FAIRNESS AT DENVER ELEMENTARY
This month’s focus trait at Denver Elementary is FAIRNESS! The third grade taught us, during an assembly at the beginning of November, what it means to be FAIR. Our third graders organized Wartburg student-athletes to visit our school and speak to us about fairness! While all traits are important, we would like you to especially emphasize the importance of fairness at home. The following expectations closely align to the Fairness trait:
• Play by the rules.
• Take turns and share.
• Be open-minded. Listen to others.
• Don’t take advantage of others.
• Don’t blame others carelessly.
WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME
· When you hear, “It’s not fair!” ask your child to define what is unfair about the situation. Usually when you hear this, it means your child didn’t receive something he/she thinks was deserved or an expectation hasn’t been met-whether real or imagined.
· Discuss the question “Does fair mean equal?” with your child. Talk about situations in school, home or the community where the answers may sometimes be “yes” and sometimes “no”.
· Set family goals. Have each member of the family complete the following sentence and post it where it will serve as a reminder: I will show fairness by: ______________________.
PARENTS CAN PROMOTE FAIRNESS
· Create a democratic family environment by providing opportunities for each family member to provide input on appropriate family topics and decisions.
· Embrace the uniqueness of each family member without making comparisons of specific areas of competence.
· Consistently apply pre-determined rules. Make expectations clear and predictable.
· Advocate and help others who are impacted by adversity.
· Involve children in developing rules they are to follow.
FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
The Key to Fairness: Pre-established rules, consistently applied.
“It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt
