C. C. says, "PERSEVERANCE means working steadily and enduring hardships to achieve a goal without giving up."
 

The Twelve Guiding Principles of Character-Centered Teaching are based on the virtues that underlay American government and civil society. They are not specific behaviors, but general character traits. They do not teach a child to be quiet when an adult is talking to them, rather it teaches the child to respect other people, and then as a mark of that respect, to listen respectfully to what an adults tells them to do.

There are certain core principles that are shared by everyone regardless of ethnicity, religion, culture, or moral perspective. These are shared virtues because they describe a basic way of acting, not specific behaviors. By teaching these guiding principles, schools can help to bind together the diverse communities they serve by highlighting these shared virtues.

The Twelve Guiding Principles are the framework around which Character-Centered Teaching is built. Each Guiding Principle is the Word of the Month. Respect and Responsibility are the anchor words that will be highlighted and integrated into lesson plans and school life the entire month.

The Twelve Guiding Principles were originally developed by Martin Marazzo, Ph.D., and the International Center for Leadership in Education.