CHARACTER BUILDING PROGRAM

FIRST TERM
UPPER PRIMARY STAGE

1
 Index

Introduction
Program Principles
Program Agreement
Responsibility
Bullying
Respect
Program Goals

2
 Introduction
How to Do Character Education??
by
David H. Elkind and Freddy Sweet Ph.D.

et’s get one thing perfectly clear – you are a character educator. Whether you
are a teacher, administrator, custodian, or school bus driver, you are helping
to shape the character of the kids you come in contact with. It’s in the way
you talk, the behaviors you model, the conduct you tolerate, the deeds you
encourage, the expectations you transmit. Yes, for better or for worse, you already
are doing character education. The real question is what kind? Are you doing it
well or poorly? By design or by default? And what kinds of values are you actually
teaching?

Simply put, character education (CE) is everything you do that influences the character of
the kids you teach. But to put it in a more focused light, we like Dr. Thomas Lickona’s
definition, that “character education is the deliberate effort to help people
understand, care about, and act upon core ethical values.” In his landmark
book, Educating for Character,1 Dr. Lickona asserts that “When we think about the kind
of character we want for our children, it’s clear that we want them to be able to
judge what is right, care deeply about what is right, and then do what they believe
to be right—even in the face of pressure from without and temptation from within.”

What’s especially useful about Dr. Lickona’s model is that it describes a developmental
process that involves knowledge, feelings, and action, and thereby provides an integrated
foundation on which to structure a coherent and comprehensive CE effort. It tells us that
we need to engage our kids in activities that make them think critically about moral and
ethical questions, inspire them to become committed to moral and ethical actions, and
give them ample opportunities to practice moral and ethical behavior.

What Does Character Education Look Like?

This is a highly controversial issue, and depends largely on your desired outcome. Many
people believe that simply getting kids to do what they’re told is character education. This
idea often leads to an imposed set of rules and a system of rewards and punishments
that produce temporary and limited behavioral changes, but they do little or nothing to
affect the underlying character of the children. There are others who argue that our aim
should be to develop independent thinkers who are committed to moral principals in their
lives, and who are likely to do the right thing even under challenging circumstances. That
requires a somewhat different approach, and is the bias of this article.

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CE initiatives can be very modest, like one good teacher doing a few things right,
or they can be very elaborate, involving everybody and everything in the school.
What you do will probably depend on your circumstances. Here are some options.

Why Are We Doing This?

Eventually, somebody less enlightened than you are is going to ask you why you are
wasting your time teaching character instead of quantum mechanics. Wouldn't you just
love to come up with the perfect response? Well, here’s a zinger we found on the Utah
State Office of Education Character Education Homepage:

Quality character education helps schools create a safe, caring and inclusive
learning environment for every student and supports academic development. It
fosters qualities that will help students be successful as citizens, in the workplace,
and with the academic curriculum. It lays the foundation to help students be
successful in all of the goals we have for our public schools. It is the common
denominator that will help schools reach all of their goals!

CHARACTER EDUCATION IS NOT ONE MORE THING ON YOUR PLATE! IT IS THE

PLATE!!!”

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 PROGRAM PRINCIPLES

Your character is defined by what you do, not what you

say or believe.

Every choice you make helps define the kind of person

you are choosing to be.

Good character requires doing the right thing, even when

it is costly or risky.

You don't have to take the worst behavior of others as a

standard of comparison for yourself. You can choose to
be better than that.

What you do matters, and one person can make a big

difference.

The payoff for having good character is what makes you a

better person and makes the world a better place.

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 PROGRAM AGREEMENT

I am ………………………………..,
I hereby acknowledge that I will
apply the program principles as
much as possible in my life, and to
correct myself whenever I make
any mistakes, and that I am the
only one responsible for my
actions.
Signature
………………………….

……………………………

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7
 Are You a Responsible Person?
(Take this self-evaluation and decide for yourself)

Personal Responsibility:
True False
I do what needs to be done.

I am reliable and dependable.

I never make excuses or blame others for my

actions.

I always follow through on my commitments.

Social Responsibility:
True False
I do my part for the common good.

