by Lee Havis
The Character Teaching (CT) project began in 2000 when I encountered poor working children in the streets of a small town in Mexico, right on the border with USA. From there, I devised a framework for applying scientific teaching with the type of children, which ultimately became the “Character Teaching” project. However, since initial proposals to conduct the project did not receive sufficient government interest, the project was set aside for many years. Now, however, recent changes in the governments of El Salvador and Argentina have renewed my interest to try again in Latin America.
In El Salvador, for example, Niyab Bukele, was recently re-elected to president of that country, due to his bold and innovative approach to addressing the long-standing plague of crime and violence in the youth gang activity of his country. In 2019, I had the opportunity to meet and briefly discuss the CT project with Bukele’s vice president, Felix Ulloa. And in Argentina, Javier Milei, was elected n 2024, on a platform to transform his country towards greater individual liberty and responsible government in that country.
In June 2024, I therefore wrote the presidents of these two countries to introduce them to the CT project, and request support for its operation in their country. Since the project would be conducted in Spanish, that language must be used in training teachers as well. For this, my book, “The Technology of Scientific Education”, would be translated into Spanish, and all direct in-person training with teachers conducted in Spanish as well. Happily, my prior teaching experience in Central America will enable me to personally supervise such training in that language also. In fact, even now, I have participated in a number of public forums about the project in Spanish. And, at the IMS website, there is a video of a Spanish language interview I conducted about the CT project as well. (quote).
As support for the project emerges in countries such as El Salvador and Argentina, local personnel will be invited to join the project to help mobilize and coordinate the various organizational elements required for its successful operation. These individuals would serve as members of the consultation board for that country.
For further information, contact IMS, havis@imsmontessori.org