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Yoko by Rosemary Wells teaches how important it is to be kind, tolerant, and respectful to others!

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Yoko by Rosemary Wells teaches how important it is to be kind, tolerant, and respectful to others!

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According to the dictionary ...

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

But kindness means so much more ...

Kindness can mean different things to different people. The meaning is in how YOU choose to show it. Be it through empathy, acceptance, kind gestures, thoughtfulness, the possibilities are entirely up to you. Kindness might look like being helpful or showing empathy. It may mean doing nice things without expecting nice things in return

Kindness is more than being nice.

Kindness goes beyond merely being nice. Think about it - would you prefer people to describe you to be "kind" or "nice? " There can be a lack of sincerity in just being nice; there is often a perception of doing the minimum. Whereas, being kind is doing intentional, voluntary acts of kindness. Not only when it's easy to be kind, but when it's hard to be.

Kindness is a movement.

Has someone ever done something kind to you and all you wanted to do after was pay it forward? That's because kindness is a chain reaction. It's a wave that keeps rolling, and all it needs is one person to start it. One small kind act can cause a ripple effect that impacts an entire community. If we are all focused on being kind, we are creating a movement of change. You know that famous "be the change you wish the see in the world" quote? That quote isn't just about change, and it isn't only about one person being able to change their world. It's bigger; it about a movement that can be started from one person acting with intention.

Kind is love; love is kind.

Think about what love entails and what it means to love someone. Got it? Well, that's kindness. It's being selfless, caring, compassionate, and unconditionally kind. Like love, it takes practice to understand and feel it. We share love with others through kind acts such as a smile, a nice word, an unexpected deed, or a planned surprise. When we offer these acts to others, we make people feel good; we pass along hope; we promote peace; we show the power of kindness.

Kindness is grace.

We are humans, and therefore, we make mistakes. We can be kind in our response to ourselves and others when those mistakes occur. This means thinking before speaking, forgiving before seeking revenge, and thinking about long-term relationships instead of short-term pride. If we could all remember that none of us are perfect, we would be a lot kinder to each other. Offer grace, be kind.

Tips for Teaching Kindness

Now that we know what kindness is, how can we encourage more of it? Here are a few ideas to remember kindness in your life and inspire others as well.

Be kind to yourself.

It's in our nature to learn by watching others, which is why it is so important to be kind to yourself and show kindness to those around you. People, and kids especially, can learn kindness just by seeing what you do!

Practice, practice, practice.

One of the best ways to teach kindness to others is by being intentional about it! Volunteer, give compliments, donate to charity, hold the door for someone; there are so many ways to be an example of kindness. What better way to teach kindness than to show it?

Say thank you.

People are continually learning right and wrong through associative learning. When you see someone being kind or notice it from a family member or friend, make sure to tell them you appreciate what they did. Positive reinforcement helps people want to do more good deeds and reminds people to act with intention.

What are some kindness synonyms?

What are some other words for kindness? For reference, when you hear or see the following words, think of kindness. They are just synonyms for this powerful word:

Questions to Reflect on Kindness

When you think of what kindness means to you, what words or actions come to mind?

What was the last act of kindness that you saw? How did it make you feel?

What was the last act of kindness that you received? How did it make you feel?

Now, can you think of the last act of kindness you completed? How were you kind to someone else? How did it make you feel?

What would happen if you committed to performing at least one act of kindness every day?

Now, be kind and change the world!
You may also be interested in:
How to say "Be Kind" in Multiple Languages Martin Lurther King Jr. Kindness Quotes Kindness Quotes from Mr. Rogers
The ROI of Kindness

Ever wonder if there's an ROI of Kindness? We say...yes! Learn helpful nuggets like the one below, plus how to create a Kindness Value Proposition (KVP) at your organization in this simple book by Inspire Kindness founder Mac Anderson and Brian Biro, The ROI of Kindness .

Fact: Turnover reduction/employee retention...The average annual turnover in the Quick Service Food Industry is 170%. The two companies that constantly focus on kindness as the "magic" ingredient more than any other in their cultures average 14% and 24% annual turnover. In other words, these two companies retain their employees 8 to 10 times more than their competitors.

