To read a peer-reviewed article on the complexities of Character Education and see a matrix for evaluating all such affective educational programs, see my thesis in Ken Wilber's INTEGRAL Journal at http://www.frankmarrero.com/ewExternalFiles/AQAL.pdf

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Praise

for the Affective Effectiveness of Big Philosophy for Little Kids

Scholars

I am writing to voice my strong support for your curriculum. It has already reached a great number of students and the teachers have testified to the fact that it has been highly successful.

The character education students receive is very much in need and the fact that it is embedded in a sophisticated writing curriculum makes it easy for the teachers to use. The affective education this curriculum cultivates often reinforces what is being taught in the home, and for some, offers essential instruction not experienced in the home.

I believe this project can make a difference in our students and our society.

Frank R. Elliot Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools, Ross Valley School District

In my work at the Joseph Campbell Foundation, I have reviewed many mythological education programs, and while each has been well-intended, most have been limited by their focus on either "the hero's journey" (as a paradigm for personal growth) or on the development of a "personal mythology", and almost all have been directed at adults or "older" students.

Big Philosophy for Little Kids, however, stands in marked contrast to these other programs. This unique writing curriculum is distinctive in its use of mythological narratives as the contextual base for the development of character. I whole-heartedly recommend it to all educators seeking a particularly meaningful program for younger students. Neither you nor they will be disappointed.

Robert Walter, President Joseph Campbell Foundation

Never before has the bell rung so clearly for character development curriculum in elementary school education. For educators, parents, and children alike, this curriculum offers touching and unique activities that promise to both develop character and shape the culture in which we live. This is the kind of education that could benefit every school district in America.

Michael Murphy, Esalen Founder; Author of Golf in the Kingdom and The Future of the Body

Your project to recover the legacy of ancient understanding and wisdom for students today is not just a noble undertaking but an essential one. That legacy lies at the foundation of our cultural tradition; its structures and principles still inform the depth of our collective psyche. Our age urgently needs to reconnect with this treasure, and there is no more important place to begin that task than with the education of the young. I am genuinely impressed by the insight, creativity, and gentleness with which you have engaged that effort.

Richard Tarnas, Phd.

Professor of Philosophy & Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies Author, The Passion of the Western Mind

Parents

I express my whole-hearted support for the Royal Games Program. Both of my children have participated in sessions. My daughter participated as a fourth grader. My son received training as a second grader. I am a second grade teacher at another school.

If you are a parent, you are probably aware of how little children are willing to talk at home about school. Both of my children would share at the dinner table the game they played that day. They shared it in a thoughtful way expressing feelings as well as retelling the event. This illustrates to me the impact these Games had on my children. My seven year old son learned a vocabulary to categorize human behavior. For example he would say, 'He is being greedy like King Midas.' We vacationed in Montana and visited the Battle of Bighorn site. We were able to convey a picture of Custer to the children by saying he was like Narcissus. My nine year old daughter also gained vocabulary, but more importantly started to define her value system. She saw consistency, concentration, compassion and self-knowledge as valuable traits. She personally was dealing with some fears; nightmares were difficult for her. By using the Royal Breaths she was able to control the panic she was feeling. It has been a tool she has used many times.

I have given only a few illustrations of how the Royal Games have effected my children. There are many more. The wisdom they gained by these activities and discussions will stay with them for a lifetime.

Amy Anderson, Mother & 1st Grade Teacher

Teachers

It is now obvious that great ideas inspire great writing.

Dan Alderson, AP English teacher, Sonoma Valley HS, CA

...[This curriculum]empowered me as a teacher and I am certain they have empowered my students — and even those who know my students. It has become an integral part of my teaching. I fully expect to use and develop it for my whole life.

Susan Phaneuf

Sanchez Elementary School, San Francisco, CA

...I sincerely believe that there will be an enduring influence on the children from having participated in the Royal Games. I already have witnessed this strong influence on their behavior in the areas of improved attention skills; greater empathy for others; and improved ability to deal with peer relationships.

Joan Taylor, Brookside Elementary, San Anselmo, CA

Letters and Writing Examples from the Kids

About a week ago I said to my sister, "I bet you I can climb higher than you can on the tree.” So she said, "Let's see.”

So we went outside and I thought it would be easy for me since she is only six. So I started to climb up as fast as I could go so it would be over with, but when I was not high up, I slipped and fell, but I did not hurt myself a lot. But when my sister tried she focused and almost got to the top and beat me.

Cause I was being Icarus and she was being Daedalus.

Martin, San Anselmo, CA (age 9)

A lifelong lesson that I will always remember is to be focused and concentrate to get something done well.

