B.R.I.C.K.

Character
I felt that because our school is based on building strong character, I should also include a page on character. It is always good to come back to this page for review and reflection, even though you might feel as know you could recite this with your eyes closed.

===On this page, I will include some information that may help you in certain situations that you may encounter while in the 5th/6th grade. You may also post questions, comments, or start discussions about certain topics that 5th/6th graders are having to deal with.===


__Breakthrough’s character education curriculum raises student awareness in 5 major are__as:
 * B** – changing Breakdowns to Breakthroughs by applying problem solving strategies;
 * R** – taking Responsibility for being the author of one’s life through one’s decisions snd choices;
 * I** – learning how Integrity (keeping one’s word) empowers relationships and goals;
 * C** – creating opportunities for students to Contribute within the classroom, school and community;

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 * K ** – engaging students in increasing their Knowledge so that new possibilities for their lives can be created. ======

__HA-HA-SO Strategies__
H – Use Humor by applying problem solving strategies. A – Avoid situations where this kind of threat exists. H – Get Help from a third person. A – Assert yourself by giving and [|I-message]. S – Use Self Talk to keep your cool and not lose your temper. ===O – “Own” whatever the bully is saying or agree with it (without really meaning it). ===

__I-Message__
An I-message is a way of communicating a problem that a person is having without putting blame on anyone. The problem solver focuses on him or herself with this strategy. An I-message has three parts and sounds something like this: “**When you** talk about my mother, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t do that anymore.” The bold portions, or their paraphrases, appear in all I-messages. The fourth statement above is a request for an agreement about the future. It is important that a person speaks in an enrolling way when giving an I-message and be committed to finding a solution to the problem (committed complaint) or it won’t produce effective result. The fourth part of the above I-message could be the opportunity to take a simple I-message to the stage of a committed complaint. The student experiencing a problem may make the fourth part of their communication a request may accept the request or decline it. The receiver must make a “counter offer” if they decline. Two students going through this process are negotiating a deal or an agreement. If both students come to an agreement, they have a deal. If either one violates the agreement, the other gets to complain. No one may complain about an issue unless he/she has negotiated a deal or agreement about it. If the student or students cannot think of a request or deal to make, they may request help from the Breakthrough Peer Mediator team or staff members.
 * I feel** hurt,
 * Because** I care about her and I don’t like anyone speaking in a mean way about her.
 * “Committed Complaints Only” and Negotiating Deals**
 * “No Complaints Without a Deal”**

__Generous Apology__

 * A generous apology should contain: “Apology” vocabulary, i.e. “I’m sorry” or “I apologize”.
 * The circumstances of the “mistake”, example: “for talking about your mother”.
 * The feelings the apologizer imagines the listener might have felt in the circumstances, example: “I can imagine that you must have felt hurt and insulted when I said those things.”
 * A commitment for the future improved behavior in these circumstances, example: “I promise I will speak more respectfully about your family in the future”.

__4-Steps to Problem Solving__

 * 1) Write down a statement of the problem.
 * 2) Brainstorm as many and varied solutions to the problem as the the problem solvers can think of.
 * 3) Selectthe solution that sounds best and try it out.
 * 4) After an agreed upon period of time, meet again and talk about how the solution is working.