Modeling Responsible Behavior

From the desk of Leigh Ann . . .

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.”  –  Denis Waitley

We can scold, plead, and beg for responsible behavior, but the truth is, if we don’t demonstrate it each day, our students won’t either.  Children seem to pick up on what we say, do, and feel – more readily than they listen to the sermons we preach.  Kids do not come pre-programmed with responsible behaviors and don’t want to hear a list of things they shouldn’t do, so making good choices is something to be learned, and we are the models.  Teachers must actively demonstrate how responsible behavior looks, how it sounds, and how it positively affects the classroom climate.

So – how do we teach responsibility?  When we are on time, we show the importance of punctuality.  When we respect the rights of others, we show we care about them.  When we clean up our messes, we show we respect our property.  In big and small ways each day, we model what it means to be a responsible citizen.

• Practice the Golden Rule – Treat others the way you want to be treated.  Children are very “me-centric,” so reminding them to think about how they would feel may help in developing respect and empathy for others. After all – we are the ones responsible for what we say and do, so we can strive to use kind words and actions to show respect for each other.
• R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Just like Aretha sings.)  Not only do we need to respect each other, we need to respect our property and the property of others.  Make a conscious effort to take care of our things and our surroundings.
• Strive to be Punctual – Getting things done when we say we will, being on time, respecting the time of others shows dependability.
• Persevere – Work is part of life and it can be difficult, but it can also be very meaningful and rewarding.  Help students develop positive attitudes towards completing tasks and remind them not to give up.  Model what to do when things are tricky and value persistence.  We cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can control the attitudes we have when dealing with them.
• Actively Listen – One way to show we respect others is to give the gift of listening.  Help students learn to focus on what is being said and give eye contact to the speaker.  They will be amazed at how much more they will retain and understand in the process. (The speaker will feel more valued too.)
• Do What is Right (Make it a Habit) – It is easy to cut corners or to leave a mess when no one is watching, but we should simply teach our students do the right thing because it is the right thing to do – not just because we are watching.  We don’t just obey the law when an officer is around.  We have laws and rules to keep us safe.  Instill the importance of knowing and doing what is right – even when no one else is watching.

Responsibility is a big concept and should be an integral part of our children’s learning each day.  Our goal is to teach the “whole child” and prepare our students to be productive and responsible citizens.  After all – it is the responsible thing to do.