Cardinal John Foley School

During the month of November, our school community will focus on the virtue of integrity. Integrity means bringing the different parts of our lives into agreement: our words and deeds, our minds and bodies, and our private and public behavior. It asks us to make sure that what we say reflects what we believe and that our actions give those beliefs life. When we live with integrity, we strive to be the same person whether others are watching or we are alone.

For children, this understanding develops through everyday experiences. Keeping a promise, telling the truth when it is difficult, doing their own work, and treating others respectfully are all opportunities to practice integrity. They begin to recognize that saying we value kindness carries a responsibility to act kindly, and that accepting responsibility includes acknowledging mistakes and making amends.

The adults in children’s lives have an essential role in this learning. Our children listen to what we tell them, but they also watch how we live. They notice how we speak about someone who is absent, how we respond when we are frustrated, and whether we follow the expectations we ask them to follow. Social media and television can send mixed messages about honesty, respect, and responsibility, sometimes rewarding behavior that contradicts the values we hope to teach. Our daily example gives children a consistent point of reference.