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Kindness 101 | Meaning | Definition | What Is Kindness | Inspire Kindness

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We can easily look up the definition of kindness, but the meaning of kindness goes far beyond just that.

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Kindness doesn't mean ignoring people when they do things that are unkind, wrong, ignorant, racist, or discriminatory. It doesn't mean keeping quiet when you disagree with someone about a moral issue. But it does mean treating people with respect.

Sometimes the kindest, bravest thing we can do is stand up to someone who is being unkind. Doing so causes conflict. It will upset the person we are confronting. A nice person would see the potential for conflict and stay quiet. A nice person never wants to rock the boat. A kind person knows conflict is possible and acts anyway. A kind person knows they might create waves, and they are OK with that.

Imagine you are on the Metro. You see a group of teenagers picking on another teenager whose clothes are tattered and worn. They kick at his beat-up sneakers. They attempt to humiliate him for his appearance. What do you do?

A nice person sees this happening and keeps quiet. A nice person may notice that the victim is getting off at their same stop and walks up to the victim as the doors close, with the laughter of the bullying crowd left behind. The nice person says, "I am so sorry that happened to you. They shouldn't have done that."

In contrast, the kind person sees this happening and gets out of their seat. The kind person goes and sits next to the victim. The kind person looks directly at the group of teenagers and says, "What you are doing is not ok. It's called harassment. Keep it up and I'll call the police."

In both instances, the victim is supported. But in only one instance are those being unkind told that their behavior will not be tolerated. In only one instance are the bystanders-those who witness the bullying behavior, and the actions of the person who stepped in-made to think about their own actions and what they might do the next time they witness such behavior. In only one instance is there the possibility that the bullies will think twice before acting in that way again. Being kind in this way isn't easy.

But, sometimes kindness is really easy. It's sharing an unexpected compliment with someone. It's taking the time to remember someone's name and then using it the next time you see them. It's saying, "Thank you," "I appreciate you," "You are valued!" or "Are you OK?" It's letting people know that they are noticed, valued, and important. It's going a little bit (or a lot) out of your way to make someone's day better. Kindness is caring. It is love. It is understanding.

Whether it is easy or hard, kindness is something we can (and should) do every day. It is what we should value above all else as we raise our children. Kindness should be one of the highest standards by which we measure our leaders, our teachers, our politicians, our police officers...anyone!

As adults, we must set the example for younger generations. We must show them by our actions, our words, and our choices, what it means to be kind. For it is only by watching good examples that children will learn what kindness really looks like. Whether you are a parent or not, children are watching you. They are watching how you interact with others. They are watching to see what you do when you witness something unkind. They are looking to you to set the tone. They want to see who you really are.

Kindness is that little voice in your head saying, "That's not right! You should do/say something!" when you witness unkindness, discrimination, bias, or ignorance. A kind person listens to that voice and finds the words to step in and stand up. Is that who you really are? If it is, in standing up, we must keep in mind Mahatma Ghandi, when he said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

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Kindness doesn't mean ignoring people when they do things that are unkind, wrong, ignorant, racist, or discriminatory. It doesn't mean keeping quiet when you disagree with someone about a moral issue. But it does mean treating people with respect. Sometimes the kindest, bravest thing we can do is stand up to someone who is being unkind.

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Kindness and generosity are two of the most important qualities a child can develop as they grow. As the adult in their life, you can influence children to act on their empathy and show kindness to anyone they meet. So, try these six tips for teaching kids to be kind. Discuss What Kindness Means and Looks Like Image vi

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Teaching Children to Be Kind & Practice Compassion

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Teaching Children to Be Kind & Practice Compassion

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Teaching Children to Be Kind and Practice Compassion

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Being kind is a skill. Practice by reading books about compassion, pointing out when someone is kind to you, and encouraging your child to explore all the ways...

