How do I teach students to be honest?
If we want students to be honest, teachers need to be honest. Here鈥檚 something I wrote related to the topic for as a :
When my son Ron was young, I told him not to lie鈥攂eing honest is what separates the good guys from the bad guys. But this lesson soon got me into trouble.
One day, I took Ron to Disney World, and as we waited in line to purchase tickets, I saw a sign that said, 鈥淯nder 3 years old: Free. Three and older: $117.
When it was our time to pay, the cashier asked me how old Ron was, and I replied, 鈥淎lmost 3.鈥� Technically, I wasn鈥檛 lying: He was almost 3, but from the wrong side. His third birthday was a few months earlier.
A couple of minutes later, Ron said, 鈥淒addy, I鈥檓 confused. You told me only bad guys lie and you just did.鈥�
I was caught. What message did I just send my kid? I told him one thing鈥攄on鈥檛 lie鈥攂ut acted differently in the face of a $117 incentive, sending a mixed signal.
You can tell everyone that you care about , but talk is cheap. To , you need to set up strong consequences in advance. For example, if you want to convince your teen that texting while driving is a really bad idea, you would make the categorical decision never to touch your phone in the car. And you鈥檇 set a punishment鈥攕ay, your children can report you to your spouse鈥攊f you do.
After 3-year-old Ron saw me sneak him into the park for free, he learned a lesson鈥攋ust not the one I wanted to teach. When we got to the Dumbo ride, which was restricted to ages 4 and up, he told the operator he was 4 and, therefore, old enough to go on the ride. Not surprisingly, he learned from the wrong signal.
顿辞苍鈥檛 believe that just telling kids to do the right thing will be effective.
Do use incentives to help yourself model ethical behavior. Put money in a jar to donate to charity if you curse or when you鈥檙e late for an appointment. Your actions send a signal about what you really care about, and your kids are observing your signals.
