THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER

The Six Pillars of Character offer a great framework to explore the ways in which bullying behaviors conflict with good character. This exercise will help students identify troublesome behaviors and utilize critical thinking to determine which Pillar they should emphasize to eliminate it. Core Understandings The six pillars of character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship) is a good way of living and behaving.

Recognizing and appreciating the six pillars in other people. Acknowledge that the six pillars is a life-long journey, the curriculum should not end when summer begins.

A strong person can be good or bad. A gang leader is an example of a strong person with a bad character, while an outstanding community leader is one with both strong and good characteristics. An organization needs leaders with both strong and good characteristics, people who will guide them to the future and show that they can be trusted.

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Trustworthiness
Members of a community must be able to depend upon and trust one another. All of these behaviors involve abusing trust, which erodes institutional climate. Many of these behaviors involve active deception, making Trustworthiness the ideal Pillar through which to address them. Trustworthiness is also a key component in creating a Culture of Caring. Bullies depend on silence and inaction, so students need to show trustworthiness by reporting bullying. To come forward as victims or witnesses, they must be able to trust the adults in authority. Like students, parents and teachers must be trustworthy in their reporting and able to trust those in authority to handle the problem effectively and protect those involved. Be honest. Dont deceive, cheat or steal. Be reliable. Do what you say youll do. Have the courage to do the right thing. Build a good reputation. Be loyal. Stand by your family, friends and country.

Respect
Respect means dealing peacefully with others, considering their feelings, and accepting their differences. All of these behaviors degrade the target, illustrating a lack of respect. Nonverbal behavior, such as eyeball rolling, is also inherently disrespectful, and students must find more appropriate ways to disagree or express concern about anothers behavior. Sometimes respectful behavior involves speaking up (i.e. a classmate routinely being picked on), and at other times it involves remaining silent (someone whose conduct is annoying and does meet your personal standards). You can help students determine when remaining silent if the best option. Treat others with respect. Follow the Golden Rule. Be tolerant of differences. Use good manners, not bad language. Be considerate of the feelings of others. Dont threaten, hit or hurt anyone. Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.

Responsibility
We all have a responsibility to create a school climate where all students can thrive. Participating in bullying or allowing it to be part of the school experience represents a failure to attend to this fundamental duty. Students also have the responsibility to create a school climate of caring. Even those not directly involved in incidents have a responsibility to make their classmates feel safe, which means reporting incidents is essential. Responsibility in this context also means making school/program policies known, creating clear standards for bullying behavior, reporting bullying (or suspected bullying), and ensuring that all incidents are thoroughly investigated and effectively handled. These steps actively show the entire community that the school or institution is taking responsibility for creating the best possible climate.
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Do what you are supposed to do. Persevere. Keep on trying. Always do your best. Use self-control. Be self-disciplined. Think before you act. Consider the consequences. Be accountable for your choices.

Fairness
If students are afraid to use the bathroom alone, they arent enjoying equal access to the facilities of the school. Fairness means making sure no one is taken advantage of and everyone is able to use the resources available. Bullies choose students whom they perceive a weak for any number of reasons, including race, gender, sexual orientation, academic performance, or poor social skills. They exploit these differences to degrade them. There is nothing fair about a bullied childs experience at school. It is fundamentally different from that of his/her peers. Play by the rules. Take turns and share. Be open-minded. Listen to others. Dont take advantage of others. Dont blame others carelessly.

Caring
Caring is a powerful antidote to bullying. All bullying behaviors are uncaring in that they represent a disregard for how ones words and actions affect others. If students are taught to be kind and compassionate, a Culture of Caring will develop, and bullying behaviors will not emerge. Emphasizing the need for students to actively show caring can prevent bullying behaviors and address them if the occur. While they may not feel comfortable standing up to a bully directly, students can show support for a bullied student, demonstrating that the bully doesnt speak for everyone. Highlighting the need for students to be kind also helps to create a school climate inhospitable to bullying and raise the self-esteem of kids who may be targeted. Caring also means helping those in need, so it makes sense to start with those in need in the school community. Be kind. Be compassionate and show you care. Express gratitude. Forgive others. Help people in need.

Citizenship
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Good citizenship requires actively trying to make your school or community better. Intentionally excluding students from the community demonstrates a lack of citizenship. When students understand that they belong to a community and are responsible for the well-being of all other members of that community, inclusion becomes the norm. Highlighting citizenship not only emphasizes the need to behave responsibly, but it also addresses what a student must do when he or she witnesses bullying behaviors. Citizenship also entails following the rules, and most bullying behaviors are direct violations of school or organization policy. As a student, teacher, or administrator, you can take direct action to eliminate bullying. Being informed about school rules and policies and encouraging others to follow them sends a clear signal that bullying will not be tolerated. Demonstrate your commitment to citizenship by asking what you can do to address bullying and improve school climate. Do your share to make your community better. Cooperate. Stay informed. Vote. Be a good neighbor. Obey laws and rules. Respect authority. Protect the environment. Recycle.

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Conclusion
A strong person can be good or bad. A gang leader is an example of a strong person with a bad character, while an outstanding community leader is one with both strong and good characteristics. An organization needs leaders with both strong and good characteristics, people who will guide them to the future and show that they can be trusted.

REFERENCES
1. A.C.Fernando: Business Ethics, Pearson Education, New Delhi, 2009 2. charactercounts.org/sixpillars.html - United States

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