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Using Books to Teach Kids About Kindness

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Using Books to Teach Kids About Kindness

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Using Books to Teach Kids About Kindness

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Children absorb the world around them like a sponge, whether positive or negative. They quickly learn acceptable and unacceptable behavior through their parents, peers, educators, and environment. Therefore, it is essential to teach kids kindness by modeling positive skills. In this blog post, I’ll start with five tips to help teach kindness to children and then I’ll share some of my favorite picture books for discussing kindness1. Positive role-modelingAccording to Kindness for Kids: 7 Ways to

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Enjoy a month of smiles with these kindness activities for kids. Explore 31 ideas to teach your kids how to be thoughtful and compassionate.

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Teaching kids how to be kind is one of the most important things we can do as teachers, and it doesn’t have to be complicated! When we explicitly teach

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Teaching With Haley O'Connor | Let's build a better world together-one classroom at a time!

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When I started planning my Character Education units, I knew I wanted to start with Kindness. It's typically pretty easy for students to understand and make real-life connections. Before students are ready to talk about things like self-control and mindfulness, they need to be comfortable talking about their feelings. Kindness is a great place to start your social-emotional curriculum and I'm excited to share some of my favorite ideas with you!

I remember in college, we had to add an "anticipatory set" to each lesson plan. While my lessons look pretty different these days, I still try to add a "hook" into most lessons. When we're starting a new unit, I always make sure to add a book, song, video or hands-on activities to introduce the concept and grab students' attentions. I love showing 3-5 minute videos to engage students and start our class discussion.

Most of the videos we watch are on Youtube but you can probably find them on other streaming services. I just suggest opening up the video before turning on your projector in case any ads pop up!
Harry Kindergarten-All About Kindness A Better World- Color Your World with Kindness Kid President- How Good Spreads Junior Mojo-Top 5 Kind Kids Universal Kids Preschool-Kindness is a Muscle Sesame Street and Tori Kelly-Try a Little Kindness
If you don't have time for a weekly social-emotional lesson, read-alouds are a great way to build comprehension and also discuss important topics like kindness! There are SO many picture books and chapter books with themes like kindness and friendship. These are just a few of my favorites. I've listed my Amazon affiliate link so you don't have to spend time searching.
Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip C. Stead Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry Be Kind by Pat Zielow Miller
In my classroom, we do a character education lesson at least once a week. Typically we have a time set aside on Monday for a structured lesson/discussion and then we revisit it each day during morning meeting. We are constantly referencing our lessons during the unit and after! That's why I love having lots of activities to do throughout the unit!

Depending on your students, you can have them draw or write inside the flaps to describe things that are kind and things that are unkind.

I love integrating literacy into our social-emotional leraning and this quick poem template would make a great bulletin board! Simply have students complete the poem and then publish it on construction paper or type it in Word. They love getting to use fancy fonts and it would also be great to hit the technology standard of copying/pasting.

This page is a great wrap up after a lesson or for morning work. I love seeing students' interpretations of these important words!

As a whole class, this sort leads to great discussion. For strong readers, you could place it in a pocket chart center after you've completed it as a class. For an extra activity, have students make an example for kind an unkind words and add it to the sort on a sticky note.

During your class discussion, I encourage you to make a chart for students to refer back to. You can use a simple sheet of copy paper like this one or make a chart on chart paper!

I love this adorable craft for practicing kind words. Students work on a simple and quick directed-drawing of themselves and then add their kind words to the speech bubbles.

Students can work on this activity after they finish their work for the day or you can set a few minutes aside one day for students to color their world and add their own examples.

I love having students catch each other practicing our character trait and they LOVE filling out these "Kindness Catcher" cards.

I also make sure to include a poem into each of my character education units. They are great practice during shared reading and add extra meaning to a poetry journal.

Finally, I make sure to include parents in our learning! I send home a letter at the beginning of each unit to make sure parents know to continue the conversation at home.
All of the above activities are from the Kindness unit in my Character Education.
Posted in Uncategorized

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Kindness Lessons and Activities | Teaching With Haley O'Connor

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When I started planning my Character Education units, I knew I wanted to start with Kindness. It's typically pretty easy for students to understand and make real-life connections. Before students are ready to talk about things like self-control and mindfulness, they need to be comfortable talking about their feelings.

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Teaching Kindness: More Than a Random Act

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Teaching Kindness: More Than a Random Act

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Teaching kids about kindness - CHOC - Children’s health hub

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A CHOC mental health expert advises parents on how to teach their children to be kind and why its important for kids and teens to learn.

