By Sheila Galera, Program Director 21st Century Learning Centers, School District of Palm Beach County
Being an educator and a parent, I see every day that students are no longer socializing, interacting or having the knowledge base to deal with issues. As a result, they become isolated and disengaged. Socializing is a very big part of having to deal with real-world situations. If children cannot deal with difficult issues, how are they going to reach their academic goals?
Schools today are very focused on academic achievement, but often missing is social and emotional learning—the process through which children understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. In Palm Beach County, we are in our second year of offering Charity for Change’s “Giver” summer program, which we also use in 27 schools for K through fifth grade after school and classroom programs.
Charity for Change empowers children to achieve their full potential through character education, active charitable and community involvement, academics, and parental and community engagement. As educators, it’s refreshing for us to have a program that offers both academics and personal enrichment.
Some children will learn these skills at home. In today’s busy world with working parents and packed schedules, others may not. We need to change our society. Children are our future. If we aren’t willing to put forth the effort to teach them how do deal with one another, where we will be? Adding police officers and psychologists to schools is a positive step, but what are the chances the needs of every child will be met?
The Charity for Change program focuses on 19 different character traits, creating real-world conversations about topics that impact children’s lives and behavior. Not only do students engage in discussion about the traits, but they also write about the topics, their feelings and emotions. What better place to teach them than in school, which offers a safe forum for children to interact and learn social skills?
For example, one of the character traits is “kindness,” and students talk about the meaning of the word as well as what it means to be kind. The program allows dialogue about feelings like hurt and anger, and we discuss appropriate ways to react when someone is unkind. Our students interact and learn valuable coping techniques that they can use if someone mistreats them. We have seen the positive impacts, including moments when a student has shared concerns, allowing us to address the situation and get the child the help they need.
School safety and anti-bullying is a priority in Palm Beach County and across the country, Programs such as Charity for Change offer a prevention-based approach to violence and bullying that addresses behavior and character proactively to build a foundation that supports the cultivation of confident and compassionate children. Instead of reacting to bullies, we need to work from the bottom up, so that bullying doesn’t happen. We are trying to address the problem and not looking at the root of the problem, which involves teaching children to deal with emotions and interact appropriately.
One of our schools located very close to the school shooting in Parkland found the Charity for Change program very therapeutic in the days and weeks following the tragedy there. The students painted “kindness” rocks that reinforced the character trait and use of positive words created a garden as a visible reminder of the significance of being good to one another.
An integral part of the program is giving. By researching local charities and deciding which charities to support, children learn they can impact their community by helping others, regardless of their socio-economic background. Financial support comes from the children by “earning” dollars for their charities by successfully completing academic activities. These dollars come from Charity for Change donors and community partners. Our schools have worked with many local nonprofits including Big Dog Ranch, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League and Place of Hope. Charity for Change exposes kids to the power of giving and community at a young age and helps them to understand empathy and what it means to help others.
It’s especially refreshing to offer students an alternative to technology. Too many kids today have their heads down playing video games or are consumed with social media. Charity for Change brings character education to life with multiple approaches that include interactive math games, puppet shows, word puzzles, certificates, lesson plans, kinesthetic activities, visits from charities, volunteer projects, contests, incentive prizes, award shows, and animated mascot appearances. “Giver” is the Charity for Change mascot, and our students just love when he makes appearances at our schools. During end-of-session assemblies, our students are recognized for their accomplishments in the program, and “Giver” joins them to dance and celebrate. The “Giver Shiver” is the special dance that he performs with the kids. Just ask any of our students and they will jump at the chance to dance the “Giver Shiver!”
To learn more about Charity for Change, visit www.charityforchange.org, call (239) 592-6787, or email karenconley@charityforchange.org.
