Teaching Kids About Respect
“I know rules are good for me. I can show respect. I look at others when they talk to me. I take good care of property.” – Regina Burch, Following the Rules (Creative Teaching Press)
One of the most important traits we can teach children at a young age is respect. As children learn how to follow rules and how to treat others, they begin to build a solid foundation for positive character development that will follow them into adulthood.
We’ve all heard the saying: Treat others the way you want to be treated. When teaching kids about respect, it’s important to not only talk about how we treat people but to also drive home the importance of how we treat property that doesn’t belong to us, animals, and places like parks, neighborhoods, and school grounds.
We typically touch on respect when teaching kids about bullying prevention and by encouraging them to be upstanders when they witness someone being treated unfairly. Kids learn how to respect libraries and other public places when we teach them about noise levels and when we remind them to be self-aware so they may recognize when their voices are too loud. We teach our students to clean up after themselves which shows respect for classrooms. We also remind them to take care of supplies and other materials they use at school as well as any games or toys that don’t belong to them.
We teach children to show respect to animals when they have opportunities to assist with classroom pet responsibilities. They learn how to respect the planet when they recycle, and we teach them how we respect our country when we stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
When teaching about respect, be sure to think about all the areas under that umbrella so that your students understand that it isn’t just about how we treat people.
Let’s talk about why elementary students need to learn about respect.
Why Respect is an Important Trait to Teach
I mentioned earlier and in other character trait-specific posts that instilling these traits in kids now is so important because we hope that they will carry everything they are learning now onto middle school, high school, and adulthood. Learning respect helps kids grow up to be responsible and kind adults. This is why I believe it’s important to teach a core list of traits to all grade levels so they are consistently hearing why being people of good character is so important.
When we teach kids about respect, we encourage empathy which is a vital skill children need to learn so they may understand how others feel and be able to see things from someone else’s perspective. When empathy is strengthened, children will deal with conflicts and learn how to respectfully disagree if that is the case.
With consistent lessons about respect each school year, we are teaching children how to be nice and polite, how to use manners, and how to be self-aware by thinking about how their actions affect everyone around them. Kids who learn about respect will hopefully think about how they treat others and become less likely to bully their peers. They will be better equipped to problem-solve issues with classmates and friends without causing physical or verbal harm to anyone.
Additionally, a school where both staff and students value respect will be a better place for teaching and learning. When the school and individual classrooms are more friendly, everyone can feel good about being there. Educators can demand respect from students, but they also should model and show respect as well.
Books About Respect
An old favorite of mine for teaching respect (and manners) is Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. I love the play on words found in the book that states, “Do unto otters as you would have otters do unto you.” Like the golden rule, it ties in perfectly with the statement we say to kids all the time: Treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s a very cute story to share during your school counseling lesson about respect. Check out this read-aloud video of Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners.
As you may have already figured out from previous posts, I’m a big fan of The Little Spot Series, so of course it’s on my list of recommended books! Like other books in the series, A Little Respectful Spot by Diane Alber offers a nice kid-friendly explanation of the topic. Kids will learn what respect is and the different ways they can show it. Check out this read-aloud video of A Little Respectful Spot.
In the book Teach Your Dragon Respect by Steve Herman, your students will hear about how Drew’s dragon used to behave before he learned how to show respect. It’s a relatable book for young children that touches on examples like waiting your turn, staying quiet in the library, and taking care of library books. Check out this read-aloud video of Teach Your Dragon Respect.
As you prepare to teach your students about respect, consider adding The Respect Files to supplement your lesson. The resource comes with a lower and upper elementary version. It also includes pamphlet versions for those looking for a print-and-go option.
Do you teach respect and other character traits to all grade levels each year?
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