FAIRNESS

Creating the Climate

1. Have an open intimate talk about fairness and how it relates to the worth of an individual.
2. Make sure they understand the definition of the word, particularly as it relates to equality, impartiality, openness, and due process.
3. Divide an apple dividing it unequally in size. Offer it to two people. Ask them if it represents fairness. Ask the one who received the smaller piece how it made them feel emotionally, and, with reference to personal dignity, to be treated this way.
4. Then, create two sides each representing a particular tribe or nation. Play the role that they have had their land restored, but one area is larger than the other. Relate it to former Yugoslavia.
5. Have the students, under the guidance of the teachers, establish guidelines they all agree to representing fairness. Ask that they record the numerous times fairness has entered the picture in particular school matters. Discuss these at the end of the week.
6. Use these guidelines the following week in reference to showing fairness towards the principal, staff, teachers, and office workers.
7. Decorate the room inside and out with definitions of fairness displaying art concepts depicting equity, standards, rules, and an appropriate measure.
8. Have the class create sayings about fairness. Publish them.
9. Create dilemmas among children 1st to 5th grade and ask older children how they would settle the matter fairly.
10. Create a standard in a given discipline, say sports. Expect all to reach the same standard. Discuss what it would be in reference to fairness to expect all to perform outside their personal ability. Have them demonstrate through playing a musical instrument.
11. How does fairness relate to social differences in people? Explain and illustrate through current newspaper articles.
12. Develop a standard. Give everyone the same opportunity to reach the standard. Reward everyone equally who attains his or her respective standard.
13. What of social-economic inequality that is in the world? How does it relate to fairness? If a man wears a white cloth in India does it mean that he is poor? Am I better because I wear a double-breasted suit? How does the principle of fairness relate to this?
    

Infusting the Character Quality

1. Focus on fairness for an entire month.
2. Divide up the class into teams. Challenge each team to create a simple game, which demonstrates fairness. Set standards for the production of the game. [Much in the same way a teacher sets standards for a writing or math assignment] Measure each game in line with the standards. Hold to fairness. [Give the games to lower grades to play].
3. Have teams of students create posters, displays, or bulletin boards. Each must submit a paper illustrating the intended exhibit. Provide each team with different supplies for the project. Then discuss alternative, fair strategies for distributing supplies for the project.
4. Write a play or skit about fairness. Use puppets. Perform it for a lower grade.

Contributed by Peggy Adkins