Students who are PRINCIPLED have a sense of fairness and are honest with themselves and with others. They understand that sometimes there are rules and they follow them. They have an understanding of moral reasoning.
How can parents help to develop students who are Principled?
1. Involve your child in deciding on the rules for a game or activity and then ensure that they stick to the ones that have been decided upon.
2. Encourage your child to play games that involve teams. Discuss with your child the qualities of a team player. What sort of person would they want on their team?
3. When your child wins a game insist that he or she is a well mannered winner. They might thank their opponent or shake hands with them if it's appropriate.
4. When playing a game, don't change the rules or let your child win. Being a gracious loser is just as important as being a good winner.
5. Talk with your child about why they think they are a person who is principled using, "I think I am/am not a person of principles because..."
6. For older students, have your child make a list of their principles, or your most basic beliefs, that would not be compromised no matter what. Now have them select one; write about a time where they did something courageous by standing up for this principle.
7. For older students, have your child identify someone in public life they think has demonstrated a lack of principles. Talk about what they think of his/her behavior and what he/she should do to shape up.
8. For older students, write a letter to someone in the news whose principles have impressed you.
9. Talk about what it means to "compromise your principles." Give examples. Talk about what the phrase "Let your life speak" means.
10. Talk about what it means to "walk your talk." Brainstorm people who are positive and negative examples of this phrase..
11. Catch your child being principled. Make sure your child knows he/she has done something good. Expressing your approval is a powerful way to reinforce the profiles.
12. Allowing children to reflect on their own experiences is probably the best step toward creating principled children. Talk about decisions they make throughout their day that relate to the idea of being a principled person-at recess, their learning, during specials, with friends and teachers, at lunch, and so on.
13. When a child is reading, ask, "What does this story tell us about ourselves? What does it tell us about others? How will
this knowledge change our thinking and actions?"
14. When a child makes a poor choice, allow them to understand why the choice wasn't the best one. Ask them whether other people in their environment are impacted by their actions, decisions, and choices. Discuss alternative choices for future situations. Discussions like this will allow your child to gradually learn what is fair, honest, just, and socially acceptable.
Am I Principled?
Self-assessment is necessary when speaking of being a principled person. Here are questions for us to use to ponder as we ask ourselves, "Am I a principled person?":
* Do we always try to do what is right, even when it's costly or difficult?
* Are we true to ourselves and others?
* Do we live up to the highest ethical standards?
* Do we compromise our values and give in to temptation?
* Do we take responsibility for what goes on in our community?
* Do we do our part for the common good?
* Do we help take care of the environment?
* Do we participate in community service?
* Do we make decisions without favoritism?
* Do we do the right thing even when no one is looking and we are guaranteed to not get caught?