I volunteer in my school or community.

I participate in community service.

I do what I can to help take care of the

environment.

I think I am/am not a responsible person because: _________________

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 HOW TO BE
A RESPONSIBLE PERSON??

Be reliable and dependable; when you agree to do something, do it.

Take care of your own business.

Don't make others do what you are supposed to do.

Take responsibility for your actions; don't make excuses or blame others.

Use your head; think before you act; imagine the consequences.

THE STORY:

Groark and Burna learn that being irresponsible can be

unfair and hurtful to everyone, including themselves. When
Burna neglects an important responsibility by dumping it on
Muggsy, and Groark makes a mistake and lets Muggsy take
the blame, the result is a tangle of hard feelings that
nearly brings their friendships to a painful end.

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 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask the first question before viewing.

1. Have you ever let somebody else take the blame for something you did? What
happened? How did the other person feel about it?

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Discussion Questions after Viewing:

1. Who had the main responsibility for taking care

of Renaldo the lizard? (Burna)

2. Why did Burna give Renaldo to Muggsy?

3. Was that fair to Muggsy? Was it right for Burna to do that? Was she acting
responsibly? Was she being a good friend? Why not?

4. When Groark tells Muggsy that he didn't bring the bat, his excuse is "I forgot." Do
you think that forgetting something is always a good excuse. Is it irresponsible? Why,
or why not?

5. When Groark accidentally let Renaldo escape, he tried to cover it up by telling

Muggsy that Renaldo was hiding in the cage. Was that a responsible thing to do?
Why, or why not?

6. Was Groark being fair? Was he being honest? Was he being responsible? Was he
doing the right thing? Was he being a good friend? Why, or why not?

7. Groark has two choices. He can speak up and take responsibility for losing
Renaldo, or he can keep quiet and let Muggsy take the blame. Do you think he knows
which the right thing to do is? If so, why doesn't he do it?

8. What do you think Groark will do? What do you think he should do? Why?

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9. Diotima asked Groark to imagine that his good friend made a
serious mistake and then let Groark take the responsibility.
Was Groark able to imagine that? How did Groark feel about
what his friend did? Did this help Groark think more clearly
about what he had done to Muggsy?

10. Do you think these imaginary situations will help Groark do

the right thing, now and in the future?

11. Have you ever used your imagination to solve a problem, or to predict what might
happen if you did something? Do you think it's a good idea? How did that help you (or,
how could that help you)?

12. What did Groark learn from his visit to The Thinking Place?

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. At the top of this page are some behavioral guidelines for how to be a responsible
person. Write these guidelines on the board. Have the children think of as many
examples of each as they can, and write them on the board. Have a class discussion
about these behaviors. Have the children make posters of these behaviors to put up
around the school.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

2. Take the examples from activity #1, above, and turn them into role-playing
situations. The kids can act them out themselves or use puppets. First, have them
role-play the irresponsible behavior, and then, the responsible behavior. Have the
group critique each of the role-plays.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

3. Have children close their eyes while imagining themselves in a situation you
describe. Make sure it requires them to make choices that are either responsible or
irresponsible. Have them test different choices and describe in detail the
consequences of those choices. The more detailed their descriptions, the more real
the experience will feel to them, and the more they will understand the consequences
of their imagined actions. (Afterwards you might tell them how Albert Einstein used
this technique to create all kinds of theories in math and physics.)

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

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WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

1. How responsible are you? For each of the responsible behaviors listed below, rate
yourself on a scale of one to five (1=awful, and 5=terrific). For each of these behaviors
give an example of how you are either responsible or not.

1 2 3 4 5 Example
I am reliable and dependable ---------------------------------------------------
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I take care of my own business ---------------------------------------------------

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I take responsibility for your actions ---------------------------------------------------

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I use my head ---------------------------------------------------

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2- Write about something you did that was very responsible

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3- Write about someone you think is very irresponsible. What don't you like about that
person?

