superteacher

Without God how can children be raised to be good people?  Courts have upheld the separation of church and state, especially when it deals with public schools and religious teachings.  Therefore, we cannot teach the 10 Commandments or the teachings of Jesus.  Instead teachers must focus on Reading, Writing, and Arithmatic.  Teamwork and good sportsmanship were relagated to classes such as physical education.  But, with many schools pressured to cancel such classes due to financial or standardized test demands students are not getting taught how to be good people.

A great way that you can instill good character in students is through teaching them to do good deeds.  I have usually orchestrated this through my Social Studies or Writing curriculum.  I teach them all about the Acts of Random Kindness (ARKs) plan.  Every week my second, third, and fourth graders need to do something extra special for someone.  This may include helping to cook and clean without being asked, making sure a buddy gets his work done, or donating a few coins into one of the charity collection cups you find at the checkout counter at stores.  Aftewards, they must write about their experience in great detail focusing on what they did, how it made them feel, and any other thoughts they have about doing that deed.  My students illustrate these pages and I have collected them into a book to be presented to them at their graduation. 

Next year your students won’t remember how to divide fractions, the life cycle of a fish, or the central conflict of Tom Sawyer.  That really doesn’t bother me too much.  What I really hope they never forget is how to do small unexpected positive things and that they have the power to make the world better.  With so much violence, pollution, and hatred in the world students must remember these two things or nothing will get better.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS