Importance of Civility

1) It is natural to have disagreements with others. But you must be thoughtful about what you say and how you say it. As one role model says, “Even when you’re in the right and they’re in the wrong, you still have to maintain that level of respectfulness.” Why is it so important to be respectful to others, even when you disagree? What steps can you take to maintain this “level of respectfulness”?

2) In the video, listeners learn to “treat others as you would like to be treated.” And that even during heated conversations or debates, you don’t have to be mean, become angry, fight, or name call. How can putting yourself in the other person’s shoes or thinking about how you would like to be treated help you be respectful? What else should you avoid doing during heated conversations? What should you do instead?

3) A role model in the video reminds us that, “you never know what someone is going through in a day.” Why is this an important piece of advice to keep in mind? How might this piece of advice affect your actions or words while interacting with others?

4) We all have the opportunity to practice being civil every day. Do you think it is easier to be civil or rude? Do you find that it is easier to be civil in some places than others or to certain people compared to others? Explain your answer.

5) In his 1961 inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address said, “Civility is not a sign of weakness.” What do you think this means? Do you agree or disagree?

6) Being civil doesn’t only impact your life today, it can also have an impact on your future. One role model explained that someone you work with today could be a coworker or even your boss in ten years. How might being civil today have an impact on your future? Do you think people will remember how you treat them, even ten years in the future? Why or why not?

One topic that is near and dear to my heart is the topic of civility. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Even when you’re in the right and they’re in the wrong, you still have to maintain that level of respectfulness. You cannot allow your guard to drop, and you have to make sure that your answer or your response to any situation is professional and respectful.

Speaking even to people you view as your opponents in a measured, diplomatic, not condescending voice is so critical.

Understand that you can have a civil conversation. You can even have a civil debate. But you don’t have to be mean about it. You don’t have to become angry. You don’t have to fight. You don’t have to name-call. Just be civil.

So you can still be right and be happy about being right, but there’s no point in making anyone else feel bad about being wrong.

You never know what someone is going through in a day and just a kind word or a thank you or a compliment how that may affect them and may brighten their day. Always be conscious of what you’re saying to one another.

You never know who you might work with again. And somebody that you worked with 10 years ago might end up being your boss 10 years from now. And I think it’s important to be kind to one another. I think it’s important to respect everyone’s values and viewpoints, and everyone will respect you more if you give that same level of respect to other people.

The way you are matters professionally. It’s not all about your resume and all these other things, but it’s also the side of you of your integrity and what you believe in. Are you honest? Are you kind? How do you treat other people around you? It will be noticed and people who are also kind and look out for fellow good people.

Importance of Civility Independent Learning Guide: This all-purpose guide can be used by educators, parents, and mentors to jumpstart a lively discussion about what it means to be civil to each other.

How do you react when someone is rude to you? What type of language do you use when you disagree with a friend? These situations call for civility! But what is civility? And how can you apply this important skill to your life? Let’s find out!

Importance of Civility Classroom Lesson Plan: This step-by-step lesson plan is available to guide a more in-depth “before, during, and after” learning experience when viewing the video with students. This lesson plan is also suitable for use in after-school programs and other educational settings.

Importance of Civility Fun Page Activity – What does someone say when they are being civil? What about then they are not being civil? Use this activity to think about the language of civility and how you can use words to be more civil to others in your own life.