"My principal told me not to even teach Social Studies or Science anymore, just reading and math.
If I can't teach core content, how am I supposed to squeeze in character ed?"
I used to think like that, too. With kids coming to school less prepared to learn and having more and more curriculum to cover, I used to toss out the character ed curriculum pamphlets my district would send each month without much more than a quick once-over. I figured that nearly half of my class was coming to me reading below grade level- how could I justify a series of lessons on kindness? They could be the nicest people in the world, but if they couldn't read, how would they ever get a job??
But I always felt guilty about not spending more time teaching students how to make good choices. I would take advantage of teachable moments, but if an issue didn't naturally arise in the classroom, I generally didn't address it. There were so many important things I never taught my kids about proper social ettiqutte, which was so crucial for kids living in poverty with a totally different set of cultural norms.
I'm convinced that it's important for ALL kids to have explicit, ongoing character development lessons with structured and informal opportunities to practice what they are learning. I just needed to take the time to develop a scope and sequence that I believe is developmentally appropriate and relevant for my kids.
Well, that's just what I did this week! I am basing my system on the county's 'mandated' character education program (I use the term 'mandatory' loosely because as in most school systems, if it's not tested, it's not emphasized).
October Responsibility
November Citizenship
December Kindness
January Respect
February Honesty
March Self-control
April Tolerance
May Cooperaration
Because these traits are abstract concepts that are difficult for children to apply in practical situations, I have developed a list of specific guiding principles to show students exactly what behaviors are expected for each character trait. These principles are not presented as rules for students to memorize; rather, they are tied into the county’s character education program with an overview at the beginning of the school year and more in-depth activities occurring during the corresponding month of the character education program and as the need arises in classroom situations. These guiding principles serve as concrete reminders of the character traits and will become second nature to the children as they internalize the reasons why the character education program is in place. I have based them upon the research and classroom practice of the internationally acclaimed educator Ron Clark (www.ronclark.com):
NEW 6/06- Character Ed bulletin board from Mrs. Norton, 1st Grade gifted teacher at my school. We choose a student who exemplifies that month's character trait, the school takes their picture, and their name is announced on morning announcements. I have my kids vote on who in the class they think best represents the trait, selecting a new child each month. I really like that because the kids have to give specific reasons for their nominations and it causes them to think critically about what it means to have good character.
October: Responsibility
Involves diligence, excellence, good decision-making, initiative, and courtesy
*Answer all written questions with a complete sentence.
*Complete your homework every day.
*Be as organized as possible.
*Don’t turn in any work that is less than your best.
*Be the best person you can be.
*Problem solve for yourself instead of depending on others.
*Take initiative instead of waiting to be told to do something.
*Learn from correction.
*If someone drops something and you are close to it, pick it up.
*Hold the door for the person behind you.
*Say, ‘excuse me’ after sneezing, coughing, or other bodily functions.
*Keep yourself and the bathroom clean and germ-free.
*Follow along when we read together in class.
*Look at the person talking during class discussions.
*Refrain from sidebars.
Resources:
14 comprehensive lesson on responsibility
Quick lessons
Activities for creating a classroom culture of responsibility
Great problem-solving/ decision making activities
Using good manners
November: Citizenship
Involves obedience, charity, patriotism, and environmental concern
*Do things the right way the first time you are asked.
*Do not ask for rewards: do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.
*Be quick, quiet, and orderly during transition times.
*When walking in line, stay to the right, keep your arms at your sides, and move quietly.
*Never cut or save spots in line.
*If you see friends in the hallway, wave to them but do not call out.
*Follow other teachers’ rules when they are in charge.
*Help people who are less fortunate in every way you can.
*Stand up for what you believe.
*Show respect for American symbols & during the Pledge of Allegiance.
*Be responsible for your trash.
*Do not be wasteful.
