This month we’re giving away the complete set of Count on Me: Sports books to five lucky winners! The Count on Me: Sports series is a collection of dramatic tales of character in action, bringing together exciting sports history, real-life examples of sports and character building, and lively storytelling. For ages 8-13.
How to Enter: Leave a comment below telling us how you help kids build character.
For additional entries, leave a separate comment below for each of the following tasks that you complete:
Each comment counts as a separate entry. Entries must be received by midnight, August 22, 2014.
The five winners will be contacted via email on or about August 25, 2014, and will need to respond within 72 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way affiliated, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Winners must be U.S. residents, 18 years of age or older.
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© 2014 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved.
Positive character qualities are emphasized as we teach by example. We start everyday with the Character Counts pledge.
For students that have difficulty processing, we come up with a plan to help deescalate their feelings. We also talk through what we should do during different times that may be difficult for the student.
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We read books relating to different character traits and have class discussions
I model keeping my word and recognizing not only academic excellence, but character excellence. Every week, students “shout out” each other by giving their classmates raffle tickets for being safe, respectful, and responsible.
We have ongoing dialog about feelings, needs, character traits, etc. The learning is consistent and a regular occurrence. Change doesn’t happen in one lesson, it takes constant reinforcement to make a huge difference.
One of the things I cover in my third grade classroom is that “thank you” does not cost anything. Each year my students show their appreciation for even small kindnesses by thanking people. This is a small thing but it stands out and the children are often complimented on how polite they are. This extends outside the school and children learn that they are setting a good example for children and adults everywhere. Additionally, I implement a pay-it-forward acts of kindness system. Children perform random acts, and then give the recipient a T.A.G. ticket. The recipient is now tagged to perform an act of kindness for someone else. T.A.G. tickets are for thankfulness, appreciation, and giving.
As a fifth grade teacher, I implement the “PAX” program, as well as follow the character education program, “Caring School Community.” Conflict resolutions sessions are key in our classroom. Family meetings also foster character development. The “NED” recognition program also encourages others to do their best and to help others. Throughout the content areas, themes are woven to foster good character traits, especially with biographies. On 9/11, students in my homeroom take a pledge of service, and throughout the year they are kindergarten helpers, volunteering hours to help younger students with their activity centers, reading and writing. Our participation in the “Choose Kind” initiative, a spinoff of the great book Wonder is a year long activity of posting kind acts on our kindness wall.
We provide a lending library to youth workers across the state of Indiana. Books like these help us help youth workers help youth build character. Youth workers love that they can share these resources with their colleagues throughout the state, and many tell us they use our library as a “try before you buy” service.
I use the Howard B. Wigglebottom series with my pre-schooler. I also encourage my kids to be themselves while also thinking about what it would be like to be in someone else’s shoes.
At our school every adult is considered a teacher and we are all responsible for each child. We use positive, encouraging language when we see character traits such as : cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy and self control. As a school counselor I would use these inspirational books in various ways like connecting with with individual students around their passion in sports and enhancing my classroom lessons.
We do RAK’s and bring ideas to the classroom to help organizations collect items for kids with cancer.
We use character counts and celebrate a character each month. I have posters all over my classroom and believe that whenever a situation arises, you should discuss it then. I also strongly believe that a teacher, parent, or any adult should model what good character looks like. If you just “talk” and never do the “walk”, they will just ignore you.
I like to use those “teachable moments” to help my students work on building character. We often review a situation that has already happened to analyze what could have been done differently. I also want them to try to look at things from the other person’s perspective. This seems especially helpful when a student is having a problem with a teacher.
Wow! Helping students build character has over the years evolved from a parent and community responsibility to a more school and educator responsibily. Parents are not taking on this responsibilty as they have in the past. More and more parents believe that it is not only the schools responsibility to educate their children, but to also raise them. I’d love to have these books in my office to help the students start to read and learn about character traits and take some of the learning on for themselfs. Also, having these books available for the students to borrow and take home will hopefully lead them to share the books with their parents and encourge family discussions.
I teach an anger management and positive choices group for middle school and high school students. I incorporate character into my curriculum as I believe it is a big piece in helping children understand that they all have their own wonderful character traits and how they can benefit from knowing and using those traits!
I have a private practice in Educational Therapy, and am working with a boy who has dyslexia. Through guided questions, I help develop his thinking skills. I use this method to reinforce character qualities, and to help him see how to apply them in daily situations. Since he likes sports, this series would motivate him to read, and give more opportunities to discuss character qualities. I agree with many others that modeling positive character traits is essential.
These would be great to read in my PE elementary classes. Incorporate the Common Core!
I teach seventh grade and I have learned that if I do not help struggling students to become better people then some of them have no one else who will show them. I frequently bring in guest speakers and let them see that anyone can be successful.
We have core values of respect, responsibility, integrity and striving for excellence. Each class learns how these apply to the use of the library and its books.
Can’t wait to see these books.
I use emotion fan for students to use to show emotions throughout the day.
This would open a door to work on character development with my students.
I read books on character
I am a guidance counselor in a Catholic school (pre k 3 through 8th). Each month we have a different character trait that is highlighted through classroom guidance lessons, related visuals on my bulletin board, daily quotes and videos on the school wide morning newscast, and a monthly celebration honoring those students who strive to embody the highlighted character trait.
I run a SLD program at my high school in Nevada. Character development is addressed as part of my vocational curriculum. My aide and I make it a point to model respectful, cooperative behaviors daily. Teamwork is emphasized and rewarded during our small group assignments. We practice these behaviors while we are out in the community volunteering at our local Goodwill store. These books will be a welcome additional to our teaching materials. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to win them.
