One of my greatest passions in the classroom is building a student’s character by taking the time to know my students. I live for the “teachable moment” – some more frequent than others. Sometimes you can’t wait for a teachable moment, however, and need authentic ways of talking about character. Read-alouds are wonderful ways to do this, but sometimes a video provides another level of engagement and meaning that is necessary to further the discussion. I’ve compiled seven videos that support teaching the seven character traits I teach in my own classroom. You may recognize them from my classroom management system, Clippin’ for Character.
Caring
In the classroom, caring can mean many things. In my classroom (and in my character education units), I loosely define “caring” as displaying compassion, kindness, and grace to all we encounter. The below video from Life Vest Inside (a great organization!) is a perfect way to show how a single act of compassion, kindness, and grace creates a ripple effect – or what they call a “kindness boomerang.” I like to have students see if they can catch all the examples of having a caring character in a single viewing; we then re-watch to catch any we miss and briefly discuss each. This is a particularly good conversation starter because all of these examples are real-world and opportunities to display a caring character in their own lives and communities!
Fairness
In the classroom, fairness is a frequently discussed topic – particularly in the primary grades. It’s also one of the toughest character traits to develop, and requires repeated practice. I know that sounds silly, but truly, we have to really practice being fair – and it often requires guided practice on the part of teachers {speaking of which – this video is a wonderful one to share with colleagues to get that dialogue started}. In my classroom, I loosely define “fairness” as being open to new ideas or perspectives, sharing resources, and treating others equally. I like this particular animated short because it opens up a number of conversations with guiding questions: What does it mean to be open-minded? Can sharing mean more than just things, but also time, and friendship? How can I recognize inequality?
Respect
We often think of respect as being “compliance” in the classroom – following directions, being quiet, etc. I like to focus on respect in a more global sense. In my classroom, I loosely define “respect” as using manners, resolving conflicts peacefully, and considering others’ feelings when we speak or act. One of my favorite videos to use when talking about respect is the Pixar short Boundin’. I like using this particular video because it shows a stark contrast between disrespect and empowerment. It is a great way to have students think about consciously choosing to consider others’ feelings and empower them rather than disrespect them.
Responsibility
We often think of “responsibility” in our classrooms as we do respect – in terms of completing assignments, remembering things from home, etc. I, again, like to think more globally about the concept of being responsible. I also like to tie responsibility to not just being responsible for yourself, but being responsible to others. In my classroom, I loosely define “responsibility” as being prepared to learn, holding ourselves accountable in our words and deeds, and always giving our personal best. Students respond to the idea of responsibility in particular when we think about beyond the task level – they feel empowered to make better choices and strive to meet their potential. This video is a true discussion starter, and I guarantee it won’t take students long to exclaim – “Why don’t they just walk up the stairs?” This is a wonderful way to have students think about how they are in charge of empowering themselves and taking ownership of their lives!
Perseverance
This trait is hard. It’s hard on purpose. When we persevere, we grow. But that growth is often painful and accompanied by so many opportunities for an “out.” For students, perseverance will vary wildly. What comes “easy” for some seems near impossible to others. This isn’t just academic – socially, emotionally… Perseverance is hard. But it is important because it’s an indicator of future success. To persevere, even in the “small” moments is to persevere over the long-term. In my class, I loosely define “perseverance” as striving for excellence in the face of adversity, and never giving up on a goal. While there are many real-world videos you could watch for this trait (like this timely Olympic one), I really love the animated short “Soar” by Alyce Tzue. Its wordless nature makes for great discussion {and connections with literacy – inferring!}, and the message is pure perseverance – with a side of caring.
Trustworthiness
Ah, trustworthiness. Like fairness, this is one that requires a lot of guided practice. It also requires lots of community-building, as trustworthiness is important on so many levels in your classroom – not just between you and the students, but between the students and each other. In my classroom, I loosely define “trustworthiness” as being honest in your actions and words, loyal to your friends, and doing the right thing especially when it’s hard. I’m going to cheat in this video selection, as it’s not a video as much as it is a read-aloud. The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth is one of my favorite texts of all time; the message, based on a work by Leo Tolstoy, moves me to tears each time I read it. The read-aloud video is a wonderful way to touch of two of the hardest parts of trustworthiness: loyalty… especially when it is not easy to do “right.”
Citizenship
A culture of community – that’s really what we strive to foster in our classrooms. That requires citizenship, which is the “spine” of all of the rest of the trait… a desire to do and be better for others. In my classroom, I loosely define “citizenship” as being a team player, helping to make decisions, and obey community rules. I prioritize helping to make decisions over obeying rules, as my hope is always that “doing the right thing” will be self-directed; the more students invest in our community, the more they dedicate themselves to doing right by their community. The final video I have to share with you is about geese. Yes, geese. When I first heard of this analogy I was speechless; it’s so simple. One of my classroom themes this year is “fly in a V” – a reminder to stay together and be there for one another.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed watching these videos, and I want to state for the record that I won’t be reimbursing anyone for Kleenex. In researching this I went through an two entire boxes of Kleenex in the course of a few hours. Character education isn’t just surface-level, it’s deep-strikes-you-at-your-core stuff. I hope that with these videos to jumpstart your classroom focus on character you are able to grow your student’s character this school year… the impact it will have on them will last a lifetime. The time is always right to be better.
If you’d like to read more about how I manage my classroom by focusing on these seven traits, please read my blog posts here and here. You can purchase my positive behavior management system, Clippin’ for Character, in my TeachersPayTeachers store.
