Pass the Mic: Singing About Good Character
One of the first purchases I made before starting my school counseling job was two sets of books and CDs. I remember going to my neighborhood teacher supply store to find resources for my new job, only to find out the terrible truth. You won’t find any school counseling resources at your regular teacher supply stores. You can, however, find a few things supporting character education. So after grabbing some character ed. resources, I stumbled upon these character education readers published by Creative Teaching Press. Each set contains six books and one CD. I can tell you, I haven’t skipped a year without using them!I really enjoy singing songs with my Kindergarten friends. They have come to expect a new song each time I visit.
Our school system focuses on eight specific character traits, and I have a song to go with each one.
- Responsibility- You Can Count on Me!
- Respect- Following the Rules
- Courage- Dare to Have Courage
- Kindness- Everyone is Special and Unique or Show You Understand
- Self-Discipline- Think Before You Act
- Integrity- Telling the Truth
- Perseverance- Never Give Up!
- Good Judgment- Would It Be Right?
It doesn’t hurt that I enjoy singing. The words in the books are the lyrics to the songs. The chorus is usually easy enough for the kids to pick up. By the second play, they are singing right along with me. I love it! It is a great way to help the smaller ones understand what those BIG character words really mean. Once they are in first grade, I’ll sing a line or two to remind them of the meaning of the character trait we are discussing. Many of them will still remember the choruses.
There is a resource book that goes along with the character readers. You can make individual student readers for small groups and use the additional activities to go along with each of the books. Most companies sell these books individually or as a complete set. You can still find them in six packs as well. You can also purchase the CD separately. There are four additional books about various topics including sharing, friendship, compassion, and cooperation. These books are great for lower elementary age groups.
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2 Comments
Jen cotnoir
Hi Vanessa!
I love your site. I am a school counselor returning after a 12 year hiatus home with my children. I begin classroom guidance lessons next week. I love the idea of the character education with songs, but can’t see where you ordered it from. could you please share with me?
Vanessa
Hi, Jen! You can find these books at Creative Teaching Press. Just click on the picture of the books above and it will take you directly to the website.