RESPONSIBILITY

Creating the Climate

1. Bring awareness to the fact that responsibility makes demands on us all. Are there responsible people who don’t meet the expectation of standards, laws, and mores?
2. Are we accountable for what we do and what we are? Describe such a person without using the word "responsible".
3. Be responsible yourself! Determine to be accountable for your words and actions. Determine not to make excuses but hold to the line of truth inwardly and outwardly.
4. Be punctual. When you are kept waiting for an appointment, how does it make you feel? Is the late person more important than the person who is on time? How does this relate to one’s perception of self worth?
5. Responsibility means pursuing excellence in all you do.
6. Should one do more than is expected in a given circumstance? On what basis would one do more?
7. If I as a responsible person have the freedom to make choices, does that mean I am answerable for the choices I make?
8. How does the principle of responsibility play into choosing to honor or degrade the principles that give life meaning and purpose? Explain fully!
9. Can self-restraint have any place in the picture of a responsible person?
10. If a person is responsible for self will he/she be accountable, diligent, and committed to continuous self-improvement as a person?
11. Develop classroom rules, which, if followed, will demonstrate responsibility.
12. Decorate the room inside and out with character words, which best support, the concept of being responsible. (Accountability, self-control, excellence, punctuality.)
13. Have the class call out responsibilities they think necessary in acquiring an orderly classroom-society. Write them on the board. Transfer them to index cards. Shuffle them. Let each student pick a card and carry out the assignment for the week. Hold them to it!
14. Have a medallion painted or covered with gold tinsel. [Like an Olympic gold medal] Make a presentation to the student who best fits the responsibility value. Then, have that person present the medal to the one he sees as most responsible that week in the classroom community. [This teaches fairness and caring too].
15. Recognize self-control in a student. Commend students for pursuit of excellence, doing their part, punctuality, or, doing more than is required. [Walking the second mile].
    

Infusting the Character Quality

1. As you teach your discipline be sensitive for specific examples which demonstrate responsible behavior [pursuit of excellence, accountability, self-control, doing your part, punctuality] in math, literature, or historical accounts.
2. Be sensitive to irresponsible examples in these same areas and list ways a person could have reversed their example. For example, what if they had been more accountable, had more self-control, etc.?
3. Have the students list six areas of responsibility on the board as it relates to the classroom society. Have a space under each. As a student sees another behaving a specific area have them come forward, write the person’s name under the principle, and explain to the class why they choose to do so.
4. Focus on responsibility for an entire month.
5. Have the students choose a song that most demonstrates the principle of responsibility. Have them discuss the lyrics of the song. Explaining the shades of meaning the songwriter brought out depicting the principle of responsibility.
6. Have a "Wisdom Week". Have each student bring at least two sayings by famous people on responsibility.

Contributed by Peggy Adkins