ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book first examines what people mean by character, human goodness, and its development and flourishing. It is necessary to get some level of shared understanding about the central concepts of the book before they venture too far in exploring them and how they can practically make them happen. Because character education is first a way of being and then a way of doing—of living people's lives—becoming an effective character educator entails changing their way of being, that is, changing who people are and how they engage the world, especially their schools and the kids and adults within them. So, let people look at two metaphors for education and character development and how they fit or do not fit with this notion of education as a way of doing that flows from being and is built upon deep knowing.