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4- Write about how it makes you feel when somebody lets you down
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 FOR PARENTS

Dear Parent,

Your child has just viewed a video entitled The Six Pillars of Character:
RESPONSIBILITY which teaches children lessons about responsible and irresponsible
behavior, and shows how being a responsible person leads to good friendships and
positive interpersonal relationships.

Here are some things you can do to reinforce the message of this video and our
related learning activities.

• Ask your child to tell you about the video program and what he or she learned from it.

• Ask your child to show you the page entitled "How to be a Responsible Person."
Discuss the guidelines for responsible behavior on this page. Perhaps post them in a
place where you child will see them often.

• Have a discussion about responsibility in the family. What are your child's
responsibilities (other than chores), and what are your responsibilities? Perhaps make a
chart. What happens if you or your child are irresponsible? How does taking
responsibility make your home a happier place to be?

• Catch your child being responsible. Make sure your child knows he or she has just
done something good. Expressing your approval is a powerful way to reinforce good
behavior.

• Remember, your child is watching what you do. Be sure to

model the kind of responsible behavior you want your child to
adopt.

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14
 Are You a Bully?
(A bully is someone who hurts or makes fun of others)
(Take this self-evaluation and decide for yourself)

True False

Are my actions or words hurting someone

else's feelings?

Are my actions or words hurting someone else

physically or making that person feel afraid?

Would I want someone else to do this to me?

Am I unfairly taking my anger out on

someone?

Am I trying to control someone against his or her will?

I think I am/am not a bully because: _________________

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 HOW NOT TO BE
A BULLY?

Sometimes it is difficult to know what is or is not bullying. Often, actions start

out just being fun, but may at some point actually turn into bullying. If you are
not sure whether something has become bullying, stop and think and consider
the following:

Don't make your actions or words hurt someone else's feelings.

Don't make your actions or words hurt someone physically or make that
person feel afraid.

Remember that you don't want someone else to do this to you.

Don't take your anger out on someone.

Don't try to control someone against his or her will.

THE STORY:
Groark is playing with his friends when Burna and Muggsy
start teasing and picking on Nubbs by stealing his hat. As the
situation escalates Groark gets drawn in, and, before he
realizes it, Groark is picking on his best friend. When Nubbs
calls Groark a bully, Groark doesn't understand what
happened until he learns from a group of real children how
he and the others were being bullies, and how hurtful that
was to Nubbs. Groark returns to the playground, convinces
Burna and Muggsy that they have been cruel and unfair, and
together they apologize to Nubbs.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask the first two questions before viewing:

1. What is a bully?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
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………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Can someone be a bully without meaning to be?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Discussion Questions after Viewing:

3. The kids in the discussion part of the video said that Groark was being a bully. Do you
agree or disagree? Why?

4. What's the difference between bullying and just fooling around?

5. Which of these is bullying (and why)?

• Making fun of somebody's looks. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Chasing away younger kids when they want to play on the swings. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Accidentally bumping into someone in the hall. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Calling people names because of the color of their skin. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Making the other kids play the game your way. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Teasing someone about the clothes he/she wears. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Telling someone that the hat he's wearing doesn't look good on him. Bullying/Not Bullying

• A group of kids won't let you sit with them at lunch even though there's room.

Bullying/Not Bullying

• Telling someone that he or she is not being nice. Bullying/Not Bullying

• Joking with people by "putting them down". Bullying/Not Bullying

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6. When does something become bullying?

7. What can be done to stop bullying at school?

8. What did you learn from this video?

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

1. Using some of the bullying situations listed in the discussion section (above), have
the kids role play or use puppets to act out effective ways to handle those situations.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

2. List different bullying situations on the board. Discuss ways to handle the situations
without fighting. Have the kids role play or use puppets to act out these situations.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

3 Read aloud stories where bullying behavior is demonstrated and discuss how the
characters handle the situation. Decide how the story would be changed if the
situation were handled differently.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

4 Select some students to act as "roving reporters". During recess, lunch or another
selected period of time, have them observe, record, and tabulate how many different
situations, dialogues, or actions demonstrated bullying behaviors. Have them report to
the class and then discuss the results.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

5 Have a brainstorming session to come up with ideas for how to prevent bullying
behavior at your school. Put these ideas into a booklet and pass it out to the other
students.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

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 WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

1. Write a letter to Groark giving him suggestions on how to handle

other bullying situations he might encounter.

