Character education programs usually include lessons on those character traits considered basic by a committee within a given school district. They may acquire their list of character traits in any of several ways, but the list is normally fairly short.
Ask me about “no name-calling.” “No name-calling” does not appear on the list. It is not, of course, a character trait, but it is a major desire of parents and educators.
STOP and imagine how wonderful it would be if you never again had to say – or shout, “No name-calling!” You who teach in schools rather than homes, ask yourself this key question. Even if you accomplished nothing else in your character education course, wouldn’t it be worth making the course a priority simply to bring an end to name-calling?
If you read this blog regularly, you know that name-calling was on my mind when I wrote the blog two days ago. You know it was so much on my mind that I took time to write a full lesson plan, complete with activities, to help parents and teachers fight the problem. “Character Education Focuses on Name-Calling” is available to everyone at no cost throughout the month of January. After that, it will be moved to our premium membership site – still available, but to members only.
My point is this. I’m trying to do something to help. Name-calling is a problem that can be solved. It not only can be solved, but it needs to be solved. We don’t need more politicians shouting names back and forth across the aisles of Congress. We don’t need one party labeling the other with a negative phrase simply to garner votes for the first party. We don’t need more back-stabbing business people labeling colleagues in order to make self look better. You can probably think of many other name-calling that we need to stop, but it won’t be stopped until we stop it among young people. And we won’t stop it until we fight it.
When “no name-calling” meets character education, you can win the battle – if you make it a high priority. When “no name-calling” meets a good character education program, you’ll see results within the first 24 hours. The fact of the matter is, many of the young people with whom you work would rather not abuse others verbally, but they don’t have solid options. They know that if you step in, you may buffet them with a few angry words, but when it’s over, their peer group will accept them with a standing ovation of laughter. Your anger is a small price to pay for that acceptance. You, meanwhile, will try to win by increasing the quantity and harshness of your words, but still find yourself on the losing side. In a worst-case scenario, you may find yourself applying a few of your own labels to the name-callers, in which case, you are crossing over to the enemy’s side.
I’m passionate about winning the war on name-calling because of my forty plus years in the field of education. As a teacher, and then as a principal, I had to deal with many cases of name-calling, and the only way I found to actually conquer the practice was to meet it head-on with strong character education. That’s what I’d like to help you do.
I hope you will take advantage of the complimentary lesson plan I prepared, and enjoy the benefits.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?