Virtue of the Month: Tolerance, “Celebrating Difference”
Each month the entire WES Community considers one virtue and looks for ways to reaffirm the virtue into the school’s culture and climate. Chaplain Kristen will guide a variety of discussions and reflection about these virtues in Chapels and in religion classes, and all teachers look for ways to incorporate discussions and activities about these virtues across the curriculum and school day. The virtues our school will be studying this year are Tolerance, Forgiveness, Humility, Reverence, Justice, Loyalty, Perseverance, Stewardship, and Peacefulness.
The study of tolerance calls us to respect the dignity of every human being—even those whose beliefs and practices may differ from our own. We will discuss the benefits of diversity in and around our community and reinforce the importance of mutual respect, justice, and reconciliation for all. Students will discuss how to be tolerant and how behaviors like open-mindedness, empathy, and patience serve as a foundation for being tolerant. In Chapel and in religion class, Chaplain Kristen will challenge students to go beyond just showing tolerance but to love one another—a higher and sometimes more difficult calling to be sure.
Parents and all members of the WES community can join us in this endeavor by discussing with your children:
- A time when someone who you thought was different from you actually had a lot in common with you
- How individual differences and experiences can make teams and communities stronger
- An unfair stereotype you have experienced and what that experience felt like
- Ways to stand up for someone who is being put down or teased
WES students thrive in our tolerant, caring, and loving community. Help us keep this integral part of WES alive.
