Powerful Words Teens & Adults – Citizenship W1
AUGUST 2009: CITIZENSHIP
The Powerful Word of the Month this month is “citizenship.” Citizenship is all about how you act within a group of people. Are we caring, supportive and dependable? Or are we selfish, toxic, and irresponsible? People who show citizenship don’t just talk about being productive, thoughtful, and giving members of their community. They are action- oriented. They’re not all talk– they make a difference. Someone once said, “Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold — but so does a hard-boiled egg.” This month, let’s talk about what makes a person a great citizen of this school, of our community, and of this world. We must take the lead. If we are selfish, we will be planting toxic seeds in the minds of the children who are taking their cues from us.
Week 1: This week, we’re talking about being a good citizen by following the rules. This is an important issue because as it’s shown in the news, on the internet, and sometimes, right before our eyes, a lot of adults are not following the rules and the laws. People are caught for stealing, lying, cheating, trespassing, and of course, much worse. Is this a values-based issue? Principles? Control and power? As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.” Do you agree? What kind of impact do you think rule-following and rule-breaking has on children? What rules and laws do you think MUST be followed and what rules can be bent? How can we help children know the difference? This week, your Powerful Thought Assignment is to rate yourself from 1 to 10 on your tendency to follow the rules even
when nobody is looking. When it comes to following the rules, what kind of citizen are you?