Teaching kindness in the classroom
The beginning of the school year is always a time to practice the classroom management strategies we want to put in place. We often spend a great deal of time modeling routines and procedures. Teaching our students to be kind is just as important as teaching them how to line up for recess. (Or much more important if you ask me!)
Would you love to work on ways to practice kindness with your students, but are worried about how much time it will take away from everything else you must do?
I’ll share with you a few simple ways you can encourage kindness in your elementary classroom everyday of the year!
Model Kindness in the classroom
It is no secret that we as teachers are some of children’s biggest role models. If we want our students to be kind, it is important that we show kindness ourselves. Simple acts each day such as greeting students at the door when they arrive, asking about their weekend, and giving them compliments can all go a very long way.
When you see a student showing kindness, make a big deal about it. This can be especially motivating for those students who need extra reminders, because they are often the ones simply looking for attention.
Read Books on Kindness
There are tons of great picture books to choose from when teaching your students about kindness. Keep a few of these nearby and read them when an opportunity arises. ( before dismissal or during a classroom bathroom break)
You can read about all of the stories on kindness I recommend HERE. However, out of all of the read alouds about kindness, two of my favorites are: Each Kindness and Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed.
Each Kindness is a story about a new girl Maya, who is bullied after starting the new school. The main character, Chloe, joins in with the other students as they make fun of Maya for the way she dresses. After Maya doesn’t return to school for sometime, Chole understands the impact of her actions when she learns Maya has moved away.
Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed shows students that one, even seemingly small act of kindness, can have great impact! This is a great book to inspire students to try and carry out their own small acts of kindness.
Spread Small Notes Promoting Kindness
Everyone, including your students love getting handwritten notes! I love writing a kind note and leaving it inside of a students desk or acknowledging a kind act they did and then sending it home to show their parents.
These Classroom Community Building Note Cards are perfect to print out and make available for your students to give to each other as they witness acts of kindness. There are options to use during Valentine’s Day, but also several cards that work any day of the year! You can also use these Friendship Writing Prompts to help students write about acts of kindness they have witnessed.
Create a Kindness Calendar
Use a kindness calendar for a fun twist on encouraging kindness in and out of the classroom. With this Free Kindness Calendar, you have students focus on a new act of kindness each day of the month! Have students “check-in” with a partner or as a whole group each week to share how many acts they were able to complete.
