gets results. A companion video to this essay is linked below.Self-Control: The Key to SuccessSocial and cognitive scientists agree that self-control is a cornerstone for success. It plays a vital role in individual achievements and in creating supportive and productive relationships. It is one of the most important virtues we can instill in our children.The good news is that self-control can be learned.
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March
Practicing Character: Courage
By CHARLES DEBELAKRead More
Founder-in-Residence
This is the sixth installment of Mr. Debelak's Character Education series. This academic year, through essays and videos, Mr. Debelak will discuss Birchwood School of Hawken’s character education program, explaining what we mean by good character, why we place importance on character education, and how we carry out an effective program that gets results. A companion video to this essay is linked below.In the next series of articles, I would like to explain our definition of seven Aristotelian virtues and how they can be practiced. As you will recall, in order to cultivate good character in children, teachers must provide instruction about virtues that inspire children. In addition, they need to create opportunities to practice virtue over an extended period of time until virtuous behaviors become habit. -
Mission in Practice: All Together Holding on to the Dream!
Read MoreBy HELENE DEBELAK
Director of Curriculum
Founder-in-Residence
Each morning at Birchwood, students begin the day freshly inspired as teachers read stories of people – extraordinary and ordinary – whose lives shine in the light of virtue.Among the powerful storylines is that of African Americans in United States history. These examples of hope, faith, wisdom, and strength uplift us to understand ourselves as human beings. The great capacity of the human spirit can be seen in the lives of those who experience human suffering.Intentionally, each year around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, teachers tap the stories of those who took a stand for civil rights in the 20th century by holding firmly to the self-evident truth of equality, thus providing a beacon of hope for all people.
The following are examples: -
February
How to Develop Good Character: The Role of Culture
By CHARLES DEBELAKRead More
Founder-in-Residence
This is the fifth installment of Mr. Debelak's Character Education series. This academic year, through essays and videos, Mr. Debelak will discuss Birchwood School of Hawken’s character education program, explaining what we mean by good character, why we place importance on character education, and how we carry out an effective program that gets results. A companion video to this essay is linked below.In deriving principles for an effective character education program, we answer three questions:
1) What do we mean by good character?2) Why is it important that schools construct a meaningful character education program?
3) How do we build a realistic and effective framework; what pieces are needed?
The “how” question includes three aspects – teaching, training and culture. Previously, I discussed teaching and training. Here I will discuss the role of culture. -
January
How to Forge Good Character: Training
By CHARLES DEBELAKRead More
Founder-in-Residence
This is the fourth installment of Mr. Debelak's Character Education series. This academic year, through essays and videos, Mr. Debelak will discuss Birchwood School of Hawken’s character education program, explaining what we mean by good character, why we place importance on character education, and how we carry out an effective program that gets results. A companion video to this essay is linked below.In deriving the principles of an effective character education, we answer three questions: What do we mean by good character? Why is it imperative that the school constructs a meaningful character education program? And finally, based upon the “what” and the “why,” we deduce the “how” and construct a realistic and effective plan toward realizing our hopes.The “how” includes three aspects – teaching, training, and culture. In last month’s essay, I discussed teaching. Here, I discuss training.
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2025
