module 1

respect
The authors of this manual recognize that you are the expert of your classroom
and if you wish to add to this lesson any of your own activities or materials related
to this module’s theme, please feel free to do so.

WHY RESPECT?
Respect involves behaving in a way that shows consideration or regard for
the thoughts and feelings of others. This represents a complicated set of
behaviours for children to learn, but understanding and applying this skill
can have important implications for social development. Research shows
that both boys and girls who show consideration for others behaviourally
also show more empathy. In addition, children who are able to interpret
social cues and regulate their behaviour accordingly are more likely to have
successful social interactions. As such, learning to respect others is an
essential skill for children to learn in order to help them develop socially and
experience positive peer interactions.

GOALS
To help your students learn what it means to be respectful.

To help your students understand what respectful behaviour looks like so they can
recognize this behaviour and nominate each other appropriately.

To help your students challenge themselves to be more respectful as individuals,

and contribute to a more respectful classroom and school.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Chalkboard

1
Garaigordobil, M. (2009). A comparative analysis of empathy in childhood and adolescence: Gender differences and associated socio-emotional variables. International Journal of
Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 9(2), 217-235.
2
McKown, C., Gumbiner, L.M., Russo, N.M., & Lipton, M. (2009). Social-emotiona l learning skill, self-regulation, and social competence in typically developing and clinic-referred
children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 38(6), 858-871.
Introduction What Respect Looks Like 3
Ask your students if they know what respect means. Brainstorm together a Respectful behaviours may include the following:
definition for the classroom, along with examples of respectful behaviour.
Organize these respectful behaviours in terms of how to be a more • Using good manners and appropriate language with those around you
respectful a) individual, b) classroom, c) school (see table below). Post this • Taking care of your own belongings and those of others
• Being reliable: Keeping our promises is one of the easiest ways to show
list in your classroom over the next month to help the children remember
what respect means. Here are some ways to help them define respect and that we respect someone and that we mean what we say
• Obeying the law: Follow the rules, as they are often in place to protect
respectful behaviour:
us. If there is disagreement with a rule, discuss it as a group to create a
For younger students greater understanding of the reason for the rule
• Help someone out without them even having to ask
• Being considerate of others’ feelings, differences and belongings
• Asking permission before borrowing something
• Being polite and thoughtful
• Showing respect to your teacher or other adults by speaking politely
• Holding the door open for others
• Being inclusive by inviting others to join in a group or activity, despite
• Listening to others and giving eye contact
personal differences
• Being considerate of the feelings of others
For older students
• Reacting calmly to anger, insults, and disagreements
• Showing regard or esteem for others
• Showing someone your appreciation by saying thank you
• Thoughtfulness or consideration for the feelings, rights, traditions or
• Showing respect for the environment by picking up after yourself or
belongings of other people
• Showing appreciation
picking up garbage when you see it
• Showing respect for other people’s differences by asking polite
questions and showing interest
• Showing respect for yourself by speaking your opinions with kind
words and engaging in fun activities
• Arriving to school and class on time

3
Adapted from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Build Character Build Success website.
 CHALLENGE: HOW TO BE MORE RESPECTFUL AS A(N)...
Individual Classroom School
Taking turns Showing respect to teachers by being polite Sitting quietly during assemblies and guest speakers
and using appropriate language and tone of
Telling others your opinions and feelings voice Welcoming visiting sports teams with kind words
politely and polite behaviour in the stands
Including everyone in classroom activities,
Saying “Please” and “Thank you” despite any differences Allowing personal space for others in the hall with
no pushing or insults
Leading by example by complimenting others Being careful with other people’s belongings
and never putting anyone down Lining up quietly and walking quietly down the hall
Not crowding others, giving everyone personal
space Picking up garbage and placing it in the proper
receptacle
Keeping your voice down during classroom
activities
 Quazar Video Questions
NOTE: These video clips are snapshots of the character attribute. They are not meant to be complete lessons,
but simply to bring awareness of the attribute to your students.
Here are some follow-up questions, as well as possible answers for the second Quazar video’s questions to help your students think about respect:

Video 1 Questions Video 2 Questions

1) Why does keeping our promises, like keeping a promise to 1) In the video, the planet Torontis welcomes people from all over
play with a friend at recess, show respect to others? the galaxy. How does welcoming many different types of people
show respect?
2) What are some ways we can look out for the feelings
of others? A: By welcoming many different types of people, Torontis is showing that it
appreciates different points of view. By welcoming everyone and not leaving
3) Can it be difficult to take other’s thoughts and feelings into anyone out, you are acknowledging people’s differences and being kind.
consideration? Why?
2) The Gymballkey members were doing things their own way and
4) How can we show respect to one another in our classroom? not acknowledging each other’s different approaches. How is this
In our school? disrespectful?

A: This was disrespectful because the players were acting as if each of their
approaches was the best and they were not appreciating that others may
have some good ideas. They were being selfish and not being open-minded
to other people’s opinions.

3) Quazar says you can show respect by seeing how other people are
doing things rather than just focusing on the way you’re doing
things. What are some advantages of doing this?

A: Some advantages are: you can get good ideas about a different way to do
something; you can learn a new skill; you can learn ways to improve on what
you’re doing; you can make someone feel good by showing interest in
their ideas.

4) How did the Gymballkey players show respect for each other in
the end?

