The Living Values series offers a variety of experiential activities for teachers and parents to help them teach children and young adults to develop twelve critical social values: cooperation, freedom, happiness, honesty, humility, love, peace, respect, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance and unity. In each book, these twelve values are explored using age-appropriate lessons that incorporate group discussions, reading, quiet reflection time, songs, artwork and action-oriented activities.

These lessons are already in use in more than 1,000 locations in sixty-two countries. Pilot results indicate that students are enthusiastic and teachers report a decrease in aggressive behavior and more motivated students. The Living Values Educational Program was born when twenty educators from around the world gathered at UNICEF Headquarters in New York in 1996 to discuss the needs of children and how to better prepare students for lifelong success. These global educators identified the curriculum and the program was ready for piloting in February of 1997.

Respect Reflection Points

• Respect is feeling good about myself
• Respect is knowing I am unique and valuable
• Respect is valuing meself.
• Respect is knowing I am lovable and capable.
• Respect is liking who I am.
• Respect is listening to others.
• Respect is knowing others are valuable, too.
• Respect is treating others nicely.
  

Respect Unit

Goal: To increase the experience of self-respect.
Objectives:

• To state something good that they do with their hands.
• To enjoy the Respect Star exercise, as demonstrated by sitting quietly during it and appearing happy to do so.
• To identify the self as lovable and capable.
• For each child to name two or more positive qualities about himself or herself.

Goal: To increase knowledge about respect.
Objectives:

• To be able to talk about one or more Respect Points.
• To share a story about respect through words or a picture.

Goal: To build respectful relationship skills.
Objectives:

• To tell a classmate one or two positive qualities the child sees in him or her.
• To give respect to others by listening to others when they are speaking, as demonstrated by being able to listen to others during the values discussion time.
  
• To identify and make a picture of nice behaviors toward others.
• To speak with respect to teachers and peers during conflict resolution exercises.
  

Respect Lessons

Respect Reflection Points can be used to help define the value. They are often used as the first focus during values time or can be a discussion point as part of language arts. Ask the children to share their thoughts and experiences. With very young children, the teacher may wish to use a hand puppet to share the Respect Points. It is a perfect time to positively reinforce listening, as one of the definitions used for respect is listening to others.

For five- through seven-year-olds, the teacher may choose to use some of the words and sentences as content for reading, spelling and writing. As the students continue with the unit, they can create their own Respect Points. They can then draw or write those or make up short stories.

Respect Lesson 1

Mirror, Mirror

Discuss the following Respect Reflection Points:

• Respect is knowing I am unique and valuable. (The teacher will need to define the words uniqueùone of a kind; you are the only you-and valuable.)
• Respect is knowing I am lovable and capable.

Teacher Preparation: Place a mirror in a corner of the room with a curtain around it.

Mirror, Mirror Activity: Tell the children there is someone very special they can see. The child they will see is sweet and strong and loved. This child is unique and very valuable. Tell the children they can meet this person.

Tell the children you want them not to tell each other about who they saw behind the curtain until everyone has had the chance to see. If there is only a small group of children, wait until each child has had a turn to look behind the curtain.

Discuss

Listen to their reaction about seeing their own reflection in the mirror. Repeat the Respect Reflection Points that each one is unique and valuable, and respect is knowing I am lovable and capable.

ùContributed by Dominique Ache

Activity

Arrange for each child to make a star with his or her name on it and the words lovable and capable. They can cut, color and decorate their stars. Use materials that are availableùperhaps some glitter.

¬2001. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Living Values Activitiets for Children Ages 3-7 by Diane Tillman and Diana Hsu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications,3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.