SEATTLE, Nov. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Research in human development clearly shows that the seeds of empathy, caring, and compassion are present from early in life. But to become caring, ethical people, children need adults to help them at every stage of childhood to nurture these seeds along the way.
So the Making Caring Common project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education brought social-emotional learning and character development experts and organizations together to create a set of guidelines for parents on raising caring, respectful, ethical children, along with tips for putting them into action.
The Making Caring Common group includes Seattle-based Committee for Children, a 35-year-old nonprofit whose research-based social-emotional learning curricula are used in over 26,000 schools the world over. Mia Doces, Director of New Mission Ventures, represents Committee for Children in the Making Caring Common project. Says Doces, "We were honored to come to the table with our esteemed colleagues and contribute to the development of a framework for compassionate, connected parenting."
The Making Caring Common project brings experts and organizations together to address issues such as bullying, social-emotional development, character education, building strong communities, and empowering youth. They have agreed to:
- Place the combined power of top national organizations behind key principles, practices and messages for parents, schools, policymakers and community institutions, such as recently developed principles and tips for parents
- Share information and resources
- Assist with dissemination of resources to parents, schools and others in the field
- Generate innovative partnerships among participating organizations to advance the field
The following experts and organizations added their insights, research and expertise to create this set of guideposts:
Ashoka-Innovators for the Public
Jessica Berlinski, Adaptive Health Systems
Career Training Concepts / H.E.A.R.–Helping Everyone Achieve Respect
Cartoon Network
Center for Character and Citizenship at the University of Missouri-St. Louis
Center for the 4th and 5th Rs, SUNY Cortland
Character Education Partnership (CEP)
Committee for Children
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Dr. Deborah Temkin
Facing History and Ourselves
Great Schools
Greater Good Science Center, University of California, Berkeley
HopeLab
Jubilee Center for Character and Virtues
Making Caring Common, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Dr. Maurice J. Elias, Director, Social-Emotional Learning Lab, Rutgers University
Dr. Michelle Borba
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
National School Climate Center
Peace First
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
YMCA of the USA
About Committee for Children
Seattle-based nonprofit Committee for Children's research-based educational programs, including the award-winning Second Step program, teach social-emotional skills to prevent bullying, violence, and abuse and improve academics. Their curricula are used in over 26,000 schools across the United States and around the world. To learn more, go to www.cfchildren.org.