My Story

I am a lifelong educator with a special interest in religion, applied ethics and character education. The eldest of 10 children raised in a middle-class Catholic family in the United States, I did my undergraduate studies at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. From there I went on to earn a PhD from Drew University in the field of religion and society in addition to receiving advanced degrees in physics, religious education and political science.

During the past 30 years I have presented “Cultivating Character” seminars to educators, students, parents and clergy in the United States as well as Russia, the Balkan states and the Philippines. More recently, I have given seminars to similar audiences in Zambia, throughout parts of Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom.

Character education is not just one of many things for us to accomplish in life and in schools. It is the bedrock of all human endeavor without which everything else we do is nothing more than a ship on the high seas without sail or rudder.

James Baughman
Educator, author and motivational speaker

In 1996, I produced a video lecture series titled, “The Human Condition,” which explores the theological foundations of character education and establishes the groundwork for understanding practical guidelines for people to make meaningful decisions in their lives.

Currently I reside in the north of Scotland with my wife and best friend, Lorraine, who holds a PhD in psychology. Having retired in 2014 from teaching physics in the local high school, I tutor students in physics, mathematics and chemistry while continuing my work in character education.