Resources:
12 lessons on the important aspect of obedience in citizenship
"They Broke The Law- You Be The Judge" role plays
Activities for creating a classroom culture of good citizenship
Great activities for environmental awareness
The Giraffe Project- for people who 'stick their necks out' to make a difference
December: Kindness
Involves caring, random acts of kindness, generosity, forgiveness, & compassion
*Never say, “I don’t care” when someone tells you how they feel.
*Be kind towards others without expecting them to treat you the same way.
*Surprise others by performing random acts of kindness.
*Share with others whenever you have more than enough.
*If someone bumps you, say 'excuse me' even if it wasn’t your fault.
*Do not hold a grudge: you’re only hurting yourself.
*Try to understand WHY people act the way they do.
Resources:
22 page guide to random acts of kindness in school
Form a RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) club at school- flyers, certificates, more
RAK ideas
38 teacher-submitted lessons on kindness
Kindness lessons from goodcharacter.com
Online fairytales about kindness with printable worksheets
Online fairytales tht address selflessness and printables
Ideas for teaching about caring
Activities for creating a classroom culture of caring
January: Respect
Involves patience, politeness, and showing concern for all creatures
*Do not show impatience when someone takes a long time to answer or understand something.
*Never say, “That’s easy!” when it’s hard for someone else.
*Learn to entertain yourself without being disruptive when waiting.
*Respond to an adult when spoken to.
*In America, it's important to make eye contact when spoken to.
*If you are asked a question in conversation, ask a question in return.
*Never interrupt an adult when you are being corrected: wait and then politely ask to explain yourself.
*If an adult does not let you explain yourself, let Ms. Powell know.
*Do not show disrespect with gestures or noises.
*Keep your grades private & do not ask about other people’s grades.
*Do not tease or harm any living creature for “fun”.
Resources:
Webquest for respect: The Grouchy Ladybug (more cross-curricular character ed activities for this book here
Free class sets of magazines abnd other resources by PETA about respect for animals- I've used these for years to spark discussion!
15 lessons on respect
Respect for girls: click on 'your rights' and '7 respect basics'
Activities for creating a classroom culture of respect
Family respect check
Weekly respect ideas
February: Honesty
Involves trustworthiness, reliability, integrity, and self-awareness
*Always be honest, no matter what the circumstances.
*Keep your promises.
*When you make a mistake, admit it, make things right, & let it go.
*Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.
*Don’t start, repeat, or even listen to gossip.
*If you wouldn’t say it to a person’s face, don’t say it to anyone.
*Before speaking, think, “Is it true? Kind? Necessary?”
*It’s okay to say you don’t know something.
Resources:
13 lessons on honesty
Activities for creating a classroom culture of trustworthiness
March: Self-control
Involves humility, perseverance/ courage, and contentment
*If you win, do not brag; if you lose, do not show anger.
*Congratulate classmates when they are successful.
*Never laugh at or tease someone when they make a mistake.
*Do not stare or laugh at a student who is being corrected.
*Do not make a big deal out of bodily functions.
*Learn from your mistakes and move on.
*When work is assigned, do not moan or complain.
*Be patient with yourself and don’t give up easily.
*Be satisfied with what you have.
*Always find the positive in life; complaining makes everyone miserable.
Resources:
Called 'abstinence' by a TX school district, these lessons focus on self-control with regards to drugs/alcohol
From the school system above: demonstrating self-control through humility and also perseverance
Great self-awareness and drug awareness activities
April: Tolerance
Involves acceptance of diversity, equality, peace, and appropriate conflict resolution
*Laugh with people, not at them.
*Respect other students’ comments, opinions, and ideas.
*If people near you are too noisy, politely ask them to lower their voices.
*If someone asks you to lower your voice, say "no problem" & do so.
*It’s okay not to like someone; it’s not okay to be rude to them.
*Tell, don’t tattle. (Telling= trying to help someone, tattling= trying to get them in trouble).
*Accept that life isn’t fair and people sometimes do mean things.
*If anyone is bullying you, let Ms. Powell know.
*Don’t expect yourself or other people to be perfect.
