Seven Virtues for Our Children

These 7 virtues are the most highly regarded values that contribute toward ethical decision-making and ethical decision-makers.

1. Positive Mental Attitude-Mind – The mind is where our dominant thoughts are rehearsed. Our mental rehearsals contribute significantly to our character development.  Since so much of the world focuses on worst possible outcomes and result we set out to teach kids to work for the best possible results.  Problems are merely questions to be solved and to work through.
2. Respect – Eyes and Ears – These body parts are where so much of respectful listening takes place. We wanted kids to know the importance of looking at each other and actively listening to each other.  Respect is demonstrated consideration and holding others in high regard.  It happens by disciplining the eyes and ears to focus on other ideas.
3. Integrity – Mouth – All of our words and agreements mean something. We’ve trained kids to learn the importance of counting on each other’s words.  While integrity starts with truth about what we believe about ourselves, it is revealed through our agreements and commitments to others.  We help children realize the power of keeping agreements.  They learn that people with integrity will not only stand out today but also in the world of tomorrow.
4. Compassion-Heart – We chose the heart because of the need for compassion in our school and community. In teaching values, we teach kids about the importance of having a heart for others.  We stress the “others” by doing various kinds of projects.  Kids become aware of the major decisions of life coming from the heart.  They learn that ethics does not equal rules and that a large part of ethics depends on what our heart tells us.
5. Cooperation–Hands – In order to stay, clean hands have to wash one another. The spirit of cooperation begins within ourselves with our hands needing to cooperate with each other.  Otherwise, they would never get cleaned.
6. Perseverance-Stomach or Gut – The stomach was chosen as the place in the body that represents fortitude. You have to have guts to keep forging ahead and pressing on.  The higher we set our goals the more we need to persevere.  We teach children the stomach keeps tract. When we are persistent enough to complete our work and the challenges that we encounter our stomach feels good.  When we make excuses and falls short of our goals our stomach feels pain and discomfort.
7. Initiative–Feet – The highest form of responsibility is initiative. It’s taking the “first step” to help someone while everyone else is standing around and watching.  We teach children that success happens when we take the steps to make it happen.  Our goal is to develop non-prompted lifestyles and see what needs to be done and be a person to take the steps without anyone telling or prompting you!