Fair Play at College View

October - Fair Play

Fair play is a very important issue at College View Elementary. As a school we use character strengths daily to not only teach academics but also social-emotional skills. Two of our character strengths are Social Intelligence and Integrity. These are topics that the students know a lot about and use in their everyday lives. They also link directly with fair play and what it means to be a good sport at home, school and on the field.

The students could hardly wait to watch the video for this month and learn what they would have to do for their challenge. What they didn't know was that the other teachers participating in Classroom Champions at the school and I had come up with a plan. We thought it would be great if they got together for a game of soccer to learn about and show fair play.

All the students were excited by the idea of playing soccer during the day. When we gathered all 3 classes and discussed fair play we heard such detailed and specific answers. The 5th graders helped the 2nd graders and the other way around. They discussed how social intelligence means being a respectful teammate and that it is polite to congratulate the other team at the end of a game. A few students brought up how integrity means following the rules even if no one is watching and not to cheat during the game.

 

As the games got underway there was a lot of teamwork and camaraderie. My whole class was excited to play the game and one student even recited a sportsmanship pledge before the game. The students followed the rules of the game (even if their teacher wasn't the best referee) and they all had fun. There were even a few students who gave up playing to help the 2nd graders.

After the game we debriefed the activity and the class discussed examples of fair play. They noticed how they were being respectful to the other team and how they were working together to be successful. Overall it was a great experience for my class and they learned a lot about what fair play means at school, on the field and at home.

Meredith Strumor
5th Grade
College View Elementary
Denver, CO