Character: What Do You Do When Nobody Else Is In The Room?INTRODUCTIONAs I watched the clip of Education Secretary Gillian Keegan reeling off a sweary tirade about how she hadn’t been sufficiently praised for “doing a good job”, it got me thinking about character education and the link to role models in our society. Or rather the paucity of them.One of the key phrases coined at schools employing a character education scheme is “What do you do in the corridor when no-one is looking?”. Well, the answer is NOT what Gillian Keegan did. Keegan was clearly unaware that she was still being recorded on a “hot mic” after a live new s interview about the school concrete row.Instead, what the Minister did was show her true colours, that is, what she is really like. And as the leader in this country for schools, the faux pas was magnified because, in her position, the conduct was inappropriate for school environments. The behaviour of those in positions of responsibility or influence as role models is key, in either a negative or positive direction.Character education is a vital aspect of personal development, guiding individuals from a young age to cultivate virtues, ethical decision-making, and responsible conduct. In this article, we explore the definition of character education, delve into its roots and growth, and provide examples of the key messages which are profoundly important for developing role models of the future.WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION?According to the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues , character education involves “ explicit and implicit educational activities aimed at nurturing positive personal strengths known as virtues ”. It goes beyond academic subjects, permeating the culture and functions of families, classrooms, schools, and institutions. Character education empowers students to comprehend and appreciate the importance of ethics and morality in a wide range of situations; to “do the right thing” for the right reasons and develop autonomy and reflection in virtue practice.The Jubilee Centre go on to add: “.. the ultimate aim of character education is the development of good sense, or practical wisdom; the capacity to choose intelligently between alternatives .” Individuals are encouraged to make informed choices and cultivate practical wisdom, or what the Aristotelian zealots call phronesis , enabling them to make intelligent decisions in complex situations, as to the result they would like to bring about and how best, practically, to achieve that.WHAT IS THE JUBILEE CENTRE FOR CHARACTER AND VIRTUES?Founded in 2012 by Professor James Arthur and based at the University of Birmingham, the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a pioneering institution in the field of character education. Comprising a dedicated team of academics from diverse fields such as philosophy, psychology, education, theology, and sociology, the Centre takes an evidence-based approach to character education, which means they seek to back up the theory by testing whether and how it applies in the real world. Thus, they have published tons of research on the subject. They collaborate globally with academics and emphasise the significance of teaching virtues that contribute to good character, which have often been overlooked in both schools and professions.CHARACTER EDUCATION ISN’T JUST A NEW FADThe concept of character education has deep historical roots, with origins traced back to ancient Greece, notably Aristotle , who was known as “the father of virtue ethics”. Aristotle’s ethical system found its place in European moral thought through figures like St. Thomas Aquinas in the thirteenth century. Character education has long been seen as an integral part of education, aiming to help students not only become knowledgeable but also morally upright individuals.While character education has seen resurgence in the UK, as schools are searching to help their leavers depart with more than just a fistful of exams, it h...