Character Education That Works: Dr. Marvin Berkowitz's PRIMED Framework
Are your character education efforts actually working—or are they inadvertently undermining the very goals you're trying to achieve? Dr. Marvin Berkowitz, one of America's foremost experts in character development, joins Bridget Johnson to share his research-backed PRIMED framework that's transforming schools worldwide.
After four decades studying moral development and character education—from his postdoctoral work with Lawrence Kohlberg at Harvard to training thousands of educators globally—Dr. Berkowitz has identified six essential principles that separate effective character education from feel-good programs that miss the mark. In this conversation, he challenges common practices like reward assemblies and student-of-the-month programs, revealing why these approaches often breed resentment and reduce intrinsic motivation rather than building lasting character.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How the PRIMED framework's six principles work together to create authentic character development in schools
Why strategic relationship-building must go beyond hoping connections happen naturally, especially for marginalized students
Practical structures for advisory programs that transform school culture, including multi-age groupings and student-led curriculum
How to shift from punishment-based discipline to developmental approaches that leave positive lifelong imprints
Why building healthy adult culture in your school is the principal's most important job—and how it impacts everything else
Concrete first steps for implementing research-based character education, even when resources and time feel limited
Featured Guest: Dr. Marvin Berkowitz is the Founder's Professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Co-Director of the Center for Character and Citizenship. His books "PRIMED for Character Education" and "PRIMED to Compete" translate decades of research into practical frameworks used by schools and youth sports programs worldwide. His work demonstrates that effective character education isn't just good for students—it's the foundation that makes academic achievement possible.
Resources Mentioned:
"PRIMED for Character Education" by Marvin Berkowitz
"PRIMED to Compete" by Marvin Berkowitz
Responsive Classroom advisory resources
Sean Covey's advisory curriculum
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Email: bridget@deansroundtable.org
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