NEWS
Pause 4 Thought
7 February 2020
“Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure.” James Altucher.
This week we moved on to consider Honesty. In assembly we started with four UIIC girls playing the ‘Chocolate Button Game. Each was given a single (giant!) chocolate button to put on their tongues and close their mouths. They then needed to keep the chocolate buttons there, without moving their tongues or chewing, until they had completely melted. The winner of the game was the person whose chocolate button took the longest time to melt. As I was unwilling to look inside their chocolate-filled mouths, they needed to be honest and raise their hands when the chocolate button had completely melted. Without honesty, there would be no game. Suffice it to say, having out themselves forward as honest chocolate-lovers, the game went well and there was a clear winner.
I then shared the stories of two children – one who gained a reputation for honesty, and one (fictional) child who did not.
The true story concerned a seven-year-old boy named Tanner Munsey. Tanner’s reputation for being honest earned him a mention in the “Scorecard” column in the July 10, 1989, issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.During a T-ball (intro to baseball – like rounders) game in Wellington, Florida, Tanner attempted to tag a player leaving first base. When the umpire called the player out, Tanner immediately informed the umpire that he hadn’t managed to tag the runner. Two weeks later, Tanner encountered the same umpire in another T-ball game. This time, Tanner was playing short-stop and tagged a runner as they approached third base. When the umpire called the player safe, Tanner didn’t say a word, but the umpire noticed his surprise at the call. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked Tanner. When Tanner affirmed that he had, the umpire changed her decision and called the player out. When the coaches and other parents protested, the umpire stood by her decision, informing them that she had learned to trust Tanner, because of his honesty.
I then showed them the Victorian cautionary tale of Matilda – who came to a sticky end due to her propensity to telling lies, and therefore eventually not being believed. A similar format to ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’.
Finally, we considered why we (because adults are not always honest either….) might avoid the truth sometimes. Perhaps in order to avoid trouble or to avoid hurting someone’s feelings; maybe in order to make ourselves seem more interesting/important; perhaps we are scared of facing consequences. We have lots of opportunities to choose either to be like Matilda (& run risk that people will not trust us) or like Tanner (and be trusted). We are known by our actions. People respect those whom they can trust, those who are honest, and feel safe with them
It often takes courage to be honest. But that doesn’t mean we always have to say everything….
Have a good weekend.
Mrs D-C
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