The competency developers ought to spend more time with children. A kindergartner is not equipped to "identify and value similarities and differences in cultures, traditions and beliefs." Children have a reductionist understanding of culture. Asking them to compare cultures and beliefs that they do not yet understand is not only ridiculous, it is reckless. While I support teaching active listening to children, it is unrealistic to expect a five year old to grasp a concept that evades adults.  At best, teachers might teach children to memorize and recall indicators of active listening, which has limited value. Last I checked "courage and perseverance" were not among the words typically taught in kindergarten. Structuring a competency with unfamiliar words underscores the benchmark's inappropriateness. Virginia can do better than this.