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52 Character Building Thoughts for Children

By Leah Davies, M.Ed.

The following quotes may be used in a variety of ways by both teachers and counselors. One idea is for a thought to be posted, read, and discussed at the beginning of each week. It could then be read daily with the students. At the end of the week ask them what they learned or how the thought applied to their lives or activities during the week. Have the children give written or oral examples, or have them draw a picture to illustrate their ideas.

  1. How I look is not as important as how I act.

  2. I treat others the way I want them to treat me.

  3. I am a good sport; I follow the rules, take turns and play fair.

  4. It is okay to laugh at funny things, but not to laugh at others.

  5. I do not gossip; if I cannot say anything helpful, I do not say anything at all.

  6. When I am sad, I help myself feel better by thinking of things that are good in my life.

  7. In order to have friends, I must act in a kind way.

  8. I believe that I am someone who can do important things.

  9. What I say and how I say it tells others the kind of person I am.

  10. I appreciate my family, my teachers, and my school.

  11. I treat everyone with respect.

  12. When I listen, I show others that I care about them.

  13. I am being a good citizen when I volunteer to help others.

  14. I think for myself and make smart choices that are good for me.

  15. Each day offers a new start to do my best.

  16. I try to understand what my friends are feeling.

  17. Everyone makes mistakes, so instead of getting angry with myself, I try to do better.

  18. I do not give up; I keep trying until I can do my work.

  19. Sharing with others makes me feel good and makes them feel good too.

  20. I work out my problems without hurting myself or others.

  21. I am being polite when I wait for my turn and say please and thank you.

  22. When I smile at people, they usually smile back.

  23. I encourage my friends to do their best.

  24. My values guide me to do what is right.

  25. I am honest; I do not cheat or steal.

  26. When I am angry, I use self-control and do not hurt others.

  27. I am being creative when I dance, draw, paint or write a poem or story.

  28. I say, "No!" to things that could hurt my body like tobacco and alcohol.

  29. When I do what I say I will do, I am being responsible.

  30. I am grateful for what I have, so I share with others.

  31. I try to learn something new each day.

  32. When things do not go my way, I stop and think of what I can do to make them better.

  33. I do not make fun of other children because I don't know what their life is like.

  34. I feel successful when I do my best.

  35. Everyone has good and bad feelings.

  36. I take care of myself by eating healthy food, exercising and getting enough rest.

  37. I am being punctual when I am on time and do not keep people waiting.

  38. When I cooperate with others, I get more done.

  39. I follow the rules and try to make my school a better place.

  40. I like to get to know children who are different from me.

  41. Since I tell the truth, my friends trust me.

  42. I look for what is good in others and I say what I like about them.

  43. I buy only what I need and I save my money.

  44. When I use my time wisely, there is usually enough time to do what I want to do.

  45. I think before I act; how I act affects how others treat me.

  46. Using manners helps me keep my friends.

  47. I have courage to stand up for children who are teased.

  48. Before I do something, I ask myself, "Is it safe?"

  49. I am me -- I do not try to be like someone else.

  50. I care about living things on earth so I recycle and do not litter.

  51. When I write down what I think and feel, I learn about myself.

  52. I plan ahead and think about what I want to do when I grow up.
     
Link: http://www.kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip52.html (via shareaholic.com)

PERSONALITY EVALUATION
 

Trait         Range         Trait
  Introverted     Extraverted  
  Candid     Considerate  
  Impulsive     Cautious  
  Excitable     Relaxed  
  Practical     Imaginative  
  Concrete     Abstract  
          Range          

INTERPRETATION NOTES

Your Social Boldness: Introverted VS Extraverted
You are slightly introverted. Do you ever say to people, "I'm really an introvert" and then they look at you funny? That's because you can be both Extraverted and introverted, but in social situations people see you as an Extravert. Your enthusiastic and self-confident personality, plus your ease at talking to strangers gives the appearance that you are outgoing, even though you may attribute it to just being a friendly person. You find yourself at the center of attention, even though you may not actively seek that position. You are such a warm person that people like to follow you. Which is good, since you have no problem accepting your role as a leader when it is given to you. With your ability to flow easily from shy to outgoing, you may tend to easily flow from exciting adventures to relaxing times at home. This makes you a fun person to be around, because you do not always have to be on the go, yet you know there is more to life than reading and watching TV.
 
