Table Of Content

DOCUMENT RESUME PS 022 061 ED 370 670 Lifelong Values. TITLE Ferguson-Florissant School District, Ferguson, Mo. INSTITUTION ISBN-0-939418-62-2 REPORT NO PUB DATE 93 NOTE 17p. Non-Classroom Use (055) Guides PUB TYPE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Child Responsibility; Cooperation; Elementary DESCRIPTORS Education; *Parent Child Relationship; *Parent Role; *Parents as Teachers; Persistence; Problem Solving; Role Models; Self Esteem; Values; *Values Education Respect IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This booklet was developed by early education teachers to help parents teach their children values necessary for learning and for living. The introduction identifies six lifelong values, discusses the important role played by parents in teaching these values, and offers a checklist of positive ways parents interact with their children. Each of the next sections focuses on one of the lifelong values, defining the skills involved and identifying ways to encourage the child to develop those skills. The (1) confidence, which can be encouraged by six lifelong values are: giving children jobs that are appropriate to their age and ability and providing them with the tools to complete the job successfully; (2) responsibility, which can be encouraged by empowering children to do things for themselves and letting them experience the natural (3) perseverance, which can be consequences of their behavior; encouraged by extending the time spent on a task and praising the (4) cooperation, which can be child's ability to complete a job; (5) problem encouraged within the family and outside the home; solving, which can be encouraged through age-appropriate activities and ma',erials and giving children time to think and act on their ideas; and (6) *.espect, which can be encouraged by parents showing respect to the child, to others, and for properties. (AC) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************** zorissao U S OEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION orhce dEoucahonle Research and Inloconnlenl EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER !ERIC, doc ahem has peen reproduced as 41114rus 'torn Ihe per$O 0i Organizatenn 1:ece,.eo 0,.(pnalsng .1 Mmo, c^anges have Peen rhade to .rnprove dually ,e13,0CluCI.Oh &boo Pcpnls 01 .e or 00000S Staled tri irus docu mem ac CI hecessar.y ,e0resem othc.al pow-, OERI r>Js.I.on Early Education Ferguson-Florissant School District Lifelong Values -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY inex_torarb___ W ilson TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).- +441-1-ir © Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School District 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE This Material on Lifelong Values was developed by Early Education teachers with parents in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. These teachers work material grew in home visits and classroom settings. The preparation for this out of a need to begin early with values that are necessary for success in learning and in life. We thank the following for their contributions: Judy Brown, Mary Caslin, Jan Dial, Ruby Kersey, Rita Powers, Cheryl Prante, and Shirley Stenberg 3 CO Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School District ISBN 0-939418-62-2 Lifelong Values Vell°ns84101 Introduction Early Education Ferguson-Florissant School D.strict Schoo As children grow and begin to leave home to These are the skills enter the larger world, labeled Lifelong Values: they will be lei3rning many new skills. lhey feeling able to do it. Confidence also need to learn an Responsibility doing what's right. important set of very Perseverance completing what you start. basic skills at home. Cooperation working with others. Problem-Solving putting what you know and what you can do in action. Respect caring for others. Confidence feeling able to do it. These are the skills that encourage and support learning. Responsibility These skills can be taught at home by parents. doing what's right. Teaching them doesn't take a lot of time, it only takes a change of focus. When you spend time I want together, it says to a child. "I care about you. Perseverance to hear what is on your mind and what you are feeling." Lifelong values can be taught by everyone completing what in the familyfather, grandparent, aunt, uncle, you start. babysitter. In these hectic. busy times, we all need to help pass on to our childien the basic values that underlie our work ethic and our personal behavior. Cooperation working with others. As we look to the future, we can't predict exactly what our children need to know. As the world becomes an increasingly changing place. it's more important than ever that our children develop sound Problem-Solving values. They need to take the skills and abilities putting what you they have learned and use them in new ways to know and what you solve new problems. can do in action. We are very hard on ourselves as parents. We are not good parents all of the time, but we are not bad parents either. We are only concerned parents Respect who are trying to do the best we can to provide caring for others. special moments with our children. © Copyright 1993 Fergusnn-Florissan* School District This checklist will help you realize the good things you do with your child. Think about what you have done with your child. Gave my child a hug. 1. Let my child hug me. 2. Laughed with my child. 