The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham has defined and distilled the building blocks of character found below.
The building blocks breaks virtues down into four 'types', namely intellectual virtues, moral virtues, civic virtues, and performance virtues, working in combination towards the development of the meta-virtue of phronesis.
About the building blocks
1
There are four main themes highlighting different virtues. All of these can be seen in our daily interactions with students, colleagues, parents, leaders and ourselves.
2
This model aims to help students find a pathway towards flourishing and finding happiness in society and with their lives. Whilst this journey may take all our lives, we can demonstrate virtues to our students and hope, through practice, that they learn.
3
All virtues should be anchored in moral virtue. Without this, some virtues may become a vice. Moral virtues allow us to develop pro-social behaviour.
4
The Building Blocks have been developed through research at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham. Please find out more here.
5
Phronesis means practical wisdom. It is the ability to both figure out what to do in any given moment while also knowing what is worth doing.