James, San Francisco, CA (age 11)

You have taught me so much I don't know how to repay you. I will always remember the royal breaths because I always use them. I will remember deep happiness. I will remember high happiness and how it has less meaning. I will always remember to be like Daedalus and focused and not to be like Icarus and impulsive. But most importantly I will not be like Narcissus. I will care and have empathy for others. You are great for teaching me this.

Terry, Fairfax, CA (age 10)  

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The Art of Teaching

There is an art whereby a teacher elicits learning, elicits participation, elicits creativity and growth. It is the art of openness, challenge, and invitation. In developing this art, the teacher sees through skin color and gender, sees through the façade of social faces, and sees through every act of need and fear. The teacher sees clearly the spark or light that is at the core of each and every one, sees how to invite that livingness into openness and trust, sees how to tend that spark into a fire and that vibrancy into genius.

When the teacher matures in this dual-sensitivity of graciousness and growing demand, she or he becomes a kind of priest or priestess, artfully attending the sacred fires who are their students. To invite children into the joy of continual growth, one must be involved in a practice of continual growth. Inspirational teaching is spiritual, attending to the spirit of each student. To lead children out of inability and reactivity to response-ability is not openness only, but openness joined with spirited challenge and gracious appreciation.

A great teacher's "spiritual x-ray vision" sees clearly a unique moment in the interaction with children: the first split second when your eyes meet theirs. For if you look through your social face and theirs, you can always see the question that riddles the flesh and complicates every soul: "Are you going to hurt me?" Capturing that initiation, the great teacher is prepared. Deep in her or his heart, he or she is already chanting, "I see you, I'll care for you". In an instant, the student sees the teacher as a friend and the teacher's caring eyes plant a seed of hope in their heart. The first split second when your eyes meet theirs is a great opportunity, and only care and vigilance are required to catch it.

The art of teaching is to tender that place in every child that nobly responds to the call to grow.

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Scope and Sequence

Teacher Introduction and Full Overview ................................................................................1

The Art of Teaching .....................................................................................................................5

Unit One: Attention!

Teaching Our Children to Focus, Persist, and Rest

The Task of Concentration & The Wisdom of Failure (2-4 weeks)

The Core Story: Against All Odds: Wilma Rudolph ...............................................................14

The Attention Muscle ...............................................................................................................21

Comprehension Creation ..........................................................................................................24

Writing: My Mom’s (Dad’s, adult’s) Heroism..........................................................................25

Interviewing, listening, notes, writing, rewriting ......................................................................26

Taking it to heart: Tie the “Attention Muscle” to Self-Challenges ...........................................27

Writing: Simple self-observation: Personal Timeline ..............................................................28

Restraint: Start-Stop .................................................................................................................29

StudentHood Report Cards ........................................................................................................30

Unit Two: Tell Me a Story

Children Practice Self-Expression While Exercising the Features of Story-Telling

From Across the Parking Lot and Up the Elevator to My Fun Story (2-3 weeks) .............33

Main Idea Activity .....................................................................................................................33

Setting Game .............................................................................................................................34

Prewrites for Set-Up and Setting CHART ............................................................................... 36

Writing Process: Draw, then Talk and Sketch, Draft, Improve, Rewrite, and Publish.............37

Prewrites for Character CHART .............................................................................................41

Prewrites for Plot. CHART .......................................................................................................42

Writing: My Halloween Story (1-2 weeks) ............................................................................43

COLORING the words: Plain/Silver/Golden Levels of Writing

Figurative Language: Similes, Metaphors, Hyperbole, Personification

The Legend of English: Teacher Preparation ............................................................................44

Reading and Understanding: The Legend of English .............................................................47

The Body of English Word Wall CHART ..................................................................................53

Writing: Show, Not Tell ............................................................................................................54

Writing: Create Comprehension: Kids make a test for their parents ........................................55

    Marrero Big Philosophy for Little Kids

    Writing: Word Investigations..................................................................................................56

Word Investigations CHART .....................................................................................................57

Writing: Framing (and Filling) An Autobiographical Story .....................................................59

Five Finger Editing CHART .....................................................................................................61

Plain, Silver, Golden Sentences CHART. .................................................................................63

Rubrics for Descriptive Paragraph ...........................................................................................64

Writing: Class Book of Poetry, “I am ...” ................................................................................65

ReTale: Retelling a Fairy Tale.................................................................................................67

The Really Real Story of The Three Little Pigs..........................................................................68

Unit Three: Brief and Long-Lasting Happiness

Dynamic Writing on Wisdom

Teacher’s Introduction: Brief and Long Lasting Happiness (2-4 weeks) .......................................74

The Core Story of King Midas .................................................................................................77