3. Told my child I love him. 4. Read to my child. 5. Ate at least one meal with my child. 6. 7. Asked my child what happened during the day. Didn't interrupt when my child was 8. involved in play. Told my child about my day. 9. 10. Watched a T.V. program with my child. 11. Played a quiet game indoors with my child. 12. Took a walk with my child and played outdoors. 13. Praised and encouraged my child. A good parent always 14. Did some household chores with my seeks to do a better child. job. Taking time to 15. Cooked with my child. help your child to develop these Lifelong Values will help you see yourself as your child's most important teacher. The special times you share and the fun you experience will bring your family closer together. © Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School District Lifelong Values ioriSSI4 Confidence Early Education 4.1 4: Ferguson-Florissant School District Schoo\ Confidence empowers children to attempt tasks Ways to Encourage in which the outcome is Confidence: uncertain. Positive experiences help increase his 1. Give your child a Job that is appropriate to children's sense of control, such as: age and ability. Provide opportunities build courage and Choosing what he wants to wear. Accept the way reduce their fears of the ne dresses himself (even if the shirt is on new and unexpected. This backwards and the shoes are on the wrong feet). will instill an 1 can handle Choosing their own cereal for breakfast and that" attitude. pouring milk from a small pitcher. Making his own peanut butter sandwich. Confidence and self Ordering his own lunch at a fast food restaurant. respect are like two sides Calling grandparents or friends on the telephone. of the same coin. Success encourages a child to like himself and try new tasks. 2. Give your child tools to complete a job successfully such as: All through life the amount Child size pitcher and cups for pouring. of confidence we have Scissors that are child sized and easy to use. varies. When things are Clothes that are easy to put on and off (elastic going well, when a child is waist pants and pullover tops). well rested, well fed, and sink. A stool to help them reach countertop and in a secure loving Unbreakable dishes and utensils. environment, it's easier to try that new step. As a complete 3. Structure the job so the child can child's environment the task such as: changes, such as, a birth Give him time. of a new baby, his Break the job into small steps. confidence may lessen for a time. When he adjusts Instead of: to his role as big brother, "Clean your room." the confidence returns. Be more specific. Say "First pick up your books." Later say. "Now, put your trucks in the toy box." District © Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School Accept the finished product (resist the impulse to criticize or redo what your child has done). Use his mistakes as a cue to teach him what he needs to know (i.e., putting his shoes on the wrong feet shows you your child needs to understand about left and right, you may want to color code his shoes). 4. Help your child to be careful rather than fearful. Don't let your fears inhibit your child from trying new things - whether it's touching a worm or climbing to the top of a slide. "s 7-1, By valuing confidence, you will prepare your child to meet the challenges he will face in life. He'll meet these challenges with an "I can handle it attitude!" 0 Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School District Lifelong Values ZOns844 Responsibility bo Early Education Ferguson-Florissant School District Scho cl is being Responsibility accountable for your own Ways to Encourage behavior. It's finding ways Responsibility: to do the right thing as in telling the truth, 1. Empower your child to do things for himself. respecting your own Sometimes it's easier and faster for us as parents to property and the property do the job for the child. But it's not helping teach of others and caring out responsibility. Children need to learn to take care of home and school jobs. themselves. This practice in self-reliance carries over to the real world. Responsibility enables Let's start with some activities that help children children to do for learn to take better care of their bodies and clothes. themselves and their ; family. Chart Check Here's a sample of a chart you can start in your home with your child. Talk about the Developing responsibility importance of keeping clean and looking neat. When helps children build the child accomplishes the task provided, have him competence. check it off, praise his efforts and provide a small, appropriate reward. You might let the child select Responsibility is: his own special kind of toothpaste or brand of soap. for a. Being accountable Thurj Fri Sat Tues Sun Wed Mon own behavior I look neat I brush my teeth b. Finding ways to do the I wash my face right thing I wash my hands I dress myself Like telling the truth Respecting own In helping your child organize his Put in Place property and property own room, it helps to have a place for books, toys of other and clothes. Gather boxes and label them or provide Carry out home and laundry baskets. Another rod can be attached to a school jobs closet at a lower level so children can hang up their own clothes. When rooms are neat and organized, c. Personal responsibility children's play is more appealing. enables children to do for themselves and their Four-year-olds do not have a Beat the Clock family. wel!