Discuss

• What is responsibility?

• What does that mean?

Use the Reflection Points to help define this word.  For example, ?Responsibility is doing my job.  Each one of us has different jobs in life.?

Ask the following questions, acknowledging their answers.

• As the teacher, what is my job?  What am I responsible for?  (?That?s right.  I come to school to teach you.  And I teach you your numbers and letters, and _______.  Yes, and I ______.?)

• Can you think of other things teachers are responsible for?  (?Yes, helping children, giving grades, ______.?)

• And you are the students.  What are you responsible for?  What is your job as a student?

• Very good.  Who can think of another responsibility?

•  How do you feel when you do a good job?

Say, ?It?s a good feeling to feel happy and proud of yourself.  Each one of you is capable, lovable, and knows how to be responsible.?  

Root Sentence:  Ask the children to think about a time when they were proud of helping, that is, proud of being responsible.  Ask them to stand in a circle.  Ask each child in the circle to take a turn saying the root sentence, ?I feel proud when I __________.?

End with a song on love or respect.

Lesson:  The Seeing Eyes

Discuss the following Responsibility Points:

• Responsibility is doing my job. 

• Responsibility is caring.

Activity:  Explain to the children how a seeing eye dog (a guide dog) helps a blind person.  The dog is very responsible and acts in a caring way for the blind person.  He guides him or her down a safe path and stops at the streets and the stairs.  He does not run after rabbits or other dogs when it is time to help the blind person.  The dog only runs and plays when it is time to play.  To practice being responsible and to know how important that is, let?s play seeing eyes.

Ask each child to pair up with another child.  One pretends to be the seeing eye dog, and the other pretends to be the blind person.  (Older children may use blindfolds.  With very young children, do not use a blindfold, but tell them to close their eyes and pretend to be a blind person.  In this way, they can open their eyes if they do not feel safe.)  The ?blind? child can put his or her hand on the shoulder of the ?pretend dog.?  Then they change roles.  

Ask:

• How did you feel as the ?pretend guide dog??

• How did you feel as the blind person when the ?pretend guide dog? was careful and responsible?

• Was anyone afraid the ?pretend guide dog? would not be responsible?

• What kinds of things do you want your guide dog to do?

Acknowledge, ?Yes, we feel safer when people around us are responsible.?

Lesson: Advice to Dog Owners of the World

Discussion:  ?In the last lesson, you took turns being the pretend guide dogs.?  

Ask: 

• If you were a guide dog, how would you want your owner to treat you?

• What things would a responsible pet owner make sure to do?  (Feed the dog.  Make sure it has water.  Make sure the harness is not too tight.)

• If you were to tell all the dog owners of the world what dogs needed, what would you tell them? (Make sure petting them is included!)

Activity:  Draw a picture of a dog and all the ways it would like its owner to be responsible.  Older children can write under it:  Be responsible.  The teacher of younger children may want to make a sheet for the children to cut out and/or color, including a dog and various items such as a food bowl, a heart, etc.

Lesson:  Caring for the Home Corner

Discuss the following Responsibility Point:  Responsibility is taking care of things.

Awareness:  I have the right to play with and enjoy all the toys, but I also have the responsibility to keep everything tidy, clean, and in good condition.  We can help each other to make things and keep them in good condition.

Activity:  Ask the children to clean and care for the materials they use.  For example, in nursery school, small groups of children with a teacher could wash the plastic dolls and doll clothes in a bowl and hang them out to dry.  Others could wash the toy cooking utensils.  Others could clean the playhouse.  Children ages 6 and 7 could mend the books, clean the paint or toy area, etc.

At circle time, the children can share why they like the things they cared for, why those things are important to them, and what makes them break.  They may choose to decide how to use and respect things.

Review the following Responsibility Points from Living Values Activities for Children, Ages 3-7 so parents can hear how different aspects of responsibility are explained to children that age.

• Responsibility is doing my job.

• Responsibility is caring.

• Responsibility is trying my best.

• Responsibility is doing my share of the work.

• Responsibility is taking care of things.

• Responsibility is helping others when they need help.

• Responsibility is being fair.

• Responsibility is helping to make a better world.

Think about when you were little and started to do things.  What made you feel proud of yourself?  When have your children gleamed with pride?  What attitude is most productive in helping children take pride in their achievements??

Allow your little ones to help you with easy household chores.  Have fun showing them how to do things.  Set aside 20 minutes when everyone helps ?make our house shine.?  Allow them to stir food in the kitchen, wipe something down, sweep, help set the table, etc.  Make sure you assign something at which they will be successful.  Note their activity, and praise them for being so helpful or such a good helper.

Notice when your child is being fair, and affirm that positive action.

Notice when your child is making an effort at a new self-care skill and praise him or her.  At times this requires allowing them to do something alone and prompting and praising, rather than more quickly doing it yourself.  Verbalize what they did and that they?re being responsible, taking care of themselves.

Set up age-appropriate regular chores or responsibilities for the children.  Monitor initially so they begin to feel proud of themselves as you watch them accomplishing the task.  After a while, decrease praise for doing the task and praise them for remembering and taking responsibility for the task.