Counselor's Corner

Character Education

August & September 2023: Citizenship & School PRide

Parents,

Hello! During the month of September your child will be learning about citizenship - what it means and how we can be good citizens!   Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child continue to learn about the theme of citizenship through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much

Practice It!

Together with your child, talk about what would make your neighborhood, family or community a better place. Choose something and do it together. You could make brownies for your neighbor, rake leaves, clean up a park, or any other ideas that you or your child have!


Read About It!

Here are some books to help you learn more about citizenship:

•What If Everybody Did That?  by Ellen Javernick

•The Mitten Tree by Candace Christansen

•Woodrow For President by Peter Barnes

Talk About It!

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about citizenship with your child:

•What do you think citizenship means and why is it important?

•Tell me about someone who is a good citizen. What makes him or her a good citizen?

•Do you think you are a good citizen? Why or why not?

•What is something you could do to be a better citizen of your neighborhood? Of your school? Of your classroom?

Click Pink Box Below! :) 

Community Song 

Community Song Lyrics

 I am a citizen of my society And I participate in my community I do my part, I keep it clean I make this world a better place for you and me I love my neighbor, I treat ‘em good I show respect and dignity like I should I love my family, I follow all the rules I take responsibility for what I need to do There’s so much goin’ on around me Sometimes I think that it is all about me Then I look around and see what’s in front of me It’s you, and me, we help others in need I do all I can to make this world a better place Show respect to my neighbor and to the whole human race Citizenship is who I am, everything that I do I take care of the environment, how about you? 

October 2022: Compassion and Tolerance

Parents, 

Hello! Here at school we have been very busy learning about Compassion (kindness).  What it means and how to show compassion to others!  Learning happens best when it is done both at school and home!  Below are many ways you can help your child continue to learn about the theme compassion through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school and hope your family will enjoy it just as much! 

Read about it!

Here are some books to help you learn about about compassion

How Kind! by Mary Murphy

Hey Little Ant

The Golden Rule by Irene Cooper 

The lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Practice It!

Spend time writing an encouraging note to people in your community!  This could be your neighbors, policeman, teachers, nursing home residents, firefighters, or anyone!  Have your child go with you to deliver your notes of compassion! 

Talk About It!

•Tell me about a time when someone showed compassion to you. How did it make you feel?

•What do you think compassion means and why is it important?

•Who is someone in your class you can be compassionate towards?

•What are ways you can show compassion to people at home, at school and in the community?

November 2022: Fairness

Hello! Here at school, we have been very busy learning about fairness- what it means, and why it’s important!  Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child continue to learn about the theme of fairness through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much!

Read About It! 

Here are some books to help you learn more about fairness:

•It’s Mine by Leo Lionni

•The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone

•No Fair!: Kids Talk About Fairness by Nancy Loewen

•The Sandbox by Don Rowe

Practice It!

Tell your child that you are going to have a race. Choose a starting line and a finish line. Once you get to the starting line, tell him/her that you get to take 5 steps forward because you are the adult. Then race and talk about whether or not it was a fair race. How did that make your child feel? 

Talk About It!

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about fairness with your child:

• What do you think fairness means and why is it important?

• Tell me about a time when you were treated fairly. How did it make you feel?

• Tell me about a time when you were treated unfairly. How did it make you feel?

• Have you ever treated anyone else unfairly? Tell me about it.

• What would you do if you saw someone else being treated unfairly?

December 2022: Honesty and Integrity


Parents,

Hello! Here at school, we have been very busy learning about integrity- what it means and why it is important!   Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child continue to learn about the theme of integrity through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much!

Read about it! 

Here are some books to help you learn more about integrity:

•The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool

•Winners Take All by Fred Bowen

•Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna

Jamaica’s Find by Juanita Havill 

Practice it! 

Together with your child, practice doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Go to a grocery store and put all the carts in the correct place in the parking lot, look for things that are in the wrong spot in the store and put them where they belong, or leave kind notes on strangers’ cars.

Talk about it! 

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about integrity with your child:

•What do you think integrity means and why is it important?

•What makes it hard to do the right thing?

•Tell me about a time when you chose to do the right thing, even though it was difficult. 

•Tell me about a time when you were tempted to do something you knew wasn’t right.

•If you make a mistake, why can it be hard to own up to it?

January 2023: Perseverance 

Parents,

Hello! Here at school, we have been very busy learning about perseverance- what it means, how it will help us and how we can do it!   Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child continue to learn about the theme of perseverance through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much!

Read About It!

Here are some books to help you learn more about perseverance:

•The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

•The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

The Dot by Peter Reynolds 

Practice It!

Help your child learn to persevere by engaging in difficult tasks with him/her. Buy a large puzzle, learn and perfect a new skill, etc.. Find something to do together and commit to pushing each other through the challenge.

Talk About It!

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about perseverance with your child:

•What do you think perseverance means and why is it important?

•Tell me about a time when it was hard to get through a challenge. How did you feel after?

•What are some things that are hard for you to push through, and how can I help you?

•What are 3 goals you have? What may be some challenges to meeting these goals? What will happen if you don’t give up?

February 2023: Responsibility

Hello! Here at school, we have been very busy learning about RESPONSIBILITY and what it means to be a responsible citizen at home and school.  Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child continue to learn about the theme of perseverance through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much!

Read About It!

Here are some books to help you learn more about responsibility

•I Just Forgot by Mercer Mayer

But it's not My Fault by Julia Cook

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey

The Pigsty by Mark Teague

Practice It

Help your child to practice responsibility by giving their a special task or job just for them!  Let your child pick a special chore each week that they can be responsible for.  Let them carry the groceries, wipe the counters, or feed their pet.  

Talk About It!

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about responsibility with your child:

•What do you think responsibility means and why is it important?

Tell me about a time when it was hard to be responsible?

What is a way you would like to have more responsibility at home?

What are your responsibilities like in the classroom and in your community?

March 2023: Respect,  courtesy gradtitude

Dear Parent & Guardians, 

Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help your child continue to learn about the theme of respect through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much!



Read About It!

Here are some books to help you learn more about respect:

Practice It!

Think about the specific needs and preferences of everyone in your house.  Make a list.  Spend one week together trying to be mindful of each other's wants and needs.  Talk about the effects of this experiment with your family!

Talk About It!

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about respect with your child:

What do you think it means to be respectful and why is it important?

What are some ways you can be more respectful at home, at school, and in your community? 

Are there ways that you could be more respectful to those around you?

What are some reasons it can be hard to be respectful?

Check out this video on Repect

April 2023: Self-Discipline

The character education trait this month is self-discipline! 

May 2023: Trustworthiness

Are you trustworthy?

**Upper Elementary** 3-5th Grade

Have you ever been in a situation like Tony?   How did it make you feel? What should Tony have done?   What are some qualities that make you a trustworthy friend? 

What would you do?

**K-2** video on Trustworthiness