The beginning of the year is the perfect time to talk about virtues. Often, when I say the word “virtue,” someone in the class will ask, “What does that mean?” As teachers, one of the greatest gifts we can give our students is the opportunity to grow in virtue. But what does virtue mean, or look like, to a kindergartener? This month’s Virtue of the Month at St. Benedict Classical Academy is justice. Kindness, respect, honesty, fairness, and obedience are all ways we practice Justice.

To help illustrate this virtue, I chose the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. The story, about a young mouse teased for her name, helps my students focus on being kind, respectful, and fair in our classroom. As I read the story, I passed around a large paper heart. Each time the characters were unkind to Chrysanthemum, a student folded the heart. By the end of the story, the heart had many wrinkles, symbolizing how a person feels when they aren’t treated with kindness and respect.

I then asked my students, “What could you do to make someone’s heart feel happy?” Some of their answers included giving a hug, saying “I’m sorry,” and making a picture for that person.

In religion class, I explained that when we practice virtue, we are giving a gift to Mary and Jesus. For the month of September, each child had a flower center with their name. When we observed an act of virtue, the student added a petal to their flower. Sometimes, a student may tell us about an act of virtue we didn’t see. I explained, “This is a surprise gift for Jesus and Mary because no one saw but you!” When a child’s flower is complete, they placed it in a vase next to Mary.
Through these simple acts, our students learned the value of justice and the joy of offering their hearts to Mary and Jesus.

AUTHOR: Heidi McInerney, Kindergarten Teacher