Character Development at Gracie University

I want our students to take responsibility for their choices, treat people with consideration, and learn to handle frustration without taking it out on someone else. Those are habits worth working on throughout childhood.

Gracie University’s Character Development Program gives that work a structure. As part of the Gracie Bullyproof approach, it connects conversations in class with actions children can practice in their everyday lives. 1

Six traits with everyday meaning

The program centers on six traits: Responsibility, Health, Respect, Citizenship, Manners, and Caring. Each chapter lasts two months, creating a twelve-month cycle. 1

For families, these values become useful when children understand what they look like in practice. Everyday examples might include:

• Responsibility: Following through on a task, looking after belongings, and taking ownership of a mistake.
• Health: Caring for the body through movement, rest, hygiene, and thoughtful daily choices.
• Respect: Listening, recognizing boundaries, and treating people with consideration.
• Citizenship: Contributing to a group and taking care of shared spaces.
• Manners: Speaking courteously, showing appreciation, and considering how words affect others.
• Caring: Offering help, including someone, and responding thoughtfully when another person is struggling.

These are ordinary moments. They give a child something specific to work on and give parents something specific to recognize.

Practice gives the lesson meaning

A child can understand a rule and still need help following it when they are tired, disappointed, or excited. That is where patient instruction matters.

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University explains that executive function and self-regulation skills develop through interaction and practice. Its guidance includes age-appropriate games and activities that adults can use to support that development. 3

I see that as a useful principle for teaching. We need to explain the expectation, give a child an opportunity to practice, and help them work through the difficult part.

Taking turns offers an opportunity to practice patience. Working with a partner gives us a reason to discuss cooperation. Making a mistake creates a chance to practice taking responsibility and trying again.

The lesson becomes more useful when a child can recognize another situation where it applies.

Parents carry the lesson home

Parents have an essential role in Gracie University’s framework. Its published Character Development guidance asks parents to observe and verify a child’s progress outside class, using a point-tracking system to recognize actions related to the featured trait. 2

That connection matters to me. Parents see the everyday decisions an instructor cannot see during a class.

A practical starting point is to choose one action your child understands. Explain what you are asking them to do, notice their effort, and discuss why the action matters. Putting away their belongings can become a conversation about responsibility. Helping with a shared task can become a conversation about contributing to the family.

Keep the expectation appropriate to the child’s age and abilities. Give them room to ask questions and help them find a manageable next step.

I want families to feel that we are supporting the work they are already doing at home.

Recognition should have a purpose

Gracie University connects character progress with Gracie Game Day and character patches. Within that framework, recognition is tied to work on the featured trait, including progress verified by parents. The chapters can be revisited as children continue training. 2

Celebrating that effort gives us a reason to talk about what the child actually did and why it mattered.

Harvard’s guidance on motivation encourages adults to recognize effort and the learning process, provide achievable challenges, and use external incentives thoughtfully. It also cautions against relying on rewards for activities children already enjoy. 4

For me, the goal is for a child to understand the value of the action. Helping a younger child matters because that child needed support. Taking responsibility for a mistake matters because other people need to be able to trust us.

A celebration can acknowledge those choices while we continue helping children understand their purpose.

The standard I want for our students

I want our students to become capable, and I want them to use that capability with care.

That means giving character the same attention we give a physical skill: explain it clearly, practice it consistently, and make room for improvement. A difficult day gives us something to work through together. Progress deserves recognition, including the small steps that take real effort.

At Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Northwest Arkansas, the Character Development framework helps us keep those values part of the conversation.

Our Centerton school serves families in Bentonville and Centerton, AR. If you are exploring Gracie Bullyproof for your child, we welcome a conversation about the program, your child’s needs, and what you hope they will gain from training.

References

1. Gracie University. Gracie Bullyproof program overview, including the Gracie Character Development Program. Official program description.
2. Gracie University. Character Development Chapter 6 Caring. Official explanation of the chapter framework, parent participation, Gracie Game Day, and character patches.
3. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence. May 6, 2014.
4. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers. January 22, 2019.