Community rights and responsibilities
Understand that every child has rights to safety, education and respectful treatment. Explain how community members help protect others' rights, and that children keep their rights when they make mistakes.
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name at least three rights that every child has (e.g., safety, education, respect)
- Describe the responsibilities that go along with those rights
- Give an example of how exercising their own rights responsibly supports the community
1 · Read
A right is something every person should have, whatever their background. Every child has rights to safety, education and respectful treatment. Rights describe how people should be treated. They do not mean everyone is already treated that way.
A responsibility is something you are expected to do. Respect others' rights as well as your own. Let others learn during lessons. Listen without mocking them. Avoid hurting people. If someone is unsafe, ask a trusted adult for help. You do not have to handle danger yourself.
At recess, fair turns give everyone a chance to play. In class, you can share your view without insulting a classmate. Inviting a new student to lunch can help them feel welcome. They can choose whether to join. Respectful treatment does not mean you must become close friends.
Children keep their rights when they break rules. Adults must protect children and help them learn. A fair consequence must still respect a child's safety and dignity. Rights are not rewards for good behaviour.
You have rights, and so does everyone else. Respect others' rights and ask for help when needed. Children keep their rights when they make mistakes.
These readings were written for this dataset.
More to read
Rights are not rewards
Safety and respectful treatment belong to every child. A school may celebrate helpful behaviour, but it must not make these rights prizes.
If a student pushes someone, an adult should stop the pushing and protect the children. The student who pushed needs help to change that behaviour. They still need safety, learning and respectful treatment too.
If someone is being harmed, tell a trusted adult. You can support another child without trying to handle danger yourself. Adults have responsibilities for protecting children.
Sharing classroom materials
A class shares one box of drawing materials. Taking what you need and passing materials on gives others a chance to use them. Returning tools helps the next group too.
An arrangement can leave someone out even when everyone follows it. A student might need a different tool to join the activity. Ask an adult for help changing the arrangement. Fair treatment does not always mean giving everyone exactly the same thing.
If you damage a shared item, tell an adult. You can help with a repair that is safe for you. Respecting the group includes asking for changes and helping put things right.
2 · Watch
Take it off screen
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.