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9 Tips for Teaching Kindness in the Classroom

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9 Tips for Teaching Kindness in the Classroom

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Elisabeth Bostwick, Michele Garmon, Juli Hildebrand, Ashley Judd, and Mallory Mbalia

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9 Tips for Teaching Kindness in the Classroom

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Fostering a culture of kindness enhances the connections made peer-to-peer and student to teacher. Carving out time to intentionally promote kindness cultivates empathy and understanding between individuals, leading to deeper relationships. As relationships form, trust develops, which allows a culture of learning to blossom where all individuals feel genuinely valued -- for who they are and what they contribute as a unique individual. Although there’s no denying that teachers have various demands to tend to, devoting ample…

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5 Kindness Lessons Your Elementary Students Will Love

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5 Kindness Lessons Your Elementary Students Will Love

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5 Kindness Lessons Your Elementary Students Will Love

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Kindness is often thought of as an inherent personality trait, but experts say that it’s a skill that can be taught just like any other. Here are 5 activities you can use to foster kindness in your elementary classroom.

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10 KINDNESS LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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10 KINDNESS LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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Tales From a Very Busy Teacher - A Teaching Blog

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Whether you're celebrating a week-long kindness themed week at your school or you're looking for kindness activities to complete with just your class, I've got you covered!

It's important that we explicitly teach empathy, kindness, and compassion to our students. We cannot assume they already know what these traits encompass. And sometimes, it's just nice to have a reminder of what kindness entails.
1. Kindness Bulletin Board
At our school, we had a week-long celebration of kindness. We celebrated during the last week of February. Since Kindness Week fell closer to St. Patrick's Day than Valentine's Day (like the Great Kindness Challenge) we created a large school bulletin board to show that "Kindness is Golden."

To help us create this board, teachers had their students write about different ways they could show kindness, using the sentence frames that were provided to them. The students wrote their sentence on gold coins. We used the coins to create a display at the front of our school.

Each morning of Kindness Week, we had our 6th grade student council representatives lead announcements over the loudspeaker about Kindness Week, our kindness challenge for the day, and a kindness quote.

We also worked as a school to reach 1,000 Random Acts of Kindness (RAKs). If teachers, yard aides, custodians, office staff, librarians, aides, administrators, or anyone from our school community caught students completing a random act of kindness (RAK), students earned a blue BEST Ticket. They wrote their RAKs on the back of the ticket and turned it into the office. We held a raffle every day and the winners got to choose a prize from our Be Your BEST treasure box.

Here's an example of another kindness bulletin board we displayed at our school! Click here to get the titles, hearts, and coins for your school.
2. How Full is Your Bucket?
Watch the YouTube version of How Full is Your Bucket?

Or if you have the actual book you can read it instead.

Lead the class in a discussion about what it means to fill someone's bucket.

Students can share and discuss ideas for filling buckets.
3. Make Joy Happen
After watching the clip, gather students' ideas about what they think the video is showing or trying to explain. There are multiple messages:

1. Treat others the way you want to be treated

2. Understand other people's perspectives (empathy)

3. Spread kindness and get kindness in return

During the discussion, make an anchor chart of students' ideas.

Then have students share ideas with partners and provide students with sentence frames. You can write the sentence frames on the anchor chart.

Ex. The message is __ because __

Because __ then __

The meaning of __ is __

Have students connect the video to their own lives based on recent experiences or ways they can show kindness based on what they saw in the video.

Ex. sentence frames:

A connection I can make is ___

Based on the __ I can ___
4. Wrinkled Heart Activity
Show students the heart and ask students to share examples of unkind actions (school appropriate). If they feel comfortable enough, they can also share real-life experiences they may have had at school. As each unkind experience is shared, fold the heart. Keep folding the heart for each unkind gesture until the heart is completely folded. Then ask students to share positive experiences and kind gestures. For each positive experience or a kind gesture, unfold the heart. Complete the sharing until the heart is complete unfolded and open.

