Trustworthiness
Being a person of integrity;
being honest, loyal, and reliable
Superstar Recognition!
These students were superstars who showed great TRUSTWORTHINESS!
They each were awarded a high five. WAY TO GO!!!
These students were superstars who showed great TRUSTWORTHINESS!
They each were awarded a high five. WAY TO GO!!!
Guidance Classes:
In guidance classes we focus on the four components of building trust:
Integrity - Standing up for your beliefs and doing what is right even when it is difficult
Honesty - Telling the truth and admitting mistakes
Loyalty - Being a good friend and protecting those things that are important to you; keeping promises
Reliability - Doing what you said you would do and following through
To help with explanation and definitions, we use books and activities described below.
Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big By: Berkely Breathed
In this story, a young boy fibs about breaking his mom's glass pig and has to watch as the fib grows and grows until it affects the entire planet! Finally, his sister shows her loyalty by defending her brother and together they have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
I Did It, I'm Sorry By: Caralyn Buehner
This is a fun quiz book with a variety of vignettes and What Should They Do? questions. The answers are hidden in the neat pictures and students love looking to see if they knew how to demonstrate trustworthiness.
Jenga Trust Tower
Students have the opportunity to add a piece to the trust tower by telling Mrs. Abel how they plan to be more trustworthy. Mrs. Abel times how long it takes to build the trust tower. Then she pulls out a jenga piece one by one exemplifying what happens if trust is broken and the students don't do the trustworthy acts they stated previously. Obviously the tower falls very quickly. This helps model the amount of time it takes to build trust in comparison to how quickly it can break. This is a great interactive representation!
What Would You Do Cubes?
Posted on four cubes are various scenarios that students face everyday that challenge their trustworthy character. Students take turns rolling and answering what they would do. They can also use teamwork to develop and discuss solutions. Great teambuilding activity that helps them think ahead.
Chain of Trust
Students write down an example of how they can show honesty in school, at home, or in their community on a small 1X9 slip of construction paper. As they finish writing they thread the paper through another link (made by the teacher) and glue the ends of the paper together interlocking the circles to make a chain. The follow up discussion then incorporates how easily this chain could be broken if even one link ripped. An explanation of how dishonest acts are like broken links in the chain of trust. When all done, it makes a great visual reminder hanging in the classroom.
At Home:
Young kids can have a hard time understanding the concept of trustworthiness, but there are several ways to teach and model right at home. These ideas have been compiled from several Character Counts sources and are age appropriate activities to help our children develop trustworthiness. It is difficult for kids to understand the difference between a little white lie and a big lie. Most are at stage in moral development where right and wrong is determined by whether or not they are going to get "caught" and therefore it is extra important as adults to stress the reasoning behind telling the truth even if it means getting in trouble by admitting to a mistake. Therefore, as parents, it is important to punish for the error but not the honesty.
Please remember that you are your child's most important role model.
Young kids can have a hard time understanding the concept of trustworthiness, but there are several ways to teach and model right at home. These ideas have been compiled from several Character Counts sources and are age appropriate activities to help our children develop trustworthiness. It is difficult for kids to understand the difference between a little white lie and a big lie. Most are at stage in moral development where right and wrong is determined by whether or not they are going to get "caught" and therefore it is extra important as adults to stress the reasoning behind telling the truth even if it means getting in trouble by admitting to a mistake. Therefore, as parents, it is important to punish for the error but not the honesty.
Please remember that you are your child's most important role model.
Someone Sees You Folktale | |
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The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Tell Aesop's Fable about the boy who lied repeatedly and how this affected others ability to trust him when it truly is an emergency.
Tell Aesop's Fable about the boy who lied repeatedly and how this affected others ability to trust him when it truly is an emergency.
Building Charater with TV Characters
Watch a television program together and note the name, actions, and whether or not this showed integrity, honesty, loyalty, and reliability. Discuss what actions did or did not demonstrate a trustworthy person of character.
Watch a television program together and note the name, actions, and whether or not this showed integrity, honesty, loyalty, and reliability. Discuss what actions did or did not demonstrate a trustworthy person of character.
