RESPECT

Creating the Climate

1. Be careful to have it understood by all that this word primarily has to do with the worth of people!
2. That respectfulness of people focuses on honoring the worth and dignity of all individuals.
3. That it is demonstrated by showing politeness to parents, school officials, teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers, secretaries, and staff.
4. Celebrate the uniqueness of individuals in your school, and discuss the theme of "strength through differences." Demonstrate how your class is stronger due to these differences. That this is a uniqueness in America’s existence; that it is a cross cultural nation.
5. Have the students 1] define respect, dignity, privacy, courtesy, individuality, and uniqueness, 2] research historical people who demonstrated these qualities, 3] display their particular ethical feature with classroom decorations of such.
6. Have them bring a fresh egg to class. Ask them to respectfully carry the egg with them and know where it is at all times, in school and out. Have students call asking accountability for the egg. Point: If you know how to take care of an egg which represents the reproduction of life you may know how to take care of people by showing them respect for their personhood.
7. Develop classroom guidelines for character procedures while in class. This should include classroom manners and behaviors, which create a special, small, classroom size community thus helping maintain dignity and demonstrating appreciation for the individuality of others.
8. Students should be encouraged to bring and share articles in the press at large, which demonstrate the classroom ethic of civility, courtesy, decency, autonomy, tolerance, and acceptance.

Infusting the Character Quality

1. Concentrate on respect for an entire month making sure your students understand civility, decency, autonomy, tolerance, and acceptance. Prepare a composite of pictures of each person in the class. Have it headed: "People I Respect." Let each one choose someone each day and explain to the class something that encourages respect from them in reference to that person.
2. Prepare a "Radiating Respect" bulletin board, with a large shining sun. Add student’s photos when they are perceived to be respectful of others in the class. Give them extra recess time or a similar special privilege.
3. Have a "Character Redemptive Store". Have a local business fill it with pencils, color books, toiletries, paper clips, book marks, all tied into the theme of character. [These can be ordered from CHARACTER COUNTS!] When a child does something commendable, ethics-wise give them a character coupon. They can save them up to purchase the character article they desire.
4. Complete the "Weekly Check List" at home during the week. Have it signed by parents to validate it. Receive extra credit at school.
5. Have a "Manners Workshop". Invite an owner of a local restaurant to come in and give a short lecture on the importance of manners, especially in a restaurant. Arrange for their manners to be shown as they eat a special meal together.
6. Without the class knowing, have a video made of the class at a special function. Show it in class and have them explain ways they could have been more mannerly and respectful of each other at the event.
7. Based on the same video, have them make observations of alternative manners, which would have disproved respectfulness at the occasion.
8. Create skits that demonstrate all the wrong manners, which demonstrate to all disrespectfulness.
9. Have a skit that shows the opposite to number 9.
10. Let the class agree on the melody of a song and learn it well. Divide the class into groups and have each group write character words to go with the melody. Let each group perform their song. Let an independent group choose a winner.
11. Have a "Funny Poem Week". The idea is through satire or humor to display the concept of respectfulness.

Contributed by Peggy Adkins