Many consider respect and responsibility as the glue that holds relationships and perhaps even society together. During a discussion of this topic with students a few years ago, my perception of how to discuss these values with kids totally changed. Here is why. The kids explained that old people (that’s me) believe respect is earned. Earned by age, experience, position, etc. Younger people (not me) believe everyone is born and should be treated with respect.
Studying these two character traits has helped me conclude that RESPECT is something we don’t do as an act of honor or reverence for something. RESPONSIBILITY is something we do out of honor, reverence, or sometimes the obligation to something. As we grow hopeful, thriving, and high achieving kids to become the same hopeful, thriving, and high achieving adults, showing responsibility for your actions and having respect for yourself and others are essential ingredients.
The Wylie Way is our program and serves as the foundation to help build values like respect and responsibility in comprehensive, proactive, and meaningful ways. We attribute growing core ethical values, the Wylie Way, as one of the big reasons for student success in the classroom and beyond. The Wylie Way is so important, we set aside days during the year and ask students to explore these values in ways that prepare them for a prosperous and meaningful school experience. We call these teaching opportunities, “Wylie Way Days” and we have one coming up this Wednesday, September 15.
Every Wylie ISD campus will take part in age-appropriate, fun, and engaging activities designed to increase their hope and well-being by
- Setting their own goals
- Helping them define their purpose in school and life
- Building positive and meaningful relationships
- Understanding the value of surrounding themselves with people who encourage them can lead to achieving great things in all aspects of their lives.
Be on the lookout for the parent connection on the back of the elementary handout and check our social media for the secondary version. We encourage parents to discuss these values with their kids, explore the achievement profile, and better understand their student’s goals, purpose, and the characteristics they value in friendships.
Thanks for helping us grow happy, hopeful, and engaged students with a plan and purpose that care about and embrace core ethical values, the Wylie Way!
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