Have you ever met a leader you did not respect? Perhaps you have met a leader who did not respect you? Either scenario is not ideal or conducive to a productive team. A leader who is not respected, will never be able to truly motivate and lead. At the same time, leaders who do not respect those around them are often unable to obtain the respect they need to be true leaders. Mutual respect is the key to a positive leadership campaign.
As part of our virtues program within Childventures, we feel that respect is a significant part of every child’s development. Our children think about how they would like others to treat them and then be able to treat others with the same dignity. We believe that respect is an attitude of caring about people and valuing ourselves and others. Within our classrooms we demonstrate this virtue by speaking and acting with courtesy. Our children practice respect and this makes their lives more peaceful and orderly.
At Childventures, our teaching team poses the following scenarios to the children to assist with their awareness of what it means to show respect:
- If you want to have a toy that your friend is using, what would you do?
- At home, if your parents are asking you to tidy up your toys, but you want to keep playing, what would you do?
- If you need to talk to the teacher, but she is busy helping a friend, what would you do?
- If you want more food while you are having your lunch at school, what would you do?
- On the weekend your grandparents come to visit while your favourite show is on TV, what would you do?
Asking these hypothetical questions allows children to think about how to respectfully handle situations when they aren’t happening. It allows them to think critically and decide the right course of action without being guided by an emotional response that could potentially hurt someone. This prepares them for when a situation they are unhappy with does arise, as they know how to react respectfully through practice.
