Teaching Our Kids Character Habits That Last a Lifetime (Part 1)
Academic success is important but so is raising children who are kind, courageous, and compassionate. That’s why many schools, including those inspired by EL Education, go beyond traditional academics to teach Habits of Character—the values and behaviors that help students become the best version of themselves.
While EL Education highlights four core character traits—Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, and Compassion—many schools (like mine) build on this foundation to include other important habits such as Leadership, Empathy, Bravery, Ethical Behavior, Accountability, and Service. Together, these form a framework for developing responsible and resilient children.
The best part, you don’t need a classroom to teach these habits. Parents can nurture them at home, in the car, during family meals, and on the playground. Let’s take a closer look at each habit and how you can help your child grow in character every day.
Perseverance: Try and Try Again
In EL classrooms, perseverance means embracing challenges, using positive self-talk, and trying new strategies until success is found. At home, you can help build this habit by:
- Encouraging your child to tackle difficult tasks instead of avoiding them
- Modeling persistence when things get tough (even with adult frustrations!)
- Celebrating effort, not just outcomes: “I’m proud of how you kept going!”
Try this: When your child wants to give up, ask, “What’s one more thing you could try?” or “Who could you ask for help?”
Books to share:
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires: A funny and heartwarming story about a girl who struggles, fails, and tries again to create her “magnificent thing.” It’s a perfect example of grit and positive self-talk.
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty: Rosie learns that failure is just a part of the process on the path to creativity and success. Encourages perseverance and curiosity.
Leadership: Inspire and Empower
Leadership isn’t about being in charge—it’s about inspiring excellence in others. Children can learn to lead by developing trust, thinking creatively, and modeling positive behaviors.
Help build leadership at home by:
- Giving your child age-appropriate responsibilities
- Encouraging them to speak up for themselves and others
- Praising moments when they encourage siblings or friends
Try this: Ask, “What’s one way you helped someone feel confident today?”
Books to share:
What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada: A poetic story about nurturing ideas and having the courage to lead change, even when others don’t understand.
Swimmy by Leo Lionni: Swimmy helps a group of small fish work together to solve a problem. A simple but powerful example of leading through unity and creativity.
My next blog post will share how you can embrace the character habits of empathy, bravery, and ethical behaviors with your child at school and in daily life.
Alison Whiteley has been a special education teacher for over 15 years, spending most of her time working with elementary students and families. After graduating from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and Psychology, she continued her education with a Masters in Reading from Walden University. In addition, she has achieved endorsements supporting Early Childhood Special Education and Diverse Learners which she uses to help identify needs across all learners.
Ms. Whiteley is trained in Wilson Reading System and Yoshimoto Orton-Gillingham. She believes all students can learn to read and be successful. She has served as a Special Education Coach and Mentor to fellow specialists and teachers, facilitated the creation of her elementary school’s Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (RTI/MTSS) process and helped parents through the Special Education process as IEP Coach for parents. In 2013 she completed the National Boards of Professional Teaching in Exceptional Needs with recertification in 2022. Her areas of expertise involve working with students with learning disabilities, supporting stakeholders moving through the special education process, and helping parents and teachers understand what they can do to support struggling learners in the public school settings.
She is a founding member of the Colorado Reading League and a member of the International Dyslexia Association in Colorado. Alison has two greyhounds and two nephews who keep her busy outside of school. She is the CEO of Toad-ally Exceptional Learners at http://www.toad-allyexceptionallearners.com. Alison is a valuable source of information to support teachers and parents, although she is not a lawyer and does not give legal advice. Her services support families through the IEP process and how they can be an equal member of the team through positive interactions. She focuses on collaboration and using tools to take IEPs to the new level of helping students achieve.