• Humility is staying light and easy inside.
• Humility goes together with self-respect.
• Humility is when I know my strengths but don?t brag or show off.

Explain: Some super heroes are very good at the balance between humility and self-respect. The teacher can illustrate this concept, using as an example one of his or her heroes who has the accurate balance between humility and self-respect.

Activity: Ask students to pick one of their favourite people or characters who has the balance of self-respect and humility. These could be famous historical figures, scientists, actors or super heroes or heroines.

Ask students to think of a few comments the character might make if asked to remark about what particular personal aspect he or she is most proud (or about what particular event he or she is most proud).

Ask students to draw a picture of their character and make four or five ?thought balloons? of comments the character might say.


Humility Lesson
Heroes Speak

Discuss:

• How do you feel when someone is bragging about himself or herself?
• What do you know about someone who is always bragging? How do you feel about people who do many wonderful things, yet don?t speak arrogantly about what they do?
• Can anybody demonstrate what an arrogant manner is?
• Can anyone demonstrate a manner of self-respect and humility combined?
• What do you think about the following Reflection Point: Humility allows one to be great in the hearts of many?

Ask students to share their pictures. Ask a few to model how their hero would say what is in the thought balloon. Instruct them first to say it with arrogance, and then to say it in the same manner as the hero, with self-respect and humility.

Practice: Ask students to pair up with a partner and pretend they are that character. Practise relating something they are proud of, demonstrating both confidence and humility. Perhaps a couple of students could illustrate for the whole class. They might want to demonstrate a bragging tone first, followed by the quiet confidence and easiness of humility. Ask for reactions to each tone.

Then say: ?Now, I want each of you to pair up with the person next to you, and tell the other person three things that you are good at. Tell the other person with confidence, yet humility. Then, tell them with a bragging tone. How is it different?


Humility Lesson
A Loving and Humble Heart

Read a story about someone who is arrogant or someone who is full of respect, humility and love. The following is a skit written by students at West Kidlington School in the UK called ?Fairy Story ? A Play.? This could be read, and the students could act it out.



Narrator: Once upon a time there was a king and queen. They lived and ruled together happily in a far-off land. They longed to have a child and one day that dream came true. The Queen gave birth to a lovely son. They named him Rufus. On the day of his birth the Fairy Godmother visited the King and Queen and said:

Fairy Godmother (FGM): I will grant you any wish for your beautiful new son. Ask and it shall be so.

Queen: We know what we wish for our son.

King: Yes, we wish great wealth for him ? he should want for nothing that money can buy.

FGM: Your wish shall be granted.

Narrator: As Prince Rufus grew he had every toy a boy could wish for. He had anything to drink or eat that he desired. He had every outfit and every sports item imaginable. But, no one liked him. He became more selfish and demanding every day.

Rufus: Where is my new tennis racket? I want it now!

Servant 1: Shall we play with your train set, Rufus?

Rufus: No! Go find your own train set. You?re not sharing mine!

Queen: Oh dear! Where did we go wrong?

Narrator: However, the Queen soon gave birth to a second child. A daughter. They named her Celia. On the day of her birth the Fairy Godmother visited the King and Queen.

FGM: I will grant you any wish for your beautiful new daughter. Ask and it shall be so.

Queen: We know what we wish for our daughter.

King: Yes, we wish that she should have a great talent and so become famous in the land.

FGM: Your wish shall be granted.

Narrator: As Princess Celia grew she became a wonderful singer and performed in front of the people in the land many times with her beautiful voice. But, no one liked her. She had become boastful and big-headed.

Celia: Who cares if I?m late for the concert? They?ll wait. I?m much more important than they are and I have to get my hair just right. Do you think that these shoes really go with this outfit?

Servant 2: Yes, Your Majesty.

Celia: Oh, what would you know? You?re just a pathetic servant with no talent at all.

Queen: Oh dear! Where did we go wrong?

Narrator: As time went on the King and Queen put up with their unbearable children, until one day the Queen gave birth to a third child, a daughter. They named her Joy. On the day of her birth the Fairy Godmother visited the King and Queen.

FGM: I will grant you any wish for your beautiful new daughter. Ask and it shall be so.

Queen: We know what we wish for our daughter. We have learned by our mistakes with Rufus and Celia. We wish that she should be the most loving person in the kingdom.

FGM: Your wish shall be granted.

Narrator: As Joy grew she became such a loving child that her parents loved her dearly in return. She loved animals and nature and all the people she met. Everyone in the kingdom loved her.

Joy: Hello, Mr. Baker. You must be busy. Would you like me to take your dogs for a walk? It?s no bother. I?m looking after Katie, and we?re going to pick raspberries in the woods.

Mr. Baker: Thank you; that would be a great help. Here are some iced buns to keep you going.

Joy: Oh, thank you. See you later.

Mr. Baker: What a joy she is!

Queen: We should have known. It is not the things a person owns or the talents they possess that make them nice to know and spend time with. It?s their good qualities that count.



Discuss the story after it is read. Ask:

• Did you notice in the ?Fairy Story? that the arrogant princess seemed only to have love for herself, while the princess who was loving and humble had love for everyone?
• Is there is a relation between humility and love, and arrogance and lack of love?

Discuss the following Reflection Point: Humility makes arrogance disappear.

Ask students to do something nice for someone at school every day for one week ? with the feeling of wanting to help without needing praise. As the week progresses, ask: ?Was it hard or easy??

At Home

• Continue to affirm your children?s good qualities. Offer short, matter-of-fact, appreciative comments when they are generous with a sibling, share, or let go of something they were holding too tightly.
   
• Occasionally share a story, perhaps a real one, in which being kind or loving triumphs over being arrogant.
   
• When they ask you if something is good and you know they know it is ? and they know why it is good because they have been receiving specific praise ? look at them with the look and emotion that it is truly well done and say: ?You tell me what you think.? That will help them develop the ability to give self-praise and have intrinsic motivation.
   
• When they are bragging, grin and ask: ?Hey, may I hear that again, but in your self-respect-and-humility tone?? When their response is without arrogance say, ?Thanks? and give them a smile. Or, when they are bragging, insert the name of one of their favourite peace heroes and ask if you can hear that comment again with ________?s tone.
   
• Listen when their feelings are hurt or when they feel unappreciated when someone does not thank them for all their work. Quietly let them know ?God always knows and you always know. Feel good inside because you did what was right. Hooray for you.?
   
• Tell your children ?Good for you? when they maintain self-respect when someone is uncomplimentary or calls them a name. Help them generate self-respecting, assertive responses, as appropriate. Positively affirm that only those with self-respect can create peace, and that he or she is such a one.