ACCOUNTABILITY Be competent in our actions.

tions. Strive to provide quality public service through sound decisionmaking and accountability for our actions. Our employees are professionals that use their expertise in making effective, efficient and reliable decisions. Accepting personal responsibility for one's conduct and obligations; upholding the public trust through ethical behavior and the fiscally responsible administration of resources. We each take personal responsibility to uphold these values, understanding that our pledge may involve difficult choices, hard work and perseverance. Through perseverance, hard work and determination, we are committed to bringing hope to our community. We promote public trust by using resources wisely and through consistent fulfillment of these values. Take ownership of the things you are responsible for. Follow-trough to completion and communicate that to others. Be willing to say, "I will take care of it" and then do. Take responsibility when things go wrong and learn from your mistakes. Do your best even when no one is watching.

COMMUNITY As City employees, we are committed to provide the highest quality and value in municipal services to our community. We recognize that as the population of the city grows, the future will bring increasing demands for the provision of public services. We are prepared to concentrate our efforts on those tasks which will enhance our ability to maintain the highest quality of service. We are a critical resource for the whole community. We create and maintain a respected reputation and positive image in the community. We are perceived as a trusted partner and dependable community resource. We exist to serve our community's human service needs, recognizing that a high standard of service to our donors, agencies and each other must be the focus of our organization's culture. Community involvement is our heritage. We actively participate and invest in the communities where we do business. We are committed to the best use of resources to fulfill identified community goals and needs. We exist to serve the community. We are committed to providing a safe and stable environment, being environment, being involved and responsive as a community resource. We strive to create and sustain a positive image and be a trusted partner with our community.

CREATIVITY Continuous improvement is how we think; innovative change provides competitive opportunities. We are open to change and willing to try new ways to fulfill the organization's vision, mission, and goals more effectively. We value innovation and creativity and support an orientation for change and intelligent decision making at all levels of the organization. We will recognize that "the way we have always done it" may or may not be the best and most efficient way to deliver service. We will apply creative and cost effective solutions in delivering services to our community with a goal of continuously improving the quality of life. Freedom to creatively formulate new concepts, approaches and methodologies; continuously learning by seeking out and encouraging others to pursue venues for gaining knowledge through education, training, feedback and other learning opportunities.

DIPLOMACY

Democratic values must be an integral part of how we function as an institution. The better informed the public is about the county, the more intelligent their judgments about us will be. Thus, all of us have an obligation to be the best source of information we can be. Beyond that, we must constantly improve our ability to communicate with the community and each other about what we do, how well we do it and how we are trying to better it.

QUALITY COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS Through perseverance, hard work and determination, we are committed to bringing hope to our community. We have inherited a public trust nurtured in a tradition of honest and participatory government. As the stewards of the city's affairs, we are entrusted to uphold the law and to manage carefully the city's public facilities, resources and natural environment. Beyond this trust, we are committed to preserve and enhance the quality of life and to help lead the city forward in an unfolding vision of the vest community life that can be achieved.

VALUE DIVERSITY The network is a community where the full diversity of the field is present, from research and teaching to consulting and where learning practitioners come together in love and commitment to truly create a model learning community. Test new ideas, think outside the box, learn about a broad range of current trends and issues using leading-edge industry technologies. We promote the inclusion of people, ideas, perspectives and cultures. We see and embrace diversity within our membership. We maintain an awareness and appreciation of our members and their needs.

Quotes about values

Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury - to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best for both the body and the mind. Albert Einstein Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny. Mahatma Gandhi

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Thomas Paine, The American Crisis Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance. Theodore Roosevelt If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats. Richard Bach, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah If you're honest, you sooner or later have to confront your values. Then you're forced to separate what is right from what is merely legal. This puts you metaphysically on the run. America is full of metaphysical outlaws. Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get swallowed up by the great chewing complacency. Aesop The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws. (from "Rediscovering Lost Values") Martin Luther King Jr., A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

What are Drama Strategies?

Drama strategies - also known as drama techniques or drama conventions are the everyday tools of the drama teacher. They help to develop enquiry skills, to encourage negotiation, understanding and creativity. They can enhance performance skills such as character development and storytelling and be used across the curriculum to actively involve students in their own learning. More... Conscience Alley A character walks down an alleyway formed by members of the class as they use persuasive arguments to help make a decision. More... Hot Seating A character is questioned by the group about his or her background, behaviour and motivation. More... Still Images / Freeze Frames Participants create physical shapes by using their bodies to represent people, objects or abstract concepts. More... Role On The Wall Participants pool their ideas and develop understanding of a character, whether real or fictional, through written contributions to a drawing. More... Teacher in Role The teacher (or other adult) assumes the role of a character to guide and develop students learning. More...

Soundscape The leader or one member of the group acts as conductor, whilst the rest of the group are the 'orchestra'.

Storytelling Storytelling is one of the simplest and perhaps most compelling forms of dramatic and imaginative activity. A good place to start is by telling stories to your pupils and encouraging them to share stories with one another. All of us can become engaging storytellers with a little practice. There may also... READ MORE...

Tableaux What is it? In a tableau, participants make still images with their bodies to represent a scene. A tableau can be used to quickly establish a scene that involves a large number... READ MORE...

Still Images / Freeze Frames Still images and freeze frames are both a form of tableau. With freezeframe, the action in a play or scene is frozen, as in a photograph or video frame. Still images, on the other hand, require individuals or groups to invent body-shapes or postures, rather than freeze existing action. Groups... READ MORE...

Spotlight

Spotlighting is a useful teaching technique for sharing improvised drama when you have divided the class into smaller groups. When it is time to show their work, ask all the groups to sit on the floor. Explain that you will walk around the room and as you get closer to each group, that group will stand... READ MORE...

Soundscape The leader or one member of the group acts as conductor, whilst the rest of the group are the 'orchestra'. Using their voices (and body percussion if appropriate!), the group paints a soundscape of a particular theme or mood, for example the seaside, a city, a jungle. The leader can control the shape... READ MORE...

Thought Tracking A group makes a still image and individuals are invited to speak their thoughts or feelings aloud - just a few words. This can be done by tapping each person on the shoulder or holding a cardboard 'thought-bubble' above their head. Alternatively, thought tracking (also called thought tapping) can involve... READ MORE...

Teacher in Role Teacher in role (TiR) is an invaluable technique for shaping the dramatic process. Simply put, the teacher assumes a role in relation to the pupils. This may be as a leader, a peer, or a subservient role - whatever is useful in the development of the lesson. The teacher may ask questions of the students,...