A Bit of Theatre and a Venn Diagram in Preparation to write...................................................83

Writing: The simple 2-point paragraph; Compare-Contrast + CHART ...................................85

Student Samples.........................................................................................................................88

How You Feel Affects How You See ......................................................................................90

Visual Illusions: wine glass or two faces silouette? .................................................................91

Core Stories: Pandas in Paradise ...........................................................................................92

Hedgehog’s Changing Sight .....................................................................................................93

Unit Four: Self-Knowledge

Children Compose Simple Self-Understanding

Introduction: The Two Arms of Self-Knowledge (2 weeks) .....................................................96

Overview for Narcissus .............................................................................................................97

The Core Story of Narcissus ....................................................................................................99

Primary Theatre: Narcissus at the Pond ..................................................................................101

Hand Squeeze ..........................................................................................................................103

Writing: “A Time I was Selfish”.............................................................................................105

Student Samples ......................................................................................................................106

Teacher Introduction: Daedalus or Icarus? ..............................................................................107

The Core Story: Daedalus and Icarus: Even or Impulsive? ...................................................108

Writing: “Accidental” Stories .................................................................................................109

Unit Five: Response-Ability

The Responsive Paragraph; Breath and Feeling

Responsive Paragraph Construction: R-E-S-P-O-N-D to Quotable Quotes (3-4 weeks) .....113

Writing: Teaching to the QWIER, the concluding sentence .....................................................114

R-E-S-P-O-N-D Sentence Generator CHART .........................................................................116

Q-W-I-E-R Sentence Generator CHART ...................................................................................117

R-E-S-P-O-N-D to Quotes from the following categories:

The Golden Circle of Behavior & Experience, Friendship, Excellence,

Self-Knowledge, The Power of Thought, Speech, Restraint, Mind,

Perception and Feeling, Happiness & Appreciation, Service .........................................118-133

Writing: The Four Voices Paragragh (with Sample) .............................................................134

The Four Voices Sentence Generator CHART .......................................................................135

Damonia and Destiny: The Juxtaposed Tales of Twin Sisters (2 weeks) ...........................136

Writing Foci: Framing the Story; Evoking the Characters, Using Quotes, Audience, Coloring the Words

The Inspired Interplay of Breath and Feeling (1 week) .....................................................140

Introduction: The Transformation of Psyche ...........................................................................141

The Core Stories of The Death of King Zoser .......................................................................143

The Transformation of Psyche ................................................................................................146

The Four Royal Breaths CHART.............................................................................................152

Art Appreciation and Poetry.................................................................................................153

Poetry’s Points of View, Emotions, Living Colors, Motion

Writing: Art Appreciation and Poetry .....................................................................................154

Student Samples .......................................................................................................................154

Unit Six: The Developmental Rainbow

Writing Full Essays On Growing Up, Exercising Parallelism and Personalizations

“What Is It To Really Grow Up?”

A Real Talk for Kids Today about a Wonderful Future (4 weeks) .........................................157

Writing: Note Taking, Discussion, Paragraphs, Personalization,

Full Writing Process, Essays Exercising Parallelism...............................................................157

The Developmental Rainbow Matrix: Ready-to-be-filled-in CHART ....................................160

The Developmental Rainbow Matrix: Completed CHART.....................................................175

Student Sample........................................................................................................................178

Unit Seven: Service Heroes

Integrating Research, Art, Poetry, and Taking Character

Writing: Service Heroes, Biography Report (1-2 weeks).......................................................182

Research, Citations, and Multi-Faceted Presentations (4 weeks)

Martin Luther King, Jr., John Muir, Alice Eastwood, Ben Franklin,

Aung Sung Suu Kyi, Caesar Chavez, Henry David Thoreau, Thomas Jefferson,

Kong- Qiu, John Audubon, Luther Burbank, Mahatma Ghandi, David Brower,

Mother Teresa, plus ____________ (your favorites, plus local/familial service heroines, heroes.)

Art: Biography Montage .......................................................................................................182

Writing: BioPoem ..................................................................................................................183

Student Samples......................................................................................................................186

Biography Information CHART ............................................................................................. 187

Theatre: Biography Interview ............................................................................................... 188

Taking it Home: How can I serve? ..........................................................................................189

Appendices

USA Common Core Educational Standards Addressed ....................................................191

Introduction to Integral Theory ..........................................................................................193

Whole Body Integration .......................................................................................................195

Index ......................................................................................................................................197

About the Author ...................................................................................................................201

"If you are planning for a year, sow rice;

if you are planning for a decade, plant trees;

if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people."

- Chinese proverb

For the next epoch

(About the Author)