Posts by Dr. Mose Durst

From a biblical perspective, each person is created in the image of God and has great potential for love, reason, and creativity. From a secular point of view each person has, in potential, the same nature. Psychologists speak of the 24 strengths in each person that can be developed by taking responsibility to cultivate those strengths. These are often the virtues described by the Judeo-Christian worldview: prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude (courage).

Although The Principled Academy aspires to be the character education school of the Bay Area, we do not overlook the importance of a core curriculum.  There is significant knowledge that students must learn from preschool through middle school.  

In recent blogs I have written about the 24 strengths, or capacities for virtue, as explained by 
studies in positive psychology.  In addition, I explained how the practice of mindfulness allows us to 
attend to our awareness in the present moment.  In Hardwiring Happiness, Rick Hansen explains how 
the experience of positive moments of beauty, goodness, and love, for the self and the other, develop 
the brain.  It has the ability to seize upon these moments and develop pathways, that allow for further positive experience.  The brain grows throughout our life. 
 

As parents and teachers, we know when students do well in their activities and when they struggle. Our job is to raise healthy, happy, intelligent, and compassionate young people. To do this we need to know something about those in our care.

Mrs. M.L. Carillo is the morning home-room teacher for middle school students. Every Monday she asks students to share about their weekend experiences, usually focusing on empathy or other character strengths (The Principled Academy focuses on the 24 strengths within each person as part of the character education program). She calls their names randomly as a name on a popsicle stick represents each student.