We know that students learn best by doing. That also holds true with character education. If you are looking for an effective and efficient way to introduce this important subject to your students, Being Your Best is an excellent tool.
Written in a warm, conversational tone, the book introduces readers to ten positive character traits (each with their own chapter): caring, citizenship, cooperation, fairness, forgiveness, honesty, relationships with family and friends, respect, responsibility, and safety.
Each chapter begins with a true story of a child who exhibits the trait being discussed. (Some of the stories are deeply moving.) The chapter then goes on to explore in detail the trait or value. Each begins with a quote, gives an easy-to-understand definition, background information, and then describes projects, ideas, and activities for developing the trait.
We know that making the right choice is not always so obvious—even for adults. To that end, the author has thoughtfully included in each chapter a section titled, "What If?" that describes situations wherein the best choice may not be immediately discernable. Here the reader is encouraged to "think about, write about, talk about, or act out," a situation. For example, in the chapter on relationships, one question asks, "You have two friends who fight over you. They each want you to be their friend alone. You want to be friends with both. Is it possible to do that? What can you do or say to your friends?"