Becoming Who You Want to Be: Character Day at The Willow School

The Willow School is excited to participate in this year's Character Day on Wednesday, September 26! Character Day is an annual global day devoted to developing who we are and who we want to be in the world, reinforcing the school’s year-long emphasis on character development through its Virtues Program. On Wednesday, Willow elementary school students will gather for a special Morning Gathering, and many will participate in classroom discussions using Character Day resources and discussion topics.

Willow's Virtues Program has been a core element of the school since it first opened in 2000. Each month, a particular virtue is emphasized through readings, discussions, and illustrations. The virtues are taught and discussed in Morning Gathering (school-wide meetings led by teachers, staff, and students), in the classroom, and in each individual relationship. Throughout the year, Willow’s Virtues Program teaches students the importance of character, helping children discover who they are and encouraging them to become their best selves.

Character Day compliments Willow’s Virtues Program. Character Day emphasizes six pillars of character strengths: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Willow’s virtues program emphasizes many of the same strengths and values, including courage, temperance, gratitude, and prudence. The school’s hands-on, experiential curriculum also emphasizes a love of learning, curiosity, creativity, social intelligence, social responsibility, leadership, and more--all important character strengths emphasized during Character Day.

The Willow School emphasizes true academic excellence in an inquiry-based learning environment where virtues are embedded into everything we do. Students learn to take responsibility for their own education and grow into communicative, collaborative leaders in their school community and beyond. Learn more at willowschool.org.