True Education

What kind of people are your students becoming?

Here’s a quote, a resource, and an affirmation to help power you through the rest of the week.

Quote

“Intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Resource

Mid-January has a way of reducing teaching to data points. Test scores. Reading levels. Math benchmarks. You’re measuring intelligence constantly—tracking it, reporting it, justifying it to administrators who want evidence.

But there’s something else we should be keeping track of: What kind of people are your students becoming?

Not in the compliance sense. Not “are they following rules.” But in the deeper sense King meant—integrity, resilience, empathy, courage. The things that matter when the test is over, and real life begins.

You’re already teaching this, whether you realize it or not. Every time you respond to a student with patience instead of frustration. Every time you model admitting a mistake. Every time you hold a boundary while still showing respect. That’s character education.

The problem is, you’re doing it exhausted. When energy is low, it becomes challenging to model the character traits students need to see.

Here’s the practice: The 3-Minute Character Inventory

This isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about naming what you’re already doing so you can do it intentionally.

Try it this week:

Monday morning: Choose one character trait you want to model this week. Just one. (Patience? Curiosity? Humility? Perseverance?)

Wednesday check-in: Notice one moment you successfully modeled it. Write it down. That’s data too.

Friday reflection: Ask yourself: “Did my students see my character this week, or just my stress?”

This practice serves your students AND your sustainability. Because when you’re clear about the character you’re modeling, you give yourself permission to let go of the pursuit of perfectionism that’s draining you.

King said intelligence plus character is the goal. You can’t teach the “plus character” part if you’ve got nothing left to give.

A curated collection of books that help teachers grow stronger, calmer, and more inspired — in and out of the classroom.

Now Repeat...

My character is curriculum too, and I don’t have to be perfect to model growth.

With respect and gratitude,

Jeremy

P.S. Teaching is tough to do alone. Inside The STRONG Teacher’s Lounge, teachers are building the practices that protect their character AND their energy.