I try to teach by example
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I teach fifth grade and include life skills, goal setting, and character building lessons into my daily curriculum. I would love a set of these books! Thank you for the chance to win!
Yeah! I’m so happy that I won! I promise these books will be well used!
I am a special ed. Teacher and am an active part of our Character Counts! team at school. We work to create activities that build character in the kids at school.
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A great way to teach character is to be a positive role model.
My children have a mandate, goals and aims we learn at the beginning of the year and recite daily with an emphasis each day on a specific part. After about a month, I let them choose what they think we as a class need to work on that day. Then I reinforce good behavior all day based on what we chose.
I help kids build character by team-teaching problem solving skills with our PE coach so students can be more responsible for their own situations and outcomes.
The sample stories I have seen are wonderful and I can see my using these books on a regular basis during my weekly groups.
From teaching and working in education for the past ten years, I have learned modeling manners and positivity goes a long way.
We try to model good character and we try to discuss it with our kids.
As a school counselor, I read many books on various topics of character and locate a variety of videos on teachertube and utube to give real life examples of character. I am always looking for ways to drive home more positive examples of character from the sports arena. Kids are hungry for this!
Through the school year, I read to the students and we discuss positive character traits. And of course, I try to model good character.
I find that stories are an excellent way to make a subtle point. We try to integrate character building into multiple disciplines,
I work with various foster care agencies/group homes and foster care students in high schools. I go out and do weekly lessons on character development and college preparation. These stories would be a great motivator for some of my students. 🙂
We have so many boys who would love to read this series! We would put them on our Welcoming Schools bookshelf to share with students, teachers and parents. As an elementary school counselor, I’ll be sure to use them in guidance lessons in both small and large groups.
i AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO TEACH SERVICE LEARNING AT AN ALTERNATIVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR COUNTY. i INCORPORATE CHARATER CURRICULUM IN EACH SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT WE DO. iT’S VERY EASY TO TEACH COMPASSION WHILE VOLUNTEERING AT A RETIRMENT HOME OR TEAMWORK AND COMMITMENT WHILE WORKING ON A BUILDING PROJEACT AROUND CAMPUS.
jUST AS IMPORTANT, IN MY OTHER CLASSES, i TEACH THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING VALUES AND CHOICES. WE ALL VALUE THINGS DIFFERENTLY – JUST BECAUSE AN ITEM IS NOT VALUABLE TO YOU DOESNT MEAN ITS NOT VALUABLE TO ME. i USE THIS TO DISCUSS WHY WE DONT VANDALIZE, BREAK PENCILS, OR OTHERWISE BEHAVE POORLY. WE HAVE FEW BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED THE MOST ILL-BEHAVED IN THE COUNTY.
Great teaching tools! I always reinforce good sports behavior with my kids. These books help do that😃
We work with our program’s Social Emotional Learning facilitator to address the specific needs of each group in order to head off any potential problems as well as teach specific skills. We’d LOVE to use the books in our school. 🙂
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I teach character in classroom guidance, often with the help of books from Free Spirit. I also create 2 bulletin boards each month with character themes.
We can help kids build character by being a positive role model.
Our school does many character building activities:
1. We have a Rachel’s Challenge group that promotes positive peer interactions,
2. We invite the ADL who does anti-bullying and diversity workshops.
3. And this year, we are doing a Read Right Run, a reading marathon during which students read 26 books, run 26 miles, and do 26 right deeds in 26 weeks.
In my classroom I often start the day of with singing. I have also sung many of the rules to children. They recieve easier to me through singing. I made up several song regarding character and they work. I often ask them to use their kind words. I definitely use the Spirit books. Those books made a big difference in my class. I also used yoga to calm them down when I needed them to learn a specific skills.
We let children know that they are all equal no matter what. Each month as a group we do projects and each child has an important part to do and together is gets completed.
I help my clients understand their own character by exploring what they value and how they can stay true to those values. In understanding their personal values, they can identify what kind of life they want to live and whether they are being true to themselves and those around them. Authenticity breeds strong character and integrity.
We create videos to emphasize character traits!
I try to model character through every interaction that I have with them. If they see adults model it, they want to act that way to.
We also set aside class time to focus on building character. One per month our whole school, grades PreK- 12 rearrange classrooms and form mulit-age groups to build character skills and relationships. This is our PAWS time. Positive Attitude plus Work equals Success.
As a substitute teacher I have to rely on those “special moments” to have a discussion with the students on a particular situation. It doesn’t have to be long, Just making sure that the students are aware of the ramifications of poor/selfish behavior…to make the students aware that life is more than just “them,” but it also about others.
This is really wonderful, a superb addition to any group or classroom.
We have announcements with a character quote- for example how individuals overcame an obstacle or persevered through a challenge.
I have been teaching Character Education through my Guidance lessons to my K-5 students for 17 years. I am always looking for new ways to engage my students & stay current on the topics that interest them, while connecting real life events to Character traits & Lifeskills.
We build character through service learning projects like supporting charities chosen by the students, working in a community garden, and engaging in random acts of kindness.
Our guidance teacher reinforces the school character trait of the month. I like to have reading material on the traits so the children can read more information.
I show children that children aren’t disabled there are many things they can do.
We help build character by implementing classroom meeting, monthly character traits, lessons on procedures and expectations, Positive Behavioral System in school, classroom guidance, assemblies.
At my school we teach character education as part of our guidance curriculum and infuse it with other subjects such as friendship, teamwork, cooperative learning, conflict resolution, getting along with others, study and organization skills, and bullying. These books would be a wonderful addition to the counseling library.
We have a different character trait each month that we emphasize as a school. My guidance lessons focus on these traits.