The visual of the heart is an explanation that when unkind things happen it can hurt our hearts (the folds in the heart). As we experienced kindness and forgiveness, our heart opens back up but it is still wrinkled symbolizing that even if we apologize for unkind actions, our unkind actions can still leave a negative mark on someone's heart.

Give students a smaller heart and have them write different ways they can be kind.

With my class, I read a story (that I wrote) about a boy name Troy. He was having a bad day, and each time something unkind happened to him, I folded his heart. When we were done reading the story, we went back and thought of different things that could have happened to help his heart. You can find the story here.
5. Stand in My Shoes
After listening to the story, tell students that empathy is the ability to understand and share feelings with another. Then ask students examples of empathy they saw in the video.

If you need to, go back and watch certain parts again to really understand the examples shown in the story.

Create an anchor chart to chart your ideas about empathy.
6. Color Your World with Kindness
Explain that kindness is spread from one to another, like a domino effect.

Have students brainstorm (aloud or on paper) ideas on how they can be kind. You can have a brief class discussion on their choices.

Explain to students that being kind and showing acts of kindness is a way of living. Explain that there are different quotes that help us remember to stay kind and give us the motivation to continue the kindness chain of events. Give students the kindness . Ask students to pick a quote they identify with the most. Have students write the quote on the bottom of the self-portrait page, and then they can draw themselves holding the quote. Here is an . If you would like, you can have students type the quote, print out the paper and then draw their self-portrait. You can find the template .
7. The Olive Branch
Show this video, Olive Branch, and discuss what it means to feel like either character.

Read the Compassionate Informational Text and annotate with the annotation bookmark .

Guide students through the annotation, and hold a discussion while annotating.

After annotating with students, ask the discussion question s. Have students answer the questions (as a whole group or with A/B partners) using their discussion frames.
8. Enemy Pie
Show students the story and have them use the graphic organizer to determine the central message of the story. Pause at important moments in the story to have students discuss which important details they're writing down.

After listening to the story, discuss the implications of kindness, compassion, and assuming best intentions.

Students can have A/B conversations using their graphic organizer to discuss the central message.
9. What Would You Do?
Discuss that making kind choices and being kind is the key to all of their answers.
10. Celebrate Diversity
Celebrate diversity with your class by reading about different languages, cultures, and beliefs. The National Education Association has a great list of diverse stories you could read to your class. Choose one book daily and hold a read aloud. You can even take suggestions from your students about their favorite books that represent their family's culture.

Here is a list of my favorite books that celebrate diversity. You can click the affiliate link to find it on Amazon.
Island Born Alma and How She Got Her Name Malala's Magic Pencil Marvelous Cornelius Martina the Beautiful Cockroach My Name is Yoon Immi's Gift

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10 Kindness Lessons and Activities for Elementary School - Tales From a Very Busy Teacher

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Whether you're celebrating a week-long kindness themed week at your school or you're looking for kindness activities to complete with just your class, I've got you covered! It's important that we explicitly teach empathy, kindness, and compassion to our students. We cannot assume they already know what these traits encompass.

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Kindness Beyond The Classroom™

NEW! Teach important kindness skills in an out of school time setting.

Kindness Beyond the Classroom™ is a concise yet comprehensive curriculum that you can use to extend kindness beyond the typical school day. There is a mix of whole group and small group lessons that focus on one of our six kindness concepts: Respect, Caring, Inclusiveness, Integrity, Responsibility, and Courage. We also have two "kindness boost" lessons at the end of each unit that you can use when you feel that students need a quick shot of kindness!

Download Lessons
Download Individual PDFs

Free Kindness in the Classroom® Training Materials

Don't expect kindness in schools-teach it! We'll show you how!

We are very proud to announce that all of our training materials are available online so that anyone can use them! Much of the training is focused on self-care for you-the educator. Specifically, building resilience, gratitude, kindness and reconnecting to what you do best-teaching. (That's why we titled the training "Kindness in the Classroom®: Cultivating Resilience Through Kindness".)

We hope you take the time to check out the new training! Here is a quick overview video to help you get acquainted. ( download video here if you can't access YouTube) If you aren't an educator, consider using it (with a few tweaks) where you work. The information & activities can be used in any context.

