Students practice 7 habits' techniques

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
March 6, 2003
Lamar Elementary School's principal attributes the lack of discipline problems in her school to the success of the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" program.
For the past four years, first- through fifth-graders at Lamar Elementary School have learned the "7 Habits."
One thing students do when they get in trouble is fill out a "think sheet."
The sheet gives students an opportunity to describe the problem and what they think caused the problem. Students also are given a list of the "7 Habits" and are asked to check the habit they didn't follow.
This form of discipline also gives students an opportunity to come up with a positive solution for the problem.
The "7 Habits" program is based on a program pioneered by Stephen Covey, founder and chairman of the FranklinCovey Co.
Lamar Elementary's program is an off-shoot of one used the Montgomery Institute and the East Mississippi Business Development Corp. use to train Meridian and Lauderdale County adult leaders.
However, at Lamar Elementary School, "7 Habit" terms like "synergize" and phrases like "win-win," have been translated into language that elementary school students can understand.
Susan Smith, a first-grade teacher at Lamar, said the program has made her students more organized and helps with time management skills.
Davis said the program is not expensive, just $3 per workbook. She said she would recommend the program to other schools and hopes Lamar's middle and high schools implement the program soon.
Second-grader Delaney Sheehan,7, said she has learned "to be nice and kind and dare to care. I've (also) learned that you should act responsible and when the teacher's talking, wait your turn to speak."