Pinnochio
Watch Pinnochio or read the story with your child and discuss the consequences of lying and unconditional love offered by a parent. Great time to mention that you will always be in less trouble and that is why "Honesty is the Best Policy".
Watch Pinnochio or read the story with your child and discuss the consequences of lying and unconditional love offered by a parent. Great time to mention that you will always be in less trouble and that is why "Honesty is the Best Policy".
The Small Town of Liesville
Write or draw a picture about a town where everybody lies and cheats. Imagine what it might be like to go to the grocery story. How would you be able to tell if your purchases were weighed properly? Maybe labeled boxes of cereal actually contained broccoli. We wouldn't know if the math facts our teachers were teaching are correct. Nobody would be on time for things because people would lie about what time events started if they happened at all. Think of ways that we depend on others to be trustworthy.
Write or draw a picture about a town where everybody lies and cheats. Imagine what it might be like to go to the grocery story. How would you be able to tell if your purchases were weighed properly? Maybe labeled boxes of cereal actually contained broccoli. We wouldn't know if the math facts our teachers were teaching are correct. Nobody would be on time for things because people would lie about what time events started if they happened at all. Think of ways that we depend on others to be trustworthy.
Paying Bills
Have your child sit with you while you pay bills. Discuss how businesses provide a service and trust that it will be paid for on time. It demonstrates integrity and reliability by making this responsible choice.
Have your child sit with you while you pay bills. Discuss how businesses provide a service and trust that it will be paid for on time. It demonstrates integrity and reliability by making this responsible choice.
Rentals
Next time you check out library books or a movie, talk to your child about how you are making a promise to return the books/movies in the same condition and do so promptly. If possible, see about getting your child a library card of their own.
Next time you check out library books or a movie, talk to your child about how you are making a promise to return the books/movies in the same condition and do so promptly. If possible, see about getting your child a library card of their own.
Promise Star
Explain that a promise is not something to be taken lightly. Ask how he/she feels when someone makes a promise and doesn't keep it. Explain that forgetting is not an excuse and breaks trust. Brainstorm ways to help remember when we say we are going to do something. Cut out a star shape from paper or cardboard and let your child decorate it. When it is completed, hang it in a location where your child will see it to help them remember a promise that he/she was asked to keep. It may go well next to a chore chart or simply on a door to remind everyone about promises.
Explain that a promise is not something to be taken lightly. Ask how he/she feels when someone makes a promise and doesn't keep it. Explain that forgetting is not an excuse and breaks trust. Brainstorm ways to help remember when we say we are going to do something. Cut out a star shape from paper or cardboard and let your child decorate it. When it is completed, hang it in a location where your child will see it to help them remember a promise that he/she was asked to keep. It may go well next to a chore chart or simply on a door to remind everyone about promises.
Loyal Friends
Demonstrate loyalty to friends by maintaining connections with your own friends and family. Pick a time to sit down with your child and write notes, letters, or emails to people who live far away or that you may have not talked to recently. Use construction paper and home materials (magazines, markers, tissue paper, etc) to make a notecard for your child and let him/her decorate the notecard for that person.
Demonstrate loyalty to friends by maintaining connections with your own friends and family. Pick a time to sit down with your child and write notes, letters, or emails to people who live far away or that you may have not talked to recently. Use construction paper and home materials (magazines, markers, tissue paper, etc) to make a notecard for your child and let him/her decorate the notecard for that person.
To Share or Not To Share
When talking about loyalty for friends, this is an opportune time to sit down with your child and talk to him/her about secrets we can't keep. Make sure to explain that it is not breaking trust if a friend is being hurt, in danger, or facing an inappropriately scary situation. Comfort your child, explain how there are times to tell an adult and reiterate how this actually makes him/her a loyal friend. Keep an open mind to anything that your child may want to share with you at this time.
When talking about loyalty for friends, this is an opportune time to sit down with your child and talk to him/her about secrets we can't keep. Make sure to explain that it is not breaking trust if a friend is being hurt, in danger, or facing an inappropriately scary situation. Comfort your child, explain how there are times to tell an adult and reiterate how this actually makes him/her a loyal friend. Keep an open mind to anything that your child may want to share with you at this time.