By Sensei Serge Sognonvi and Carmen Sognonvi
Originally published at http://www.urbandojo.com/blog

Throughout June 2011, we’ll be working on the concept of “integrity” as part of our Powerful Words character development curriculum.

All our discussions and activities will aim to help our students understand what it means to be true to oneself, one’s values and principles, one’s word, and one’s standards and beliefs.

To inspire your own discussions at home, here are five of our all-time favorite quotes on integrity:

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.”
—W. Clement Stone

“Integrity is the essence of everything successful.”
—Richard Buckminster Fuller

“Character and integrity are inextricably intertwined. Character reflects a personal set of values. Integrity is the grit to uphold them.”
—Dr. Robyn Silverman

“Integrity can be neither lost nor concealed nor faked nor quenched nor artificially come by nor outlived, nor, I believe, in the long run, denied”
—Eudora Welty

“No one will question your integrity if your integrity is not questionable.”
—Nathaniel Bronner Jr.

To give you more ideas for conversation topics, here’s a run-down of what we’ll be discussing this month:

Week 1 – Integrity Defines: Right vs. wrong, truth vs. lies, and our strongest values.
Week 2 – Keeping Our Word: Making promises, breaking promises, and consequences.
Week 3 – Bring Our Authentic Selves: How to honor our choices even when not popular.
Week 4 – Leading with Integrity: Walking in other’s shoes & standing on our own feet.

There’s no better way to drive home the lessons we teach at Urban Martial Arts than by reinforcing them… well, at home!

We’d love to hear how your conversations go with your child so do share with us!