A: They made suggestions about ways to combine their skills and they discussed
solutions politely and co-operated with one another. They compromised,
they did not insult each other, and they showed respect by acknowledging
other people’s opinions.
Classroom Activities
For younger students
1) Explain to students that the simple ways we act towards others can 2) This activity is meant to demonstrate to students how we sometimes
show respect or disrespect. One of the ways to show others respect is show different people different levels of respect. Ask your students to
by showing them that we are listening carefully. Tell them that you will name some celebrities they think are very important. They can name
be doing a demonstration about the do’s and don’ts of showing respect athletes, actors, singers, etc. Ask them how they think they would act if
while someone else is talking and that they will be giving you tips about one of these celebrities entered the classroom. Have them describe their
what you are doing that is showing disrespect. Ask for a volunteer behaviour: how would their voices change? How would their actions
and invite this student to the front of the class to help you with your change? Have your students do a role-play, with one student being the
demonstration. Tell the student to talk to you about a topic they are celebrity who enters the classroom and interacts with two other students.
interested in (e.g., favourite movie, TV show, sports). As they are talking, Now have the student acting as the celebrity act as the school secretary
show numerous different signs of not listening including looking away, entering the room. Discuss with the students the difference in their
interrupting, looking at your watch, being distracted, fidgeting, rolling behaviour in the two situations. Highlight to the students that everyone
your eyes, muttering something under your breath, and changing the should be treated with the level of respect that the ‘celebrity’ was shown
topic. Once you are finished, ask your students to list all of the ways and that they should make an effort to show that same level of respect to
you were showing disrespect during the conversation and write these all of the people they encounter.
on the board. Have them generate a list of things you could have done
instead to show respect during the conversation. Once the list is finished,
have another pair of students come to the front and demonstrate a
respectful conversation by incorporating all of the tips the students
have brainstormed. This activity can be completed with other scenarios:
showing the respectful way to sit while listening to the teacher; the
respectful way to walk by others in the hallway, etc. The sillier yourself
and the students can be with the disrespectful examples, the better.
For older students
1) This activity is meant to help your students brainstorm ways to 2) This activity is meant to demonstrate the importance of showing self-respect
show respect in situations when most people would choose to be in addition to showing respect towards others. Explain to students that
disrespectful. Tell your students that in many situations, there are often, showing self-respect can make it easier to show respect for other
two ways you can choose to behave: with respect or with disrespect. people in our day-to-day lives. Brainstorm with the class different ways we
Read each of the scenarios to your students and have them provide can show respect for ourselves during our day. Then, for each self-respect
both the disrespectful behaviour as well as the respectful behaviour. activity, have them brainstorm how not doing this activity could lead to
For each, have them discuss how the people around them might feel feeling bad and showing others disrespect. Highlight the fact that showing
or react in each situation. Have any of these situations happened to self-respect is the first step towards feeling good and in turn showing
them? Are there any possible negative consequences to choosing to respect towards others. Here are some examples:
be disrespectful? What are the positive consequences of choosing to -Eating breakfast every morning:
be respectful? Here are the example scenarios (students can also give
If DON’T do it, may be hungry when get to school and act cranky
their own examples):
towards your friends or teachers.
- At the movie theatre, you get popcorn for your friends and come
-Taking good care of your belongings at school:
back into the theatre during the previews when it is dark. You cannot
If DON’T do this, may lose something and may be frustrated and take
remember where your friends are sitting and you can’t see anything.
someone else’s things without asking.
How do you find them?
-Spending time with friends:
-You arrive late to the airport and your flight leaves in 20 minutes. You
If DON’T do this, might get lonely and feel sad at home and speak
need to cut in line for check-in or you will miss the plane. How do
rudely to your parents.
you do this?
-Wearing clothes that make you feel comfortable:
-You are talking to someone and they have a big piece of food stuck
If you DON’T do this, you might feel self-conscious and avoid or ignore
in their teeth. They are in the middle of telling you a very important
others.
story. What do you say?
-Laughing at yourself from time to time:
-The teacher is giving a lesson that will be on tomorrow’s test and she
If you DON’T do this, you might start to take things too seriously and say
is speaking very softly. You are sitting in the back of the room and
something rude to your friends.
can’t hear what she is saying. What do you do or say?
-You slept in before school and had to get a drive to school with your
parents. Classes have already begun when you arrive to school. How
do you enter the classroom?
-You notice someone at lunch is eating a type of food you have never
seen before. You don’t think it smells very good and you don’t know
the ingredients. What do you say to them?
Quotations About Respect
These quotations can also be posted in the classroom to remind students about the importance of being respectful:

“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.”
~ Laurence Sterne (English novelist)

“I must respect the opinions of others even if I disagree with them.”

~ Herbert Henry Lehman (Politician)

“If someone were to pay you ten cents for every kind
word you ever spoke and collect five cents for every
unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”
~ Unknown

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t

compare or compete, everybody will respect you.”
~ Lao Tzu (Chinese philosopher)

“I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me...

All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
~ Jackie Robinson (First African-American professional baseball player)
Respect Reading List
The following books explore the theme of respect for children of different
ages and can also be used to help teach students about respectful behaviour:
Grades K-3:
• The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
• Clifford’s Manners by Norman Bridwell

Grades 3-5:
• The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
• Give Maggie a Chance By Frieda Wishinsky
• Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
• Lily and the Paperman by Rebecca Upjohn
• Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki

Grades 6-8
• Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
• The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty
• The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter
• Riding the Tiger by Eve Bunting
• The Night Spies by Kathy Kacer

The authors of this manual recognize that you are the expert of your
classroom and if you wish to add to this lesson any of your own activities
or materials related to this module’s theme, please feel free to do so.