Photograph by George Sakkestad
Lisa Mastroianni's kindergarten class at Louise Van Meter Elementary School rolls a soccer ball back and forth as part of a lesson on self-discipline. Self-discipline is the district's 'character trait of the month' for April.
Soccer ball helps students voice goals
Class exercise is a real kick for kindergartners
By Rebecca Ray
Lisa Mastroianni rolled the soccer ball across the circle to one of her kindergartners. A girl caught it. "My goal is to eat my whole lunch," she told her classmates. She rolled the ball to a boy.
"My goal is to do my chores," he said. He rolled the ball to another boy.
"My goal is to control the soccer ball better," he said.
The exercise was part of a lesson on self-discipline, the Los Gatos Union School District's "character trait of the month."
The character trait of the month is part of the district's character education program, which district officials created a few years ago to help children develop more empathy.
Other traits of the month have included cooperation, compassion and good judgment.
In Mastroianni's kindergarten class at Louise Van Meter Elementary School, children drew pictures on paper cutouts of soccer balls to illustrate their goals, which they showed their classmates as they passed the soccer ball back and forth.
Mastroianni, who had heard about a similar exercise that did not involve a soccer ball, says she incorporated the ball because of her students' love for soccer. She called the lesson "kickoff for self-discipline."
The district has suggested that teachers do similar activities in their classrooms to make the character traits more meaningful, especially to younger students who may have a harder time grasping the concepts of character traits such as tolerance.
"We wanted kids to know-what does it look like, what does it sound like, what does it feel like, when you're using that character trait and being respectful?" said Rosanne Adona, principal of Van Meter.
District officials started the character education program when they saw problems with the behavior of children in general. Children didn't seem to display manners, such as saying, "Please, " and "Thank you," as often as they should toward teachers and administrators. Also, children would say things to each other such as, "You're fat," without realizing that they were being hurtful, especially on the playground, which is less structured and offers more opportunities for put-downs, Adona said.
"It was, 'How can we create a kinder, gentler atmosphere for kids?' " Adona said. "Because sometimes the playground doesn't seem that kind."
District officials figured that if they gave children certain skills, the children's behaviors could change. So they formed a districtwide character education committee--which includes Adona, Student Services Director Jim Yinger and teachers--to brainstorm ideas for character education lessons in all five elementary and middle schools.
Schools generate and implement ideas for the character education program as well. At Van Meter, a committee of teachers generates a list of "books of the month" for each reading level and creates activities.
Administrators and teachers didn't want the lessons to occur sporadically--they wanted the traits to become part of who the school community members were and what they did. So they ingrained character education into various activities.
Classes read the books of the month and discuss how characters do and do not exhibit the character trait of the month.
To teach students how to resolve conflicts, teachers encourage them to try to work out their disagreements without an adult getting involved. Some classrooms even have "conflict tables," where students who have disagreements can sit down and work them out. Teachers encourage students to use "I" statements to express how they feel and acknowledge that they're listening to each other instead of using "you" statements to blame the other person.
During October, "Cooperation Month," the district shared ideas with teachers on how they could promote cooperation in their classrooms. Suggestions included having the children make a "cooperation quilt," having the children write a poem about cooperation and taking photos of students who were cooperating with each other.
One second-grade class wrote lists of put-downs on posters and stamped out the put-downs with their shoes and with paint.
To learn about self-discipline, those in the upper grades shared news articles about people who achieved their goals by overcoming odds.
Classes have even solved problems together by holding class meetings. They've written the problem on the board--for example, if someone isn't playing fair in a game--and discussed potential solutions and consequences.
Teachers also post the character trait of the month in their classrooms.
Adona says she thinks that children have been more caring since the district implemented the program. Also, when other students on the playground haven't treated them well, they've been more likely to tell whoever is on duty.
The program doesn't just apply to students. Once each year, the district's character education committee arranges for speakers such as Dr. Michael Gurian, who has spoken about the differences between raising boys and girls, to come and speak to parents.
Adona lists activities parents can do with their children in her weekly principal's newsletter. During "Cooperation Month," the district committee suggested that parents discuss with children what they learned at school about cooperation, ways that the family cooperates and how the children can cooperate with others.
Staff members also try to model the character traits.
"That's a key," Adona said, "that everyone should model these traits."
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
