Virtues Project™ Educator’s Guide – Linda Kavelin Popov
At UCSC all our classes are engaging in a learning program that will enhance student’s social and emotional
development within a supportive learning environment. Strength Character Building Education aims to teach
basic values of living together, by looking at 52 or so virtues that we all have in us; from courage to
compassion, and assertiveness to unity. By using a common language incorporating virtues, we bring out
the best in us, our strengths, and we live by our highest values. Virtues are our box of tools that help
us tackle change and builds in resilience.
Students and teachers in our three stages will have fun looking at what the virtue is and what it
looks like if we practice it. Classes will demonstrate their knowledge in many creative ways,
such as role-playing, celebrations at assemblies, and setting individual challenges of improving
personal goals. Talk to your child/ren about the virtue they are working on and don’t miss the
opportunity to see and acknowledge ‘the sparkle of a gem’ you have in your child. F
eel free to speak with your child’s class teacher about the program.
Let us raise children to be considerate of themselves, others and the world in which they live,
with sound reason for the things they do… From this all else will follow. Wilson McCaskill
‘Virtues are what’s good about us.’ Janie, age 6
Values are ideals, aspirations and good intentions residing in the mind. By themselves they
cannot lead children towards happy and productive lives.
Virtues, as opposed to values, are habits of action. They are the entrenched and often-repeated
actions that become the defining core of our character; for example: the virtuous actions of
honesty, tolerance, compassion, helpfulness etc. Virtues are not what we know we should do
but are habitual actions based on our own moral principles. (Children Aren’t Made of China, p2)
DISCOVER and POLISH the GEM STONE
Anyone wanting to find out more about The Virtues Project ™ can do so on the
www.virtuesproject.com 
