A Case for Kindness

We have spent the entire month of February collecting examples of Random Acts of Kindness.  The examples in this post are just a handful of over 250 reported acts thus far. Even though this is a friendly school competition, we all win by teaching, modeling, and showcasing kindness.

Why stop when February ends?  We all hope our students experience kindness at home, but what if that is not true? How can we continue to recognize and model kindness everyday? According to Aristotle, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." Here are some easy ideas that allow you to make a case for kindness everyday. You can use them as is or adapt them to fit your style. 

1) One Good Thing: This takes less than five minutes, but sets a positive tone for the day or class period.  Tell students to turn to their neighbor and finish the sentence: "One good thing in my life is..." or "Something good that happened is..."  You could randomly ask for a couple of volunteers to share daily with the class. The teacher might model one each morning, then ask for volunteers.  The possibilities are vast for this one.  This a great opportunity for students to be celebrated and affirmed.

2) Writing Kindness Activity: This activity is a good way to get some writing fluency in while catering to those who might not share this information otherwise. Give out the following sentence starters (or put them on the board, draw out of a hat, have them make up their own, etc..):

• One idea I've gotten from you is...
• I really like your personality because...
• I know I can count on you when...
• I really appreciate when you...
• Some adjectives that describe you are...
• I am impressed by the way you...
• I look forward to seeing you because...

Have students put their name at the top of this paper BEFORE filling it out.  Take them up then randomly pass them out and ask the students to answer three of these prompts about the name at the top of the paper.  After a few minutes, pass them around again.  Do several rounds and then return it back to the name at the top of the paper. Instant smiles. You could do this one time at the beginning of the year and read one comment per day.



3) Shout Out: Start modeling this on day one and see how long it takes before your students start
doing it.  "I really like how...", "I noticed that...", or "I'd like to give a shout-out to..." You can fit a few shout-outs in as the bell rings, as students are coming in, or before you start class.

4) Appreciation Box: This is a great activity for students who do not like to share with the whole group.  Create a box and put it somewhere in the room with sticky notes or small strips of paper. The teacher and students can leave appreciations for classmates, encouragements, and/or shout-outs.Then, take one out each day and read it aloud before class starts.  One teacher who did this said, "We became a family."

5) Temperature Check: Ask the simple question, "How are you feeling today?"  This simple emotional check-in is a great reminder that we all share the same feelings and emotions and they go up and down depending on circumstances. This also gives the teacher insight to students who may be having a tough time, and who may need you to follow up with them privately after class.  For young students, this is also a great way to build a larger vocabulary of feelings for better communication.

6) Community Circle: This activity would be reserved for once or twice a year.  Maybe there has been a traumatic event, the students are not getting along, or other various reasons that impact the classroom. Move desks into a circle or sit on the floor in a circle.  One person only may speak at a time.  The teacher facilitates by posing a question or topic.  You can also have an object that students hold and can only speak when holding this object. This is a great activity to model sharing, listening, respecting others, and collaboration.

For more Kindness In The Classroom Activities Click HERE

Joy, Gratefulness, and Generosity

Magnolia students displayed genuine generosity with their giving to the school's coin drive. According to counselor Lauren Blake, it was obvious from counting all of the money that it came from students' piggy banks and from their hearts!  There were lots of old coins with an occasional dollar bill sprinkled in here and there. Mrs. Blake said that numerous children told her how they earned the money they donated to the coin drive.  After a week of giving, Magnolia Elementary students collected a total of $917.88 that will be donated to TEAM (Trussville Ecumenical Assistance Ministry) to help families in the area who are in need.

December has been filled with teaching students about joy, gratefulness, and generosity, and these students applied their learning this holiday season. Mrs. Blake said,  "I am overwhelmed with joy and humbled by our sweet kiddos!"

Sharing Joy

Music teacher Chris Byars took 30 5th grade students to sing at Trussville Health and Rehab. They had a little time after singing, so Chris told the students they could sit down and relax. Before he knew it, students were going around hugging the residents without any prompting from Chris. Please look at these pictures, but be prepared to cry. Our students spontaneously shared the joy of the season with senior citizens who were so appreciative. Our kids are AWESOME!