*Don’t sweat the small stuff.
*When you feel like overreacting, take deep breaths and relax.
Resources:
Tolerance website with stories, interactive activities, games, and more
Mix it up at lunch day (posters, fliers, and stickers)
"I'll Be Your Friend" free 26 song multi-cultural CD
Lessons on compassion
Activities for exploring discrimination
"It's the insides that count" activity
Stop Bullying Now webisodes (cartoons you can watch from the computer) and games
Bullying resources from Education World
May: Cooperation
Involves friendliness, fairness, loyalty, and gratitude
*Greet visitors and make them feel welcome.
*When meeting new people, shake hands and repeat their names.
*Stay out of cliques.
*If someone you play with is continually rude and mean, choose other friends.
*Cheerfully work with any partner you are assigned so you do not hurt their feelings.
*When offered something, take only your fair share.
*Stand up for people you care about.
*Always say thank you when given something.
*When you receive something, do not insult the gift or the giver.
Resources:
"Join In"- teaching kids how to join in others' play and invite others in their own play
Activities for creating a classroom culture of fairness
Great interpersonal activities
Peace activities from abcteach
Healthy Snacks
Do you go from breakfast to lunch with no snacks in between? If you’re like me, you are able to concentrate more fully at work when you take a short break to have something to eat and drink. You also probably enjoy soda, doughnuts, coffee, and other unhealthy treats like I do!
I want to help the children make good choices about the foods they eat. We’ll be spending a few days in August talking about the Food Pyramid (which was revised several months ago- see below), healthy foods, and the importance of exercise. We will also brainstorm a list of snacks that are good for our bodies that we can bring to school each day.
Children are encouraged to bring a daily, small, HEALTHY snack that is not messy to eat, such as one from the list below. Students will be given five to ten minutes to eat while they finish their center work in the mornings. They may bring juice boxes if they wish; I also encourage all the children to keep a bottle of water at their desks and refill them throughout the day at the water fountain to stay well-hydrated.
Suggested Healthy Snacks:
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peanut butter crackers
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cheese crackers
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fruit
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veggies and dip
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yogurt
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raisins
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trail mix
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granola bars
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goldfish crackers
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dry non-sugary cereal
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pretzels
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nuts
Please do not send soda, candy, chips, or other snacks with little nutritional value and high sugar/fat content: these items will be sent back home. The purpose of providing a snack time at school is not just to fill our bellies, but to learn to make good choices about what to eat! J Many children do not like foods that are good for them, but eating healthy snacks every day will soon establish new eating habits, especially when everyone around them is making good choices as well and the junk food temptation is not there. Thanks for your cooperation and support.
[NOTE: Here's a great link for healthy eating lessons, activities, snack guidelines, worksheets, and more.]
Walk N Talk/ Family Fitness Program
In addition to learning about healthy eating, students will be adopting a regular exercise routine. Over 30% of children in America are obese, and a large cause of that trend is too much television and video games and not enough exercise! Here’s what our class is going to do to take care of our bodies:
AT SCHOOL: WALK-N-TALK
I provide students with a ten-minute morning break in the middle of the large block of instructional time before lunch and allow students to get some fresh air and socialize. Three times per week, we will use this break to do a Walk-N-Talk: a brisk walk around the perimeter of the school while chatting with friends. I enjoy this time to get to know the students on a personal level, as well. We will walk about a quarter mile during each Walk-N-Talk session and keep track of our miles. By the year’s end, we should have walked nearly 25 miles! Students will be encouraged to Walk-N-Talk around the playground perimeter during our regular morning break days and recess time to ‘earn more miles’, but will not be required to do so. If your child is unable to participate because of a health condition or disability, please let me know so I can make accommodations. Remember to send your child to school in comfortable walking shoes each day.
AT HOME: FAMILY FITNESS PROGRAM
Students are encouraged to exercise for at least 20 minutes three times per week at home. There is no penalty for not participating i
