Teaching a student about the importance of taking responsibility for her space as well as for her actions in the classroom is a great way to build good character and citizenship. Brainstorm with students to create a list of class rules that everyone is expected to follow. Assign each child a different area of the classroom to keep clean and organized, rotating each week so that each student gets a chance to be responsible for each area of the classroom. Purchase a class pet and assign two students per week to feed the pet.
Each student is going to be tasked with completing and turning in assignments throughout his entire educational career, and it is important that each student learns to take responsibility for his assignments. Develop group projects where each student is responsible for one aspect of the project and each student must rely on his group members to take responsibility for the other parts of the project. For example, develop a craft activity in which one student colors, one student cuts out shapes and another student glues on the different elements of the piece.
Taking responsibility for things at home is an important lesson that many parents struggle to teach their children. As a kindergarten teacher, you can help your students learn about the importance of taking responsibility at home to help parents teach this important lesson. Have each child design a coupon for a chore that she is willing to help with around the house that she can present to her parents. Have a group discussion in class in which you allow each student to describe the different ways he takes responsibility at home, which will help give every student ideas for new ways to be responsible at home.
Kindergarten is often the time that a student get introduced to the importance of taking responsibility in community and being a good citizen. Have your kindergarten students prepare "Get Well Soon" cards for patients in a local nursing home. Encourage students to bring in a canned good from home once a month to be donated to the needy in your community. If your students play outside for recess, have them collect candy wrappers or other pieces of trash in their playground to teach them about keeping the community beautiful and clean.