Dr. Hal Urban’s message is simple; good character is the foundation of a good life. Having visited forty-one states and six countries to give over a thousand presentation on this topic, Dr. Urban today announces an updated edition of his best-selling ‘Life’s Greatest Lessons’.
Redwood City, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/14/2012 -- The Character Education movement may be unknown to many modern Americans. However, in the eyes of Dr. Hal Urban, its facets form the basis of a successful and happy life. As an award-winning teacher and national leader within the movement, Dr. Urban’s original release of ‘Life’s Greatest Lessons’ took the world by storm. More than two decades later, he is delighted to announce an updated edition of what many people have described as a classic.
Titled, ‘20 Gifts of Life: Bringing Out the Best in Our Kids, Grandkids, and Others We Care About’, the book provides a blueprint for living a principled and rewarding life. It’s intended to help people of all ages strengthen their character and discover the real meaning of success.
Each chapter draws on wisdom and virtues that have been around for thousands of years. While the book’s original volume has touched thousands of lives, the author believes a crisis of character still affects the modern world.
“We see it in elected officials, in financial circles, in business, in the entertainment industry, and in everyday behavior. The Gallup Poll recently revealed that only 24% of Americans think we're on the right track as a nation,” says Urban, who was presented with the Sanford N. McDonnell Lifetime Achievement Award in Character Education in 2005.
He continues, “Many Americans have legitimate financial concerns, but almost all of them are more concerned with our culture and our character – who we are and what kind of people we are raising. Parents and educators have an ever-increasing responsibility to teach our young people about the virtues and character traits that are the bedrock of our country.”
Having educated and inspired hundreds of thousands of people since 1992, Dr. Urban felt an updated version of the book was necessary. While it contains some of the core virtues contained in his first book – attitude, respect, kindness, hard work, honesty – it addresses a number of 21st century issues. Among them are the influence of popular culture, the media, technology, and social networks. Urban also writes about the importance of having good role models and mentors, having a purpose greater than self, and knowing the difference between a celebrity and a real hero.
His wisdom and passion for teaching are reflected in each of the six books that Dr. Urban has written. His fifth book, Lessons from the Classroom: 20 Things Good Teachers Do, is considered by many to be the best book ever written about effective classroom teaching.
“I taught for thirty six years at both the high school and university levels. Each day I had the opportunity to educate, enlighten, and inspire both kids and adults. It was my job to bring out the best in them. The heart of my message was always the same: there’s a direct connection between character and quality of life.”
20 Gifts of Life: Bringing Out the Best in Our Kids, Grandkids, and Others We Care About, published by Great Lessons Press, is available directly from the publisher and via Amazon.com. It is not in bookstores or discount stores.
For more information, please visit: http://www.halurban.com
About Dr. Hal Urban
Hal Urban holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in history, and a Doctorate in education from the University of San Francisco. He has also done post-graduate study in the psychology of peak performance at Stanford University.
For thirty-six years he was an award-winning teacher at San Carlos and Woodside High Schools and at his alma mater, the University of San Francisco.
Hal is the author of six books - all with an emphasis on good character. Since 1992 Dr. Urban has traveled more than two million miles while speaking nationally and internationally on positive character traits and their relationship to the quality of life. He has made more than a thousand presentations in forty-one states and six foreign countries.
In 2005 Dr. Urban was awarded his highest honor - the Sanford N. McDonnell Lifetime Achievement Award at the Character Education Partnership National Forum.
Hal has a genuine love of life that includes several passions, chief among them are the three F's - faith, family, and friends. His other main interests and activities are physical fitness, reading, sports, travel, photography, and life-long learning.