The 7 Pillars

Of

C h a r a c t e r

Character

What is CHARACTER?

Character

The combinations of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group or thing from another.

A description of a persons attributes,traits or abilities.

Good Character

Or a

Bad Character ???

The 7 pillarsof

Character

CaringFairness

Responsibility

Respect

Citizenship

Trustworthiness

Empathy

T r u s t w o r t h y

What does it mean to be trustworthy?

T r u s t w o r t hy

be honest – tell the truth and nothing but the truth

stand up for your beliefs even when it’s hard don’t lie, cheat, steal or be sneaky,

tricky or deceptive be dependable – keep your promises do what you’ll say you’ll do have the courage to do the right thing don’t betray a trust – keep secrets be loyal – stand by your family,

friends and country

T r u s t w o r t h I n e s s

How do you know when you can trust someone?

How important is trust in your relationships with friends and family? How would these relationships be affected if you found out someone was lying to you?

Once trust has been broken, what can you do to get it back? Have you ever lost someone's trust? Has someone lost your trust?

If your friends were here right now, would they say you were trustworthy? What would your parents say? Are you more trustworthy with your friends or with your parents? Do you think your parents should trust you automatically?

T r u s t w o r t hy

If you want someone to trust you, who has most of the responsibility— you or the other person?

Should we start off trusting people and only stop trusting if they prove that they're not worthy? Or should we be cautious and not trust them until they prove themselves worthy? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each position?

What does being trustworthy have to do with the quality of your character?

R e s p e c t

What does respect mean?

R e s p e c t

follow the Golden Rule value and honor all people – don’t use insults,

put-downs or ridicule to embarrass or hurt be tolerant of differences respect the property of others – don’t

use without permission use good manners, not bad language be considerate of the feelings of others don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone deal peacefully with anger, insults and

disagreements

R e s p e c t

How do you feel when someone judges you without knowing you or giving you a chance?

How do you feel when someone you disagree with calls you a name?

How do you feel when someone bumps into you in the hall and doesn't apologize?

Agree or disagree: Courtesy and politeness are a lot of nonsense.

Agree or disagree: When people stay out of a bully’s way, they are showing respect.

R e s p e c t

What can you do to make this a more respectful world?

Does respect play a role in harmonious race relations?

Do you think that people in our society are respectful enough of each other?

Do you consider yourself to be a respectful person? Why, or why not? In what ways do you show respect to others?

How is respect related to fairness? To caring? To the Golden Rule? To violence?

What does respect have to do with the quality of your character?

R e s p o n s i b l e

What does it mean to beresponsible?

R e s p o n s i b i l i t y

do what you’re supposed to do – meet your moral and legal obligations

persevere – keep on trying! always do your best and set a good example use self-control….be self-disciplined be rational – act out of reason not anger,

revenge or fear think before you act – consider all the

consequences be accountable for your choices

Responsibility

Do you consider yourself to be a responsible person? In what ways?

Do you consider it important for your friends and family members to be responsible?

Think about somebody you know who is very responsible. How does that person demonstrate responsibility? Does that make you respect him/her more?

What does the golden rule have to do with responsibility?

Responsibility

It's been said that "There are no rights without responsibility, and there is no responsibility without rights." What does that mean?

Do you agree? What is the relationship between rights and responsibilities?

What does being responsible have to do with the quality of your character?

What are the benefits of being a responsible person? How do you benefit from the responsibility of others?

F a i r

What does it mean to be fair?

F a i r n e s s

play by the rules….take turns and share listen to others….be open-minded and impartial make decisions without favoritism or prejudice don’t take advantage of others or take more

than your fair share be careful to get the facts, including opposing

viewpoints, before making decisions – especially when blaming or accusing another person

make the punishment fit the crime

F a i r n e s s

Agree or disagree: It's an unfair world, and nothing I do is going to change that.

How do you know when something is unfair?

