Is it okay to lie...sometimes?

Read the following situation and then try to answer the questions that follow.

Brendan was in third grade when he was caught cheating on his math quiz. He had been doing poorly in math and his parents had threatened that if he didn’t raise his grades they wouldn’t let him play on the baseball team. So he cheated. When the teacher asked him about it, he denied it at first, but finally admitted to writing down the answers ahead of time.

A parent conference was called and Brendan had to sit with his parents, the teacher, and the principal to discuss the school policy on cheating and lying. On the way home, his father told Brendan he was deeply disappointed in him and expected more from him in the future. That night, Brendan felt like the whole world was against him, but he also felt guilty for letting his parents down.

That weekend, Brendan and his family went to a movie. When they got to the ticket window Brendan’s dad asked for children’s tickets for both Brendan and his 16 year old brother. Brendan looked over at his brother, who stared down at the sidewalk and hunched his shoulders hoping the ticket seller wouldn’t notice that he was well above the age for a child’s ticket. The ticket seller glanced suspiciously back and forth between the father and the brother, and then, with a doubtful look on her face, she handed them the the two child’s tickets. This happened every time they went to the movies, and it always made Brendan feel weird.

On the way home from the movie, Brendan asked his father why it was okay to lie and cheat the theater out of money but not to cheat on his math quiz. His dad responded that sometimes its okay to lie as long as nobody gets hurt.
The rest of the way home Brendan just got more and more confused. Cheating on his test hurt nobody. He didn’t steal the answers from any of the other students. If he hadn’t gotten caught, he would have been praised. How was what he did different from what his dad did over and over again? And should he continue to stay silent the next time his dad lied?

Story adapted from http://www.goodcharacter.com/dilemma/dilemma3.html

Questions for you to think about:

* What is Brendan’s dilemma?

* Have you ever seen an adult or friend do something you felt wasn’t right? What did you do? How did it make you feel?

* Do you think Brendan should try to talk to his Dad again about his lying at the movies?

* Who might Brendan have hurt by cheating on his quiz?

* Brendan’s Dad said it was okay to be dishonest if no one was hurt. Who do you think might have been hurt by his lying at the movie ticket office?

* Have you ever felt like doing (or have you actually done) the “wrong thing” because you felt like it was worth it? Do you still feel that it was worth it?

You may respond to these questions by clicking on the 'Comments' link below this posting. You may also ask your parents to help you and discuss with them the questions above.

Raising Good Children - Character Education Part 2

Raising Good Children - Character Education Part 1

PSLE Marking Days - Home-based Learning time!

Hi everyone!

It's that time of the year when all teachers will be marking the PSLE papers while all pupils stay home and...have fun? Well, you CAN have fun but don't forget that you will be sitting for your final-year examinations soon!

If you are wondering what else you can do to unwind or de-stress, do log in to your BeaconPSP to complete some tasks as part of your home-based learning activities.

What you can expect:

• Exciting physical and stretching activities
• Ideas for gymnastics routines
• Study tips to prepare you for the examination
• Forum discussions
• Survey on what 'respect' means to you
• Explore the 'Million Deeds Challenge'

So, what are you waiting for? Click here to go to the BeaconPSP now!

President Obama's Message for America's Students

The President of the United States of America (USA) spoke to American students on 8th September 2009. Among his main messages are:

• There is no substitute to hard work.
• You have to take personal responsibility for your education.
• Every single one of us have something that we are good at. We have to discover what it is and work hard towards it.
• We have to set clear goals and targets.
• Practice good hygiene and social responsibility when we are sick.
• We have to put in our best effort in everything that we do.

His message is very important and relevant to us. It is something that our school leaders and teachers talk about on a daily basis. Now even the students in the USA are getting the same messages.

Click on this link to watch President Obama's speech and write comments on what you think about it.

Beacon's Olympic Recess Challenge

The Olympic Games have become one of the biggest sporting events of our time. Athletes from the entire world take part. Their achievements are watched from both near and far by hundreds of millions of spectators. The five rings on the Olympic flag represent the international nature of the Games.

The first modern Olympics was held in Greece in 1896. Back then, women were not allowed to take part in the games. It was only in 1900, the second edition of games, when women were allowed to participate!

Here are the 3 Olympic values:

1. Friendship
• Friendship is important because the more friends you make, the more competitors you will have. You will have much more fun playing the games with more friends.
2. Respect
• You must learn to respect your opponents. Without them, there will be no competition and you will have to play the games alone. Be gracious to your competitors.
3. Excellence
• Give your best when you compete in the games. The games are not only about winning, you can excel in character as well! Aim to improve your performance each time you participate. 

This week's game - Knee Throwing

Do look through the flipcharts that are placed at the Olympic Corner in the canteen. You can obtain information about the Olympics, YOG and Team Singapore. During the games, you can help your class to earn bonus points by being able to answer questions on these topics.

Internet addiction - Let's fight it!

This week's Pastoral Care topic is on internet addiction. Although the internet is rich with information and helps us in our learning, we must be very careful not to become addicted to it and to learn how to use it properly and responsibly.

To become addicted to something means to spend a lot of time in doing the same thing, causing your health and other daily activities to be affected. For example, if your friend is addicted to playing computer games, it means that he spends a lot of time on the computer. He does not care about eating, doing his homework or even having enough sleep!

If you think that you are addicted to computer games or if you know of friends who are addicted to computer games, do inform your parents or teachers immediately.

For more tips on internet safety and addiction, visit the following websites:
1. KidsHealth - Safe Cyberspace Surfing
2. MDA CyberWellness website
3. Microsoft - Tips for parents to protect kids online

The following are helplines to help you overcome your addiction or other cyber-related problems:
1. Planet Crush (Cyberspace Risks & where U Seek Help) 1800-377 2252
2. Samaritans Of Singapore (Free, 24 hours) 1800-221 4444
3. Child Guidance Clinic 6435 3878/ 6435 3879
4. Addictions Helpline, IMH (Mon-Fri, 8.30am - 6.00pm) 6732 6837