-developed sense of the time it takes to do things. Play games with a cookie timer. Play "Beat Developing responsibility the Clock" by saying: helps children build "Can you put on your pants by the time the bell competence. rings'?" "See if you can beat the clock." © Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School District 8 2. Let your child experience the natural consequences of their behavior. It's very painful for parents to see their children make mistakes and to have others see them make mistakes. All of us, including children, learn by making mistakes. By protecting our children, we are robbing them of a wonderful learning opportunity. We have to think when we are overprotective if we are really meeting our child's needs or our own needs to be perceived as a good parent. 3. Give your child appropriate household jobs. Remember to give enough time to complete the job. How do you know what is enough time? Watch your child. Some children move slowly, others more quickly. Match your expectations to your child. When children are given Here are some suggestions for appropriate jobs. jobs to do at home and Set napkins on the table or only the forks by in school, it's important each plate. to give them enough Water the plants. (Parent must show him how. time to complete the Choose containers that the child can easily use.) job. If you ask your child Feed the pets. to dress himself, give him Pick up the toys. time to make his choice Put away dirty clothes. and complete the job. Fold dish towels. Adults can quickly dress, Match socks. but four-year-olds do not always have the motor It's also important for your child to choose how he skills to dress themselves choices and ask or she wants to help. Give two with ease. When which one would he like to do. shopping for clothing for "Would you like to pick up the trucks or the blocks?" young children, choose clothing that is easy to 4. Help your child find ways to do the right put on and take off, thing. such as, pull-over shirts As a parent, we have to model honest, responsible and elastic-waist pants behavior. Children learn by example. and skirts. Belts are Read books with your child that deal with difficult for four-year-olds honesty, thoughtfulness and other traits you to buckle. This kind of want to encourage, such as: clothing gives children a "Ask Mr. Bear," Flack feeling of success in "Alfie Gives a Hand," Hughes dressing. "Do You Know What I'll Do?" Zolotov "The Cupboard," John Burningham Looking to the Future "A Special Trade," Sally Witman When your child grows "Amos and Boris," William Steig up, he will be responsible Watch TV with your child and discuss why the for his actions. He will characters' behavior is right or wrong. meet deadlines and fulfill his job expectations. © Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School District Lifelong Values 011.0r440 Perseverance ao .:arly :.:iucauon Scho° L',chcoi Disinct Perseverance is the ability to stay with a task until it is completed. Perseverance Ways to Encourage requires patience and Perseverance: determination. People who persevere don't give up when the task gets hard. children. 1. Observe closely the interests of your They think of ways to solve Over a period of a week, jot down the activities your the problem, and they keep children stay with the longest. Use your knowledge at it until it's done. they Perseverance enables us to of their interests to help them stay on a task. If reach our goals. like to play with cars and trucks, you might pretend the toy box is the garage to drive toys into. The kind of jobs we give young children to do are important. The jobs will 2. Extend the time. determine if they experience success or The activity could be play or a job you are both failure. Children from 3-5 doing. The important factor in helping them stay years of age are just with the task is to follow their lead. If they are developing the ability to building with blocks and choose a red block to place stay with a task for with your building. on the green, you do the same approximately 10 to 20 minutes. Children can experience success in Follow their lead in conversation. They talk, then completing a task if they you talk, i.e.: have a choice between two Child:"My red truck goes fast." or three activities. Mother: "My red truck goes fast to the store." Remember whatever job Child:"My red truck is going to get ice cream." you ask your children to do, make sure they are capable the play. Let your children make the decisions about of doing it. Children at this It's your interaction as a parent that's important, age need to be involved in and by allowing them to use "their ideas," you are activities in which they're interacting with materials extending their time in play. and their environment building with blocks, playing You might say: with play dough, finger What "I'm going to pick up all the red blocks. painting, drawing pictures to put away'?" color are you going for their family, expbring their back yard, etc. Most 4- "Drive those cars into the garage, a year-olds find it difficult and thunderstorm is coming." (Make storm frustrating to be asked to sit noises.) at a table and do "Would you like to wash or dry these Barbie workbook-like activities. dishes before we put them away'?" When children initiate their own active explorations and play, they can stay with the District activity longer. © Copyright 1993 Ferguson-Florissant School 10