Better yet, share these materials with educators you know! The training (and the curriculum) is fun and will benefit anyone who participates because all the activities and information are based on scientific research. We invite you to share your feedback with us at teacherhelp@randomactsofkindness.org.

Download Training Materials

Our Approach

Why teaching kindness matters & how we go about it.

The Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Foundation is a small nonprofit that invests our resources into making kindness the norm. We are rooted in the belief that all people can connect through kindness and that kindness can be taught. We follow a simple framework for everything we do: Inspire, Empower, Act, Reflect and Share. Our evidence-based Kindness in the Classroom® curriculum gives students the social and emotional skills needed to live more successful lives. We create a common language between schools, work and home with all of our resources.

What does social emotional learning (SEL) have to do with kindness?

Reading. Writing. Arithmetic. They're the keys to the success of our kids, right? But what about the skills that will help when things get tough?

What about the ability to communicate your feelings and needs? To really listen to others? To keep your emotions in check, and understand other points of view that you may not agree with? To empathize with people who are different?

We believe these skills-all linked to kindness-are just as important as academic skills.

Our Kindness in the Classroom ® program was created to integrate intentional kindness skill building with the development of social and emotional competencies. Our lessons include six kindness concepts which, when used consistently, provide students a scaffold to build the necessary skills to move from self-awareness to action.

According to a CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic and Social and Emotional Learning) study, 93% of teachers believe it's important to teach SEL-and 95% of them believe it can be taught. Their confidence was well founded-because they found that teachers who included SEL programs in their instruction saw an 11-17% increase in the academic scores of their students. Check out our research for more information on the benefits of teaching kindness.

The Kindness Framework

There's a lot to read about kindness here on our website. But one of the most beautiful things about kindness is its ease and simplicity.

That's reflected in our "Kindness Framework", which is what we call the simple, five-step cycle that we follow in each of our lesson plans. Here's how it works:

Kindness in the Classroom lessons teach kindness skills through a step-by step framework of Share, Inspire, Empower, Act, and Reflect. Each lesson starts with the 'share' step to reinforce learning from previous lessons. The 'act' piece is woven into the lessons but really takes place in the projects.

STEP 1: SHARE

Each of our lessons starts with a 'share' where the class can share what they've learned and experienced with others since the previous lesson. This reinforces what they've learned and experienced, helps others to experience it and makes it far more likely that they'll express kindness again!

STEP 2: INSPIRE

Through various modalities, each kindness lesson is designed to inspire students and allow teachers to feel inspired as well!

STEP 3: EMPOWER

Inspiration is good-but transformation begins to happen when students are given the tools that will let them act on that inspiration. The 'empower' step is for teachers to lead the class through discussions designed to empower students to find ways to be kind in their daily lives.

STEP 4: ACT

The opportunity to act exists throughout the lessons, but it really comes into play in the projects. Once students have the ideas and the tools, they put it all into action. The unit projects will have students bringing real, tangible kindness into the world.

STEP 5: REFLECT

At the end of each lesson and project, students will have experienced how great it feels to perform acts of kindness. And what does everyone want to do after doing something that feels great (besides 'do it again')? Talk about it, of course! At the end of each lesson, teachers guide students to reflect on what they've just experienced and learned & identify how doing kindness affects their own lives and the lives of those around them.

Success Stories

Read about other schools & districts who've seen great success using our curriculum.

D11 Colorado Springs Schools

Kindness in the Classroom is being implemented in 35 elementary schools (K-5) with a total of over 11,000 students over a five year period between 2017 and 2022. The first year of implementation, five schools taught the Kindness in the Classroom curriculum.

Teaching social emotional competencies, at a universal level, is one of the primary goals within our Comprehensive Student Support Model in Colorado Springs District 11. We were looking for a curriculum that would help increase prosocial behaviors and we have definitely seen the benefit to our community while using Kindness in the Classroom. We chose Kindness in the Classroom for many reasons including the fact that it had strong research behind it showing improved culture and student outcomes.

