Classroom time allows for numerous opportunities to teach children the importance of showing caring and respect and thus preventing future acts of bullying. Child-to-child or child-to-teacher interactions offer chances to recognize the nature of caring actions on the part of children, or how respect may be demonstrated by allowing others to speak or notice a child's special talents. Children must learn to "treat others as you would want to be treated," as a fundamental. As teachers, you are also called upon to nourish self-respect, and balance the critical way a child may in fact look at themselves. You may also have to teach children to withstand these annoying "barbs" as not every slight is worthy of a response. As easy as it may be to be caring, children also eventually learn that sometimes caring can be inherently unpleasant. Such as a doctor healing us despite that intervention may hurt. Another example may be when a parent provides discipline as a caring act that may allow the child to be more self-controlled and functional in the future. Each day as education professionals, you are called to seize these opportunities and make them explicit with our children.

EPIC - Every Person Influences Children has a learning standards base PreK to 8 Character Education program designed to teach nine core traits while reinforcing NYS learning standards. Grade level manuals contain 36 character development activities, sample letter to families and bulletin board ideas to supplement your classroom work. Visit www.epicforchildren.org for more information or email [email protected] for a sample packet of our work.