January 2014 - Grade 1

“A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn't act that way very often.”

- Unknown

 

Dear Family Member,

During a recent Developmental Guidance lesson, your child viewed a program called Student Workshop: Responsible Me!  Children in the primary grades have been exposed to relatively few situations in which they need to act responsibly. For this reason, the concept of responsibility— and the need for it—is often difficult for young children to understand. Student Workshop: Responsible Me! helps children grasp the meaning of responsibility and to recognize the importance of being a responsible person. The program helps children understand that there are many different types of behavior that work together to create a responsible person, and that failure to act responsibly can often cause problems, not only for themselves but for friends, family members, classmates—virtually all the people in their lives. Here are some points about responsibility that your child learned in the program.

• There are many ways to be responsible, including doing what you’re supposed to do, following through, keeping your word, taking care of others’ property, and owning up when you do something irresponsible.

• When you behave responsibly, others know they can count on you.

• It is not always easy to decide what is the responsible thing to do.

• Not acting responsibly can cause problems for yourself and for others.

To reinforce what your child has learned, help him or her be aware of each instance in which he or she is acting responsibly. You might say, “I noticed how neat your room looks today. It’s very responsible of you to take such good care of your things.”  Or, “It’s wonderful that I can count on you to do your homework without being told.  You’re really becoming very responsible!” Remind your child that when people act responsibly, it helps everyone around them.

• Discuss with your child any areas in which he or she has not been acting responsibly. Try to work on ways to solve the problem. For example, if your child keeps forgetting things, help him or her get into the habit of writing notes and leaving them about as reminders.

• If your child seems to be having trouble deciding on what would be the responsible thing to do, sit down with your child and discuss all the important points of the situation. Help your child see that he or she should act as responsibly toward others as he would like others to act toward him.

Books to read with your child: Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary, Arthur’s Computer Disaster by Marc T. Brown and Pedrito’s Day by Luis Galay.

Sincerely,

Ms. Cahill