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Need some ideas to get started with social-emotional learning? Two by Two is reaching out to surround you with empathy and kindness on your journey! Scroll down for some refreshing ideas!
"Fairness doesn't mean giving everyone the same thing. It means giving everyone what they need."
- Rick Lavoie
“Be someone who makes everybody feel like somebody.”
-- Robbie Novak – Kid President
“Respect people’s feelings. Even if it doesn’t mean anything to you, it could mean everything to them.”
-- Unknown
“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we don’t do.”
-- Moliere
“True empathy requires that you step outside your own emotions to view things entirely from the perspective of the other person.”
-- Anonymous
“If everyone helps to hold up the sky, then one person does not become tired.”
-- Askhari Johnson Hodari
“I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday.”
-- Unknown
“Citizenship is the chance to make a difference to the place where you belong.”
-- Charles Handy
“We cannot choose how others treat us. We can only choose how we treat others.”
-- Shawn Ahmed
“One kind word can change somebody’s day.”
-- Andrea Reiser
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”
-- Bryant McGill
“Responsibility is accepting that YOU are the CAUSE and the SOLUTION of the MATTER.”
-- Anonymous
“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.”
-- Mohsin Hami
“None of us is as smart as all of us.”
-- Ken Blanchard
“I survived because the fire inside of me burned brighter than the fire around me.”
-- Joshua Graham
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question … what are you doing for others?”
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
It takes 30 days to create a habit. Change your trajectory by creating habits of character every day. We've made it simple with this Calendar of Character below!
Get your ideas here to start a Character Storm, on the go! Take these tips with you to use in the car, at a soccer game, or at a restaurant!
Oh, FAIRNESS! Why is it that the world seems unfair, no matter your age? Sometimes we just need to change our perspective a little bit. As you gather friends or family together, let each person state something unfair. For example, “I think it’s unfair that my big sister gets to stay up later than me.” Let others try to provide you with a new perspective. For example: “Because you are in bed earlier, you get up earlier in the morning, so we have that special time together.” Turn “It’s Not Fair” into “Fair Enough!”
Would you like to grow a more KINDHEARTED world? When you take time to recognize kindness, you are more likely to show kindness in your own actions. Let’s play “I Spy Kindness!” Look around, wherever you are, for examples of kindness. When it is your turn, say “I spy kindness” and those with you will guess what it is you have found. Now take time to celebrate your group’s KINDHEARTEDNESS, by giving each other a kindhearted compliment.
Do you think the world needs more RESPECT?! Manners are a form of respect, yet sometimes it seems like manners are all but disappearing! When you sit down for dinner tonight, determine FIVE ways to show good manners that can be practiced right now. To get you started, here are a few of our favorites: Wait for everyone to be served before eating. Put your napkin on your lap. Be sure to be a good listener when someone else is talking. Now come up with a few more until you have five. Then start practicing! It’s important to celebrate evidence of good manners. By intentionally taking time to practice manners, you are creating respectful habits, which contribute to a greater culture of respect.
Let’s talk about RESPONSIBILITY! Following through on duties and promises is the most important part of responsibility. Take turns sharing about a responsibility in your life that is hard to accomplish. Then let everyone generate new ideas or ways to look at this responsibility that just might make it easier to accomplish. Cheer each other on to be more responsible!
Do you know that EMPATHY (the ability to share another’s emotions or feelings) could actually eliminate bullying? It’s awfully hard to bully someone if you know how they feel. Practice empathy by playing “Be An Animal For A Day!” Someone call out an animal. Now, look at life through the eyes of this animal and answer these questions: 1. What do you think their day is like? 2. What makes them most afraid? 3. What makes them happy? 4. What do you think this animal thinks about? 5. If this animal could change something in a human, what would it be? Seeing life through someone else’s eyes really changes the way we view the world, and helps us to feel more empathy!
Do you know that we are stronger together?! “None of us is as smart as all of us.” (Ken Blanchard) Think of something you wish to accomplish that overwhelms you, but with the help of others, is doable. Some examples might be cleaning out the garage or straightening the toy room. Now, outline a plan to accomplish this, which includes giving everyone involved a responsibility. Once the plan is complete, put their right hand in the middle (on top of each other’s hands) and say: “TOGETHER WE CAN,” while raising hands up in the air!
Ahh, PERSEVERANCE! How about trying something silly that requires perseverance? Plus, exercising your tongue in this way is said to improve articulation and speech.
Try to say this tongue twister three times:
Betty bought a bar of butter.
But the butter Betty bought was bitter.
So Betty beat a bit of butter to make
The bitter butter better.
Even though tongue twisters make us laugh, they remind us to always keep working, even when the job becomes difficult!
Hey! Let’s talk about CITIZENSHIP! At Two by Two, Citizenship means to live out all the core values (Fairness, Kindness, Respect, Responsibility, Empathy, Cooperation, and Perseverance) in your everyday life. Now that’s a “tall order!” Ask your friends to think of someone who shows great citizenship at school, work, or in the community and let them share about that person. Now, ask your friends to highlight something they do to show great citizenship. An example might be: “I’ve seen you helping our older neighbor carry her groceries from the car.” After each sharing, respond together by saying – “Way to go, good citizen!” Be sure everyone gets a turn to be highlighted.