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2. Ask family members to share with you
bullying situations they may have experienced
when they were your age. Discuss how those
situations were handled and what happened
because of them. How did they feel about them?

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3. Pick one movie and watch it with your family. Afterward, have a family discussion
about things people did in the program that were examples of bullying behavior. Make
a list of these examples.

Examples of bullying behavior:

1. …………………………………………………………………………………...............

2. …………………………………………………………………………………………...

3. …………………………………………………………………………………………...

4. …………………………………………………………………………………………...

5. …………………………………………………………………………………………...

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FOR PARENTS

Dear Parent,

Your child is learning some

valuable skills which will help him
or her get along well with others,
solve conflicts peacefully, and
avoid violent situations.

The current lesson is about

bullying. We have shown your
child a video entitled "Groark
Learns about Bullying", which presents a puppet show and discussion about what
bullying is and how to be sure we don't ever bully others.

Here are some things you can do to help your child become more aware of
bullying behaviors:

• Ask your child to tell you about the video program and what he or she learned from
it.

• Discuss with your child what bullying is and what kinds of behaviors demonstrate
bullying.

• As you watch television with your child, help him or her identify language, dialogue,
or actions that demonstrate bullying behavior, such as "put downs" in comedy shows.

• As your child deals with bullying situations at home or school, be open to discussing
ways in which he or she can safely handle those situations. Discuss how to avoid
bullying situations.

• Help your child become sensitive to his or her own behaviors or language that may
be of a bullying nature as he or she deals with siblings or friends.

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22
 Are You a Respectful Person?
(Take this self-evaluation and decide for yourself.)

True False
I treat people the way I want to be treated.

I treat people with civility, courtesy, and

dignity.

I am sensitive to other people's feelings.

I never insult people or make fun of them.

I never ridicule or embarrass people.

I never go along with prejudices or racist

attitudes.

I think I am/am not a

respectful person
because:
___________________

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 HOW TO BE
RESPECTFUL??

Treat other people the way you want to be treated.

Be courteous and polite.

Listen to what other people have to say.

Don't insult people, or make fun of them, or call them names.

Don't bully or pick on others.

Don't judge people before you get to know them.

THE STORY:

Burna discovers that name-calling, teasing, and put-

downs are not merely good natured fun. When her
friends ostracize her for treating them disrespectfully
and for bullying a new kid on the playground, Burna
learns that the way to have good friendships is to treat
people the way you would like them to treat you - with
respect.

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 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

If you are using the video, ask the first question before viewing.

1. Are teasing, putdowns, and insults fun or funny?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Questions to ask after showing Act I

2. What do you think of the way Burna treated her friends?

3. What are some of the disrespectful things Burna did while

playing with her friends?

4. Burna justified her rude behavior to her friends by saying that she was just kidding.
Does that make it okay? Why, or why not?

5. Why did Burna want to exclude the new kid from the game? How do you think it
made him feel? Do you think Burna was acting like a bully? In what way?

6. When Burna’s friends walked away from her, everyone, except Muggsy, made up
excuses about why they were leaving. Did it take courage for Muggsy to stand up to
Burna and tell her the truth? Why? Do you think the others were right to lie about their
reasons? Would you think more highly of them if, like Muggsy, they told Burna the real
reason they didn't want to play with her? Why, or why not?

7. Do you think Burna is aware of how other people feel about the way she treats
them? Why?

Questions to ask after showing Act II

8. Why did Socrates ask Burna to throw the boomerang?

What message was written on the boomerang? (What
goes around comes around) What do you think that
means?

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Questions to ask after showing Act III

9. At the beginning of Act 3, Burna's friends told her about four

things she does that they consider disrespectful. What were they?
(see the next four questions)

10. Groark told Burna, "you're always calling us names." What is so bad about name-
calling?

11. Essie told Burna, "I'm tired of all your put-downs. Whenever I make a mistake, you
make fun of me." What is so bad about that?

