Google, Inc. wrote “10 Things,” or guiding principles, andcorporate leaders revisit these ideas every couple of years to see if theystill hold true. (There’s a refreshing concept for educators as well.)
How does this “thing” apply to education?
Principle Number Six: You can make money without doing evil.
For educators, I would offer, yourstudents can achieve without cheating.
One of the bestexamples of educating with honor comes from the Porter Gaud School inCharleston, SC. The most impressive part of the school is theemphasis on honor. Elements of theschool expression of trust and honor permeate the halls and the landscape. Itseems to be working with the students as well.
Three aspects of the honor code support theschool’s theme of Building a Respectful Community.
First, students should respect their ownwords. They speak the truth, even when that truth involves acceptingresponsibility for infractions of family, school or community rules.
Second, students should respect their ownproperty and the property (intellectual and tangible) of otherindividuals and of the school.
Third, students should respect themselves, as wellas their fellow students and their teachers, in working on andsubmitting their academic work.
These 3 fundamental ideas form the Honor CodePledge derived from the acronym W.A.T.C.H.
Words, Actions, Character, Thoughts, Habits.
Andmy favorite - the WATCH Prayer - recited to me by my fourth grade host:
O Lord, may our words be full of truth andkindness, our actions gracious and honorable, our thoughts unselfish andcharitable, our character noble and upright, and our habits virtuous,that our School family may grow in faith, honor, and knowledge, as wewatch together
in all things. AMEN.
O Lord, may our words be full of truth andkindness, our actions gracious and honorable, our thoughts unselfish andcharitable, our character noble and upright, and our habits virtuous,that our School family may grow in faith, honor, and knowledge, as wewatch together
in all things. AMEN.
Writea classroom creed with input from your students, and let it inform theiractions.
