"Strength lies in differences, not in similarities."
- Stephen Covey
"Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love."
- Lao Tzu
- Stephen Covey
"Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love."
- Lao Tzu
Character education in the library
sharing meaningful booksDuring library lessons, students are exposed to high-quality books which push their thinking about life situations which they may encounter.
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discussing booksAfter reading meaningful texts, students are asked to put themselves in the place of characters and answer the question, "What would you do if you were in this situation?" They often share their thoughts aloud or complete a thinking routine to show their thinking.
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taking actionMontecito Union students demonstrate daily that they are children with character by demonstrating kindness to others, participating in community service projects, and being model citizens.
In December of 2016, Montecito Union had its second "Mustangs Give Back" where we collected new and gently used books to donate to CALM (Child Abuse Listening and Mediation) and the Transition House for their holiday gift drives. MUS families donated 382 books! |
Recommended books on teaching character to children:
Cultivating Kindness:
Each Kindness by J. Woodson – grades 2-6
How to be a Friend by L. Brown and M. Brown - grades K-3
Have you Filled a Bucket Today? By C. McCloud – all grades
Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by M. Cuyler – all grades
Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna - grades K-4
Two by K. Otoshi – all grades
A Chair for my Mother by V. Williams - grades K-3
What does it mean to be Kind? by R. DiOrio - grades K-3
Can I Play Too? M. Willems – grades K-2
Clementine: Friend of the Week by S. Pennypacker - grades 1-4
The Next Door Bear by M. Kuryla-Yelchin - grades K-3
One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by J. Rocklin - grades 2-6
The Kindness Quilt by N. Wallace - grades K-3
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by P. Stead - grades K-2
Zen Ties by J. Muth - grades 1-3
How to Heal a Broken Wing by B. Graham – grades K-3
The Odious Ogre by O. Juster – all grades
Defining Bullying/Anti-bullying:
The Recess Queen by A. O’Neill and L. Huliska-Beith – grades K-3
Enemy Pie by D. Munson – grades K-4
Bullies Never Win by M. Cuyler – grades K-4
Just Kidding by T. Ludwig – grades 3-6
Bully by P. Polacco – grades 3-6
The Juice Box Bully by M. Dismondy and R. Sornson – all grades
My Secret Bully by T. Ludwig – grades 2-6
Nobody Knew What to do: a story about bullying by B. McCain – grades 1 and up
Mr. Lincoln’s Way by P. Polacco – grades 1 and up
One by K. Otoshi – all grades
Wonder by R. J. Palacio (novel) – grades 4 and up
Finding Courage:
Beautiful Oops by B. Saltzberg – grades K-3
The Girl who never Made Mistakes by M. Pett and G. Rubinstein – grades K-3
Say Something by P. Moss – grades 2-6
The Dot by P. Reynolds – grades K-4
Ish by P. Reynolds – grades K-4
Coming on Home Soon by J. Woodson – grades 2-6
The Day the Crayons Quit by O. Jeffers – grades K-3
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by P. Lovell – grades K-2
What do you do with an Idea? by K. Yamada - all grades
What if Everybody did That? by E. Javernick – grades K-4
Spaghetti in a hot dog bun: having the courage to be who you are by M. Dismondy – all grades
The Most Magnificient Thing by A. Spires – grades K-3
Giraffe’s Can’t Dance by G. Andreae – grades K-3
Promoting Peace:
The Peace Book by T. Parr – grades K-2
Wangari’s trees of peace: a true story of Africa by J. Winter – grades 3-6
The Peace tree from Hiroshima: the little bonsai with a big story
by S. Moore – all grades
Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class by E. Spinelli – grades K-4
Valuing Differences:
Only One You by L. Kranz – grades K-2
The Skin you Live In by M. Tyler – grades K-2
The Invisible Boy by P. Barton – grades K-4
Chocolate Milk, Por Favor – Celebrating Diversity with Empathy by M. Dismondy – all grades
The Colors of Us by K. Katz – grades K-3
I’m Like you, You’re Like me: a book about understanding and appreciating each other by C. Gainer – grades K and 1
Zero by K. Otoshi – all grades
The Other Side by J. Woodson – grades 2-6
Our Friendship Rules by P. Moss and D. Tardiff – all grades
Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores by J. Howe - grades K-3
! by A. Rosenthal and T. Lichtenheld – all grades
Yo! Yes! By C. Raschka – grades K and 1
It’s Okay to be Different by T. Parr – grades K and 1
Odd Velvet by M. Whitcomb – grades K-3
Stellaluna by J. Cannon – grades K-3
The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen R. Al Abdullah - grades K-4
