Shaping Our Character Through Practicing Courage

A new year is upon us, and with it, a renewed sense of hope, determination, and optimism. What better time is there to focus on building good habits that will lay the foundation for not only our health and well-being but also our character?  

In college, I learned the etymology and history of the word character for the first time, and it impressed upon my heart and mind in a powerful way. The word “character” has a few different origins, but the one that affected me was the Greek origin, kharaktēr, which originally referred to a mark, stamp, or seal pressed onto a letter. It also referred to the tool used to make the mark. This seal made it obvious to the recipient from whom the letter came. In a similar way, our character is our mark, stamp, or seal on our lives—the distinguishing features, qualities, or traits that make us unique and through which we make our “mark” on the world around us. If we are of poor character, then the mark we will make will likely be negative (or not as positive as we hope). If, though, we have worked hard to build our character toward that which is good and beautiful and true, then the impact we have will be one of good fruit and joy for those in our sphere of influence. Our character defines us and people will know us by the fruit it produces. 

Also, during college, I learned about the power that habit plays in shaping our character (thanks, Hillsdale College!). The great, ancient philosopher Aristotle emphasized the importance of habituating ourselves toward excellence in order to cultivate virtue. To put it another way, we must repeatedly practice choosing what is right and good every time we face a moral quandary in order for our character to become good. He posited that the more we choose to do the right thing, the easier it becomes to do and be good.  

It may come as no surprise to you, but being courageous is hard. We are wired to protect ourselves at all costs, and often, the result is choosing to be a coward in the face of fear or to be brash and foolhardy. Courage, though, is one of the four cardinal virtues (alongside moderation, justice, and prudence), and for good reason. Without finding the “mean” between cowardice and foolhardiness, which is courage, we cannot build moral excellence. It takes courage to try new things, to learn and grow, to build relationships with others, and to face difficult, scary, or uncomfortable situations. Life is hard, and without courage, we can easily crumble in the face of all it throws at us. Thus, with Aristotle as our guide, we must practice choosing courage each time something new, hard, or frightening is thrown our way. And what better time to practice this than as a child, while adults who care for her are there to provide wisdom, guidance, and protection? Our students’ characters and habituation toward courage can be formed under our tutelage, and what a privilege this is!   

So, how can we encourage the cultivation of courage in our students and begin this formation of character through building good habits? There are numerous and seemingly unending ways! See the list below for a few ideas:   

• Encourage your students to try new things – play a new game at recess, play challenging math games during math time, recite poetry in front of the class, talk to a new friend at lunch, etc. 
• Provide your students options, and allow them to choose which they’d prefer, followed by allowing them to live out the natural consequences of their choice. Follow this up with a loving conversation on why their choices produced a particular outcome. 
• Praise them (privately and publicly) when they overcome hard things 
• Tell stories of courageous historical figures (like George Washington) and characters (like Johnny Tremain) that present attractive pictures of overcoming fear to choose a nobler end  
• Discuss acts of courage and compare them to how they would look if one chose cowardice and/or foolhardiness instead 
• Partner with parents to have discussions about courage at home, during dinner time, or in the car 
• Model courage yourself – tell your students (age and professionally appropriate) stories of past and present acts of courage in your own life and be honest about the struggles you overcame to choose courage 

The more we can present inspiring and attractive pictures of courage through the books we read and the stories we tell (whether of ourselves or of figures and characters), the more our students will desire to be courageous. And the more practice they get in choosing courage, the more courageous they will be. What an honor to have a small, yet significant impact on the character of our students as they practice the virtue of courage while in our care! We have the power to help them create a positive “stamp” on the world, so let’s begin this new year afresh with vigor to support our students in this important endeavor that will shape their lives.