Introduction

Respect is an essential skill for students to develop, as it helps them build positive relationships and fosters a healthy learning environment. It involves treating others in a way that makes them feel valued, through our words, behavior, and habits. This blog post will focus on the concept of respectful and disrespectful language, referred to as Put-Ups and Put-Downs, and provide educators with practical activities and discussion questions to promote respect among elementary students.

No-Prep Activity: Put-Up and Put-Down Sorting

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and can be done in a group setting. First, have students sit in a circle. The goal of this activity is for students to come up with examples of Put-Ups and Put-Downs and then sort them into the appropriate categories.

1. Ask students to think of examples of Put-Ups and Put-Downs, either from their own experiences or from the examples provided earlier.
2. One by one, have each student share their example with the group, and then decide whether it’s a Put-Up or a Put-Down.
3. As a group, discuss why the example falls into the chosen category, and if necessary, help students understand the reasons behind the classification.
4. Continue until each student has shared an example and the group has sorted them into the respective categories.

This activity helps students become more aware of their language and its impact on others, encouraging them to choose respectful words and behaviors.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it essential to use respectful language (Put-Ups) instead of disrespectful language (Put-Downs)?
2. Can you think of a time when someone used a Put-Down towards you? How did it make you feel, and how did it affect your relationship with that person?
3. How can we practice using Put-Ups in our everyday interactions with others?
4. What are some strategies we can use to help us recognize and avoid using Put-Downs in our speech?
5. How can practicing respect through our language and behavior benefit us and those around us?

Related Skills

Teaching respect through the concept of Put-Ups and Put-Downs can also help students develop other valuable skills, such as:

• Empathy: Understanding the feelings and perspectives of others, and using respectful language to show support and care.
• Conflict Resolution: Using respectful language and behavior to address disagreements and find solutions that are fair to all parties involved.
• Active Listening: Paying attention to what others are saying, showing interest, and using respectful language to respond and ask questions.
• Self-Awareness: Recognizing one’s own feelings and understanding how our words and actions can impact others.

Next Steps

Now that you have a better understanding of how to teach respect to elementary students through the concept of Put-Ups and Put-Downs, we encourage you to explore additional resources to help your students develop this essential skill. Sign up for free samples of skill-building activities, discussion questions, and more at Everyday Speech to support your students’ social-emotional growth.