Your Agreeableness: Candid VS Considerate
You are moderately considerate. You are an agreeable person. This means that you are well liked and people really enjoy your company. And why wouldn't they? People can sense that you are taking a genuine interest in them and this makes them feel special and as a result, they have high regards for you. With your altruistic personality, you get a lot of practice at making people feel special. In fact, you feel great joy when you help others. Another nice feature you possess is your ability to cooperate. Not everyone can do this, so it is very important in a meeting or social situation to have someone like you present in order to maintain a harmonious situation. This comes from your tendency to want equality and fairness. In dealing with others, you prefer not to manipulate people instead you tend to be open and sincere. This makes you a popular and well-respected individual.
 
Your Self-Control: Impulsive VS Cautious
You are moderately impulsive. At times you can be impulsive, but not to the point where you are jeopardizing work or relationships. You know when to follow rules, but you also know when to bend rules that are not set in stone. If your home or work space gets a little messy, you do not get upset or feel compelled to tidy up. You do not have to have perfect order in your life to feel good about yourself or your environment. You tend to be more on the fun side of spontaneity, and enjoy being flexible with your plans and your life. In general, you prefer to make short-term goals rather than long-term goals.
 
Your Anxiety Level: Excitable VS Relaxed
You are slightly excitable. You have the ability to cope just fine in stressful situations. You feel the stress and frustration in pressure-filled situations, but you are able to overcome any negative feelings. You tend to worry slightly, but not enough to interfere with your activities. If you are experiencing a tough time in your life, you are able to stave off feelings of depression. You are able to think clearly and realistically in difficult circumstances, so that you can devise a sensible solution. Sometimes you can be impatient, other times you can be relaxed - it just depends on the circumstance and how much you can control it. People are not afraid that you will lose your temper. You are able to manage your emotions when necessary. When you do become angry, it is only because something is out of your power.
 
Your Openness to Change: Practical VS Imaginative
You are quite practical. You want just the facts - keep it plain and simple. You are practical, pragmatic and well grounded. You have no time for carelessness and impracticality. You prefer to keep your emotions to yourself, rather than exposing your feelings to the world. Life moves along much better for you when you can maintain a schedule and have routine in your life. Unexpected surprises and chaos are a major inconvenience to you. You tend to be conservative and are somewhat resistant to change. Others respect your ability to act properly in your everyday life.
 
The way you Think/Reason: Concrete VS Abstract
You are very concrete in your thinking. You tend to prefer the plain, straightforward, and obvious to the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. You might even regard the arts and sciences with suspicion, regarding these endeavors as abstruse or of no practical use. You believe that intellect should not be equated with intelligence, as intellect is an intellectual style, not an intellectual ability.
 
(1) The report sent to your computer screen upon the completion of this assessment is only a temporary web page. When you exit your web browser you will not be able to return to this URL to re-access your report. A copy of the report is emailed directly to you when you complete the assessment.
 
(2) Personality traits describe, relative to other people, the frequency or intensity of a person's feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. Possession of a trait is therefore a matter of degree. We might describe two individuals as extraverts, but still see one as more extraverted than the other. This report uses expressions such as "extravert" or "high in extraversion" to describe someone who is likely to be seen by others as relatively extraverted.
 
(3) Please keep in mind that scores on a personality assessment are neither good nor bad. As with any personality inventory, scores and descriptions can only approximate an individual's actual personality. Questions about the accuracy of your results are best resolved by reviewing and discussing your report with people who know you well.