• Humility is staying easy and light inside.
• Humility goes together with self-respect.

Say ?It?s a little bit hard to define humility. It?s a feeling of staying easy and light inside. It goes with self-respect, with knowing your good qualities. If you know your good qualities then you can keep your power inside ? you can feel good inside. People who have self-respect and humility don?t need to brag or show off.?

Discuss:

• Can you think of someone who has self-respect and humility? Perhaps one of your favourite cartoon characters?

Activity: Children and teachers/parents can pick some favourite fantasy characters who work toward good in a humble, non-bragging way. These could be Simba when he was an adult (from the film ?Lion King?) or perhaps Batman, Wonder Woman, or Superman. You may also choose examples from legends or fairy tales with which the children are familiar. Demonstrate the following:

1. First, practise saying something with self-respect and humility. For example, Superman might say ?I know I have been gifted with an ability to fly from one part of the world to another. It is important that I use my abilities for doing good deeds, not evil. I enjoy helping people.?
    
2. Then practise saying something with a bragging tone. For instance, Superman might say, ?I can fly, I can leap over tall buildings, I get a lot of attention because I am always doing things to help people. I don?t know what this world would do without me.?

The adult could use the Superman example or any example with which the children would relate easily. Ask:

• Was there a difference in my tone of voice when I said those things?
• Which one made you feel better about ________?

Ask the children to pretend that they are a character and describe what makes them feel proud about what they do. Ask a few of them to demonstrate the two voice tones (bragging and humble).

Activity: Ask the children to draw and colour a picture of their favourite cartoon character and to write in a thought-bubble something that character might say with self-respect. The teacher can help the younger students to write.

Later, ask each child to share his or her picture. They can practise each of the voice tones if they like.


Humility Lesson
Staying Happy While I Listen

Discuss the following Humility Points:

• Humility goes together with self-respect.
• A humble person can stay happy inside while listening to others.

Sometimes people get grumpy when they hear good things about others ? but that?s only because they are afraid they aren?t as good!

• Do you ever feel that way? (If ?yes?, ask ?When??)

Acknowledge their feelings. Add, ?It helps to remember that everyone can be wonderful ? all at the same time. If someone else is good, you can be good, too!? Ask:

• What helps us stay happy while we listen?
• Shall we make up silly poems about that?

Others are good,
And so am I!
When we?ve listened to each other,
We?ll have some pie!

He is smart,
And so is she,
And all us smart ones
Can sit in a tree!

I can feel good,
Even when you brag,
Because I know,
You?re not a cad!

Activity: Make up silly poems.


Humility Lesson
Sharing and Listening

Say ?Today we?re going to practise two Humility Points.?

• Humility goes together with self-respect.
• A humble person can stay happy inside while listening to others.

Activity: Ask the students to remember three things they like about themselves. (This was done during the Respect unit and is a good review.) Ask each student to share those three things with a partner. The partner is to listen and repeat what was said. They each get a turn to share and to listen/repeat back. Positively reinforce the children for speaking in a confident (not bragging) voice and for active listening behaviour.

Learn the song:

My Wings


^EOne wing makes me strong,
And the ^Bother makes me light.
^B7When I use both of them,
I can ^Efly just right.

^EOne wing is self-respect,
The ^Bother humility.
^B7With both of them,
^EI?m as happy as can be.

^EI have two wings
To help me fly.
^AOh, can you see!
I know how to fly!
^BCome on fly with ^Eme!

At Home

• Tell your child stories where the characters are loving or kind; tell them stories in which good triumphs over arrogance.
   
• Praise your child for listening, sharing and patiently awaiting his or her turn.
   
• If the child is speaking in a bragging tone of voice, you may wish to say ?How would _________ say that?? (Insert the name of one of the child?s favourite peaceful cartoon characters or heroes who speaks with a confident but not a bragging tone of voice.) Then praise the new tone of voice with a smile and say ?That?s a tone of voice I like to hear.?
   
• Praise your child for not reacting, but staying full of self-respect and power, even when someone is slightly uncomplimentary or calls him or her a name.