Tapestry of Faith: Moral Tales: A Program on Making Choices for Grades 2-3

Leader Guidelines

Part of Moral Tales

Children in Moral Tales will be presented with difficult justice issues, including disparities in wealth. Although many Unitarian Universalist children may be privileged economically, others may be living in poverty. It is very important to be sensitive to the wide range of economic circumstances represented in the group. Avoid using language that assumes wealth or categorizes people who lack financial resources as "other" or "different."

Be ready to talk privately with a child who begins to describe a situation in her/his home that suggests a safety concern. Speak to your religious education director to ensure that your congregation and state safety policies can be followed.

As children learn about aspects of goodness and justice it is possible that there will be children who feel shame or guilt for times when they believe they have not acted morally or ethically. Throughout this curriculum, remember to speak about good choices versus bad choices, rather than good people and bad people. Moreover, you can frequently reassure the children that everyone makes mistakes — after which we can attempt to make things right again and try to do it differently in the future.

In leading Moral Tales it will be important to create a learning environment that reflects the values of goodness and justice that you are teaching. Ensure that everyone is welcomed and honored. Emphasize the importance of treating everyone fairly. Identify and praise actions that take place among the group which reflect goodness and justice. Encourage children to resolve any conflicts using the tools and values represented on the Moral Compass poster. In this way, participants will learn experientially how to translate the concepts they are learning into their own, real-life situations and moral dilemmas.