Oprah & Other Six-Pillar Picks

As you may know, I've uncovered a few fun treasures from my kids' childhood as I'm cleaning out closets recently; this project of Kaitlyn's was one of my favorites:

She had to pick an important historical figure
and make a timeline of that person's life. 
She chose Oprah Winfrey.
I'd have to agree that Oprah is a strong character role model 
because of her resilience, work ethic, and perseverance.
As the school year comes to a close, a few of my colleagues across the hall are writing character reflection books with their firsties and they've asked me to select my top-five faves. It was a tough task, but here's that list of my Six-Pillar Picks:

Trustworthiness:

Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny, Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin

The Empty Pot by Demi

The Secret Olivia Told Me by N. Joy

The Lunch Thief by Anne C. Bromley

Wolf! Wolf! by John Rocco

Respect:

One by Kathryn Otoshi

Something Else by Kathryn Cave

Bird Child by Nan Forler

Shhh! by Jeanne Willis

Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose

Responsibility:

Squawking Matilda by Lisa Horstman

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews

If Everybody Did by Jo Ann Stoval

Leo the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman

Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban

Fairness:

Mine! By Kevin Luthardt

Rotten and Rascal by Paul Geraghty

One Grain of Rice by Demi

Looking After Louis by Lesley Ely

It’s Not Fair by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Caring:

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

KiKi’s Hats by Warren Hanson

The Sandal Artist by Kathleen T. Pelley

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo

Citizenship:

Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Williams

Sometimes We Were Brave by Pat Brisson

The Wall by Eve Bunting

The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania

Imogene’s Last Stand by Candace Fleming

If a book has character-infusion potential, it's more than likely on my shelf, but I'm also very picky about my peace-class selections because it has to be meaty enough to springboard an authentic and meaningful character conversation with my little peacemakers. 

The second in the Ferne Press Becoming A Better You! series 

fits that bill handily.

In today's digital world where 21st-century learners make more eye contact with a screen than another pair of eyes, it's increasingly important that we intentionally teach, model, and advocate critical virtues like those covered in this treasure: 

respect, 

caring, 

and empathy. 

Introducing Are You Respectful Today? by Marian Nelson and Kris Yankee. This comprehensive guide to respect offers specific suggestions for making the intangible concept of respect tangible. The text seamlessly moves back and forth from cognition and understanding of the word respect to situations in which students are feeling, embracing it and showing it. 

The brilliantly-colored illustrations show children from a myriad of cultural backgrounds sharing an all-important universal trait: respect.

I especially love how the reader is shown that respect takes practice. It's something we all must commit to working on with intention, everywhere, all the time, even when nobody's looking, right?

The book ends with  Reflections and Tips for Creating Respectful Children. Ask your students what they might change as they write their own books about respect and your other school-adopted core values. 

As we study the Six Pillars of Character at Westwood-Bales, we challenge students with inquiries like these: Which trait would they say is their best? Which one do they need to work on? Which one would their teacher pick as their strength? Which one would their parents say they're the best at? How about their friends? And which one would they say is their teacher's strength? Find out why by asking, "How can you tell?" or "Can you give me an example of what makes you think that?"  

It really thrills me to talk with my little leaders about character. I've especially enjoyed listening to them explain how it's not something you can buy from someone, that it's something in your heart that you get from being nice. 

That it's not something you are born with, but something you learn. 

That it's something you are or something you do. 

That it's not something you get, but something you give.

And guess what? The more you give, the more you get.

Get it?

And with respect comes happiness all around.

Now that's golden!