12. Nubbs told Burna, "it bothers me that you never listen to what anybody else has to
say." What is so bad about that?

13. Muggsy told Burna, "when we're playing, and new kids want to join in, you leave
them out instead of including them." What is so bad about that?

14. Did Burna learn anything about being more respectful? How can you tell?

15. What did the message on the boomerang mean? (The way you treat others is the
way they'll treat you.) What does that have to do with respect?
Here are some general discussion questions about respect.

General questions about respect:

16. Is there anything you dislike about the way people

treat each other here at school? Do you know of any
disrespectful behavior? Describe it. How do you feel
about it?

17. What do you like most about the way people treat
each other here at school? Does it have anything to
do with respect?

18. How can treating people with respect prevent fights?

19. When you are with a group of kids, what things might other kids do or say that
make you feel good? What things make you feel bad?

20. How does treating people with respect affect your friendships?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. What does it mean to treat other people with

respect? Have your class brainstorm a list of do's
and don'ts for treating people with respect. Ask for
specific examples of each behavior they identify.
Compare their list with the one at the top of this
page. Hang the list up on the wall as a reminder.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

2. Make a class contract in which the kids lay out a set of rules for having a respectful
classroom. What will be the penalties for violating the rules?

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

3. Brainstorm ways to make your school environment more respectful. Create a list of
recommendations, and place them in your school newspaper or on a poster.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

4. Have the kids role play or use puppets to act out the following situation: Four good
friends are planning to spend a day at an amusement park. Two of them want to invite
another kid who's new in school. The other two don't want to include this person
because he/she is different in some way (different race, a "dweeb," from a foreign
country, etc.). After the role play have a class discussion. Then, have four others do
another role play changing what it is that's different about the new kid. Repeat this
process changing the difference each time.

Do you like this activity? YES/ NO

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WRITING ASSIGNMENTS :

1. Watch a movie or TV show and write about

how the characters treated each other. In what
ways were they respectful or disrespectful? Give
some specific examples.

…………………………………………………………
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2. Draw a picture of Max, and write a description of him. Tell how you would treat him
if he wanted to join in a game with you and your friends.

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6. Are kids ever picked on at your school? What do they get picked on about (height,
weight, appearance, disability, accent, skin color, etc.)? Exactly how are they picked
on? How do you think these kids feel about this? How do you feel about it?

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7. In what ways do you treat people with respect? Are there any ways in which you
don't?

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Dear Parent,

Your child has just viewed a video entitled The Six Pillars of Character:
RESPECT which depicts and identifies respectful and disrespectful behavior, and
teaches that treating people with respect leads to good friendships and positive
interpersonal relationships.

Here are some things you can do to reinforce the message of this video and our
related learning activities.
• Ask your child to tell you about the video program and what he or she learned from
it.

• Talk with your child about the importance of treating other people with respect. Make
sure he/she knows that it is important to you, and that it will lead to stronger
friendships.

• Watch a television program together, and talk about the various ways in which the
characters acted respectfully or disrespectfully towards one another. Watch for put-
downs, insults, and subtle forms of bullying.

• Help your child become sensitive to his or her own behaviors or language that may
be of a disrespectful nature, as he or she deals with siblings or friends

• Remember that you are a powerful role model for your child.
If you treat people respectfully, that is what your child will
learn from you.

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 PROGRAM GOALS
RESPONSIBILITY:

THIS VIDEO PROGRAM TEACHES CHILDREN:

What responsibility is, and what a responsible person does,

Why it is a good thing to be a responsible person,

How being irresponsible can harm friendships,

How to solve problems by thinking.

BULLYING:
THIS PROGRAM TEACHES CHILDREN:
To recognize different forms of bullying behavior.

What is wrong with being a bully.

Why they should never participate in bullying behaviors.

RESPECT:
THIS VIDEO PROGRAM TEACHES CHILDREN:

How to be respectful people,

That insults and put-downs are not just good natured fun,

That treating people with respect makes better friendships,

That bullying is a very hurtful form of disrespect,

The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want them to treat you.

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