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Character Card

October 27, 2015Mike SisselBlog

untitledAlright, it’s time for a Pop Quiz.  Please get out your #2 pencils.  Are you ready?  Don’t worry, I won’t grade it.

When you hear the words report card, what do you think of?

a.  Letter grades

b.  Grade Point Average

c.  Percentages

d.  All of the above

Depending on the age of your child, some of these answers may be more applicable than others.  Suffice it to say that each of the above words are often synonymous with report card.

During my ten years as a classroom teacher, I estimate completing over 1,000 report cards for my students.  Depending on the student, quarterly grade reports were either received with open arms of anticipation and excitement, or closed fists of devastation and dread.  What I remember most, however, was the sharing that immediately took place amongst students as they removed their reports from the standard manila envelopes.  It was akin to the annual Halloween candy comparison as they hastily peered at each other’s grades and asked an identical question – “What did you get?”

Although I knew it was normal to compare, it wasn’t actually the comparisons that made me cringe as a teacher.  You see, there was a section of the report card, usually tucked away in the corner of the page, which contained a tremendous amount of meaning.  It was a section that in my eyes was a better indicator of life success than the actual letter grades.  Unfortunately, none of the students ever talked about it because they were conditioned to believe that a report card is all about a grade or percentage. 

The section I’m referring to is what I call the Character Report.  While the letter grades serve as a gauge for what a student was able to accomplish academically, the character report is a gauge for who they were in the classroom.

This past week, my oldest daughter brought home her first report card of the year for second grade.  The first thing I did was to direct her attention to the Character Report.  Before we even looked at her academic development (grades), I celebrated her character accomplishments.  I wanted her to understand that school isn’t just about what she’s able to accomplish in reading, writing, and math.  Equally important to her academics is who she is for her classmates.   

This is precisely what I would do as a teacher during parent/teacher conferences.  Parents would often arrive with a series of questions, most of which were academic related, but it was the Character Report where we’d spend the first ten minutes of the conference.  Not surprisingly, many of the academic questions were answered as we talked about specific character traits (i.e. responsibility). 

It’s not your grades that influence your character; it’s the other way around.  While a letter grade is an end product, one’s character is more of a process.  Unfortunately, in the world of education, we continue to place an emphasis on the product, not the process. 

If you’re a parent, I encourage you to spend some time talking about this section of the report card with your child.  Explain to them that their success in life is not predicated on what they accomplish on a test, but rather who they are as a person.  While content can be taught, character must be nurtured.  Both are critical to success. 

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“The power of positivity is infectious and Mr. Sissel has a real gift of helping others believe that they have the mental strength within themselves to get past whatever they might be struggling with. We were introduced to Mike through Gold Medal Gymnastics and seeing the impact he has made on the lives of so many including our daughter is astounding. He helped her to overcome the feelings of insecurity, feeling bullied and showed her how to focus and 'change her lens' so that she could perform successfully.”  
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“Having been in the coaching profession for many years, I’ve gained the most satisfaction by having the opportunity to help shape the character of my players, ultimately preparing them for life beyond baseball. Mike Sissel is a masterful coach who shares a similar passion for the 'game of life'. His ability to connect with athletes is unmatched. If you have an opportunity for Mike to work with your team, it will truly be the 'gift' that will keep on giving. He has been a blessing to my family.”
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“Mr Sissel has been such an unbelievably positive presence both at Gold Medal Gymnastics and at our daughter's school, CEE. There is always enthusiasm and excitement when she knows that they will be having a session with him. The topics that he addresses are so important and he helps the kids see not only life's big picture, but also how individually they can make a real difference for themselves and those around them with their choices. We are thankful and look forward to more work with him in the future.”  
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“Mr. Sissel has been an incredible positive influence for my kids! Every time he goes to their school they look forward to learning something new from him! I have a teen and preteen and they have had him for the last several years and have quoted his lessons to us at home. Mr. Sissel has a special gift of teaching ALL ages with passion and dedication and truly knows how to connect with his audience, which makes it fun. I have also recommended him as one on one coaching for my dear friend’s son after she went through a divorce and her son was acting out and his insight truly helped her.”
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