The OK Book by A. Rosenthal – grades K-3
Chester’s Way by K. Henkes – grades K-2
Nonfiction:
Building Moral Intelligence; the seven virtues that teach kids to do the right
thing by M. Borba
Between Parent and Child by H. Ginott
Caring by B. Glassman
A Fine Young Man; What parents, mentors, educators can do to shape
adolescent boys into exceptional men by M. Gurian
Bullying Hurts; teaching kindness through read alouds and guided conversation
by L. Laminack and R. Wadsworth
Cookies: Bite-size life lessons by A. Rosenthal
Parenting From the Inside Out: How a deeper self-understanding can help you
raise children who thrive by D. Siegel and M. Hartzell
Cultivating Kindness:
Each Kindness by J. Woodson – grades 2-6
How to be a Friend by L. Brown and M. Brown - grades K-3
Have you Filled a Bucket Today? By C. McCloud – all grades
Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by M. Cuyler – all grades
Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna - grades K-4
Two by K. Otoshi – all grades
A Chair for my Mother by V. Williams - grades K-3
What does it mean to be Kind? by R. DiOrio - grades K-3
Can I Play Too? M. Willems – grades K-2
Clementine: Friend of the Week by S. Pennypacker - grades 1-4
The Next Door Bear by M. Kuryla-Yelchin - grades K-3
One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by J. Rocklin - grades 2-6
The Kindness Quilt by N. Wallace - grades K-3
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by P. Stead - grades K-2
Zen Ties by J. Muth - grades 1-3
How to Heal a Broken Wing by B. Graham – grades K-3
The Odious Ogre by O. Juster – all grades
Defining Bullying/Anti-bullying:
The Recess Queen by A. O’Neill and L. Huliska-Beith – grades K-3
Enemy Pie by D. Munson – grades K-4
Bullies Never Win by M. Cuyler – grades K-4
Just Kidding by T. Ludwig – grades 3-6
Bully by P. Polacco – grades 3-6
The Juice Box Bully by M. Dismondy and R. Sornson – all grades
My Secret Bully by T. Ludwig – grades 2-6
Nobody Knew What to do: a story about bullying by B. McCain – grades 1 and up
Mr. Lincoln’s Way by P. Polacco – grades 1 and up
One by K. Otoshi – all grades
Wonder by R. J. Palacio (novel) – grades 4 and up
Finding Courage:
Beautiful Oops by B. Saltzberg – grades K-3
The Girl who never Made Mistakes by M. Pett and G. Rubinstein – grades K-3
Say Something by P. Moss – grades 2-6
The Dot by P. Reynolds – grades K-4
Ish by P. Reynolds – grades K-4
Coming on Home Soon by J. Woodson – grades 2-6
The Day the Crayons Quit by O. Jeffers – grades K-3
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by P. Lovell – grades K-2
What do you do with an Idea? by K. Yamada - all grades
What if Everybody did That? by E. Javernick – grades K-4
Spaghetti in a hot dog bun: having the courage to be who you are by M. Dismondy – all grades
The Most Magnificient Thing by A. Spires – grades K-3
Giraffe’s Can’t Dance by G. Andreae – grades K-3
Promoting Peace:
The Peace Book by T. Parr – grades K-2
Wangari’s trees of peace: a true story of Africa by J. Winter – grades 3-6
The Peace tree from Hiroshima: the little bonsai with a big story
by S. Moore – all grades
Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class by E. Spinelli – grades K-4
Valuing Differences:
Only One You by L. Kranz – grades K-2
The Skin you Live In by M. Tyler – grades K-2
The Invisible Boy by P. Barton – grades K-4
Chocolate Milk, Por Favor – Celebrating Diversity with Empathy by M. Dismondy – all grades
The Colors of Us by K. Katz – grades K-3
I’m Like you, You’re Like me: a book about understanding and appreciating each other by C. Gainer – grades K and 1
Zero by K. Otoshi – all grades
The Other Side by J. Woodson – grades 2-6
Our Friendship Rules by P. Moss and D. Tardiff – all grades
Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores by J. Howe - grades K-3
! by A. Rosenthal and T. Lichtenheld – all grades
Yo! Yes! By C. Raschka – grades K and 1
It’s Okay to be Different by T. Parr – grades K and 1
Odd Velvet by M. Whitcomb – grades K-3
Stellaluna by J. Cannon – grades K-3
The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen R. Al Abdullah - grades K-4
The OK Book by A. Rosenthal – grades K-3
Chester’s Way by K. Henkes – grades K-2
Nonfiction:
Building Moral Intelligence; the seven virtues that teach kids to do the right
thing by M. Borba
Between Parent and Child by H. Ginott
Caring by B. Glassman
A Fine Young Man; What parents, mentors, educators can do to shape
adolescent boys into exceptional men by M. Gurian
Bullying Hurts; teaching kindness through read alouds and guided conversation
by L. Laminack and R. Wadsworth
Cookies: Bite-size life lessons by A. Rosenthal
Parenting From the Inside Out: How a deeper self-understanding can help you
raise children who thrive by D. Siegel and M. Hartzell