Chapter 11: Integrating the Other Three Rs Into the Curriculum: A Model for Improving Academic Achievement

Enhancing student learning and improving academic achievement for all children is a primary goal of educators. Some schools are responding to this goal by implementing character education or life skills programs based on promising research findings on the efficacy of such programs (Berkowitz & Bier, 2004; Greenberg et al., 2003). For example, a recent study of 681 elementary schools found that instruction in character education was associated with higher academic scores (Benninga, Berkowitz, Kuehn, & Smith, 2003).

Although there are many core values or life skills associated with effective character education programs, we propose that an integrated model of reasoning, resilience, and responsibility (the Other Three Rs) holds great promise for enhancing student learning and achievement. In this chapter we discuss the Other Three Rs Model for Student Learning, designed to help teachers convey three key skills applicable to students’ academic and general life pursuits: how to (1) reason well, (2) be resilient in the face of challenges, and (3) take responsibility for one’s own learning.