A lack of character results in bullying in elementary school. School personnel should know this, but many do not. That’s one reason bullying continues in spite of common character education efforts.
Character education, in many schools, is a matter of glossing over general meanings, having a skit or other activity, and moving on to science and mathematics. Character traits are taught to one degree or another, but are seldom applied thoroughly. How can they be when character education is in the hands of a guidance counselor who must visit every classroom during the month? There is little time to present character traits, and no time to immerse students in the definitions. There is no time to make character traits appealing to children. There is no time to make them want personally to embrace character traits and put them into action.
Bullying is a persistent problem in schools, and it can be stopped through character education, but we must believe that first.
Some educators argue that character education is not the way to stop elementary bullying. Some “proven” ways, say educators, include: encouraging those who are bullied to tell an adult; encouraging bullied children to stay away from the bullies; having a “no-bullying” day; participating in “no-name-calling week” programs; producing skits and plays against bullying; having adults talk to bullies; sending bullies to child psychiatrists; etc.
Educators often rely on such “fruit plucking” to solve the problem of bullying in elementary school. Do you know what “fruit plucking” is?
“Fruit plucking” is an effort to make a tree good by plucking off the bad fruit. Suppose you have an apple tree that always produces diseased apples. You decide to make the tree good by picking off every diseased apple it produces. Day after day, you pluck and destroy bad apples. The tree never changes, though. It continues to produce bad fruit. Why? Because the tree is diseased right down through the roots. You need a tree doctor. You need someone to show you how to heal the entire tree. When it is healthy to the tip of its roots, it can produce good fruit.
A lack of character is a disease. It is character deficiency. Its symptoms include the bad fruit of bullying in elementary school. Talking to students about bullying does not heal the disease. It only plucks at the bad fruit. Encouraging others to stay away from young bullies does not heal the disease. It simply plucks more bad fruit.
Bullying, the fruit of character deficiency, can be solved only by healing the root disease. The bully, as well as every student, must be treated with thorough, consistent immersion in a top quality character education program. Only as we apply conscientious character building do we treat the disease.
Elementary students should read together and study such books as Georgey Giraffe’s Giant Respect, Stinky Skunk’s Self-Control, and Pandora Puppy’s Caring Circle. They should read together and study Katie Kangaroo‘s Leap of Courage, Charley Chimp’s Jungle Fairness, Christopher Cat’s Character Club, and other such books in the Character Companions Series.
Educators should immerse children in character building by filling the day with references to character traits; decorating classrooms with character traits and illustrations; engaging elementary students in character education classroom activities.
Bullying is a persistent problem in schools, but it can be stopped with conscientious, consistent, quality character education.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?