Character building making schools safer, Central Jersey teachers say By CHAD HEMENWAY – Staff Writer School districts throughout the state have adopted various character-education programs to teach students respect, responsibility and integrity in an effort to make schools better — and safer — learning environments. Just a dream? Not according to administrators and teachers in… Read more »

Environment Plays a Major Role in Shaping Children’s Social Behavior Bad genes may make a brute, but it takes a bad environment to make a bully. A new study shows that it’s bad influences more so than genes that are behind making children bullies. Researchers say the results show that the type of social aggression… Read more »

(Sung to the tune “The Farmer in the Dell”) Manners are the way, To brighten up my day. Please and thank you is what I say To make new friends today! –

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“A thick head can do as much damage as a hard heart.” – H.W. Dodds

You bring out the best in yourself by looking for the best in others! – Gene Bedley

Choose skill for week/month — example Respect. When skill is exhibited by classmates, a piece of the puzzle is added and displayed for everyone to see to a large classroom puzzle. Students would encourage each other to be able to finish the puzzle. Leah Moerchen Margo Stettner – Leah Moerchen, Margo Stettner

Focus on the number of times the child tells the truth rather than the lies they make. It’s important to elevate kids to a responsible level not focus on their shortcomings. If you have a chronic liar you might need to use a more extreme measure. Remember lying is a trust breaker which means I… Read more »

DECIDE TO FORGIVE FOR RESENTMENT IS NEGATIVE RESENTMENT IS POISONOUS RESENTMENT DIMINISHES AND DEVOURS THE SELF. BE THE FIRST TO FORGIVE TO SMILE AND TAKE THE FIRST STEP AND YOU WILL SEE HAPPINESS BLOOM ON THE FACE OF YOUR HUMAN BROTHER OR SISTER. BE ALWAYS THE FIRST DO NOT WAIT FOR OTHERS TO FORGIVE. FOR… Read more »

I remember as a high school student wearing a shirt that said What Me Worry? The shirt had a picture of Alfred E. Newman the character that often showed up on the cover of Mad Magazine. Even though we are not wearing the shirt these days we could use a little bit of the psychology…. Read more »