What does treating people fairly mean? Does fairness mean everyone gets the same amount, like an equal piece of a chocolate bar?

Does fairness mean enforcing the rules for everyone, even if it means losing a game? Is it possible to treat everyone fairly?

What does the golden rule have to do with fairness?

F a i r n e s s

What does it mean to be open-minded? What does it mean to be impartial? What do these things have to do with fairness?

Is it possible to be fair without considering everyone who will be affected by your decision?

Most people think fairness requires us to treat people equally. What does it mean to treat people equally? Give examples of equal and unequal treatment.

Can you think of a situation in which it might be right to give someone a special advantage? Are there ever good reasons to give unequal consequences for the same offense?

F a i r n e s s

What if being fair to others means sacrificing something important of your own, like time, money, or even your job?

How can you determine what's fair when you have to choose between yourself and others?

How should you treat people who are not fair with you?

What does being fair have to do with the quality of your character?

What are the benefits of being a fair person? How do you benefit from the fairness of others?

Empathy

What does it mean to have empathy?

Empathy

Understanding, being aware of, or being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another person without actually having the feelings, thoughts, and experience yourself.

Empathy

How can you empathize with a person when you’ve never experienced what they are experiencing?

Have you ever had anyone show empathy towards you?

Have you ever shown empathy towards anyone else?

How does empathizing with someone help them?

Caring

What does it mean to be caring?

C a r i n g

be kind empathize don’t be mean, cruel or insensitive be compassionate and show you care express gratitude forgive others – don’t hold a grudge volunteer and help people in need

C a r i n g

A lot of people say that teenagers are self absorbed and don't care about anything but themselves.  Do you agree or disagree?

How do you feel when people show that they really care about you?

How do you feel when you do something really caring for someone else?

In what ways is this a caring world? In what ways is it uncaring? What could each of us do to make this a more caring world?

When someone is uncaring how does that affect friends, school and community?

C a r i n g

Agree or disagree: It's uncool to be a caring person.

To what extent would you inconvenience yourself for another person?

Would you give money to a stranger on the sidewalk who asked for spare change?

Would it make a difference if the person were a mother with child, b) very old, c) from a different culture?

What does giving money to a stranger have to do with caring anyway?

C a r i n g

Can you choose to be a caring person, or do you have to be born that way?

Agree or disagree: By performing caring acts, we become caring people.

Someone said, “Caring needs a government that works.”   In our country, do government programs show caring for people in need?

Do you think we can pass laws that will make people care?

What does caring have to do with the quality of your character?

C i t i z e n s h i p

What does citizenship mean?

C i t i z e n s h i p

do your share to make your school and community better

cooperate – obey parents, teachers, coaches and others….respect authority

get involved in community affairs – stay informed; vote

be a good citizen and neighbor obey laws and rules honor and respect the principles of

democracy protect the environment

C i t i z e n s h i p

Agree or disagree: I don't have any responsibility to my school, my community, my nation, or anything else. My only responsibilities are to myself.

What is social responsibility? What does it have to do with being a good citizen?

Do you think you are a good citizen?

What are the benefits of being a citizen of a country? What are the civic responsibilities that go along with citizenship? What will happen to our rights and privileges if we don't meet those responsibilities?

C i t i z e n s h i p

Is it important for citizens to voice their opinions and participate in the decision making process? Why, or why not?

Agree or disagree: Rosa Parks was guilty of poor citizenship when she refused to sit in the back of the bus because she violated the law.

Under what circumstances can civil disobedience be justified? (You might think about the Declaration of Independence and Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement.)

C i t i z e n s h i p

What are the benefits of good citizenship?

How do you benefit from the good citizenship of others?

What are some of the things in your community that need improving? What could you do about it?

The 7 pillarsof

Character

CaringFairness

Responsibility

Respect

Citizenship

Trustworthiness

Empathy

Why does it matter???

What’s YOUR

Character???