Be respectful

The 2020 Kiwi Can programme has begun in many Marlborough primary schools, teaching children important values and lifelong skills needed for success in workplaces, and becoming valuable members of their communities. This term they’re learning all about ‘Respect’, described as ‘‘treating people, things and places as important’’.

Their lessons focus on respect for ourselves, others and how we communicate; on how it feels to respect ourselves; on discovering strengths and weaknesses; on seeing and accepting others’ differences; on being kind and respectful; on active listening; on discovering the effects of discrimination.

Can you talk with children in your life along these lines?

1. What does respect mean to you?

2. What are some ways we show respect in conversation?

3. Do we need to do things differently to show respect in our communication? (Talk about the words we use and our body language. What about communicating over the phone, or on-line etc)? 4. How does it feel to be respected?

5. In what ways can you show respect to yourself?

6. In what ways can you show respect by helping your friends or family?

7. In what ways can we show respect for others’ differences, at home, at school, in a team or club, or out in our community?

8. Do you have to like someone to show respect for them? Why or why not?

9. Who do you know that shows real respect? What have you noticed them do?

10. Grown-ups and kids only have to show courtesy and politeness to grown-ups. Do you agree or disagree with that?

11. How do you think respect affects our community?

12. If you could make one rule that everybody in the world had to follow, what would you make and why?

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