One of our pain points, as with many schools and districts, is how we'd find the time to implement the program. We ask teachers to spend 30 minutes, once a week, teaching the lessons and they have been able to integrate it very well. Some teachers have gone beyond with projects and ideas outside of the curriculum to embed the concepts into their schools.

Our students come from varying backgrounds and lifestyles, often coming to school lacking the skills needed to effectively and happily socialize, cope with various struggles and still perform academically. Kindness in the Classroom gives students a safe environment to discuss emotions and ethical/moral views with an educated and trusted adult. In one of our schools, we have seen a 38% decrease in discipline referrals after the first year of implementation. Staff, parents and students are really seeing a difference.

One student said, "No one is alone. There are people all around them. People just need to ask to be their friend or play with them." He explained that he has learned to "never give up, work hard, and help anyone that needs the help."

Generation Schools

Generation Schools Network's mission is to co-create healthy school ecosystems by partnering with educators, students, families and communities to elevate the education experience.

Along with their school improvement work, GSN has been offering their social/emotional program called "Advocacy" and using the Kindness in the Classroom curriculum in 11 rural schools in Colorado.

At Bayfield Primary School, grade level teams decided to work through the same units at the same time in order to keep a consistent message throughout each grade level. Students created artwork representing their interpretations of the concepts being taught to display throughout the school. The school counselor said, "The most significant outcome is witnessing students being able to advocate for their needs, resolve or avoid conflicts and employ the concepts of social emotional learning."

Student survey results showed that more than 78% of students agree that they have developed skills that will help them succeed in school, work and life and 93% of teachers reported that they have developed meaningful relationships with their students through GSN's Advocacy Program and use of the Kindness in the Classroom curriculum.

Rocky Top Middle School

One of the priorities at Rocky Top Middle School has always been to intentionally address the social emotional needs of staff and students in order to increase academic achievement and maintain a positive climate and culture throughout the building. However, last year was the first time we changed the structure of the master schedule to ensure delivery of direct instruction in the area of social emotional learning.

Using Kindness in the Classroom as the foundation for that class, our staff was empowered to facilitate learning in a creative way that allowed them to truly connect with their students. Families reported that their children felt safe and welcome in the school environment and that the direct instruction of the KiC curriculum gave them a strong foundation for conversations at home.

"Our students are really excited to focus on kindness. In fact, the Yearbook Club declared kindness as the theme of the entire yearbook. The cover boasts the quote, 'Kindness is the opportunity that we all have everyday to change the world.' The first photos in the yearbook show students displaying signs advertising 'We choose kindness here!' Throughout the yearbook there were even quotes and poems from students about kindness received and given.

Since including Kindness in the Classroom as our social emotional learning curriculum there has been a significant increase in academic achievement and the positive climate and culture throughout the building.

It Works!

Teaching kindness really does make a difference!

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has taken our highly effective, evidence-based Kindness in the Classroom social emotional learning curriculum and only made it better. By including a focus on equity, teacher self-care, and digital citizenship, we are excited to share a more engaging, relatable, and inclusive curriculum.

We think our curriculum is pretty great-but of course, we would. Thankfully, you don't have to take our word for it. We commissioned several independent researchers to study and test our curriculum:

According to their findings, teachers using our curriculum report feeling more connected to their students, seeing more kindness in their classrooms, halls and on the playgrounds, and noticing their students demonstrating more empathic, caring traits.

That's great news, but it doesn't stop there. The teachers also noted improved trust, fewer referrals to the office, more respect between students, and a generally more positive school and classroom culture!

To understand why social-emotional learning is so important, read this Teaching the Whole Child brief created by the Center on Great Teachers & Leaders at American Institutes for Research. It also includes good information on practical ways schools & districts can incorporate social-emotional learning programs into their schools.

Additional Resources

Even more resources to help you teach kindness to your kids.

Download Quick Start Guide Download Curriculum Overview

Start a Kindness Club

Our handy guide with tips on how to start a kindness club at your school.

Download

Kindness Book List

Our hand-picked collection of kindness-themed books used in our lessons. Listed by grade.

Download

Grab & Go Games

Need a few fun game ideas to play with kids? Grab our list of games and go!

Download

Family Letter

Introduce the Kindness in the Classroom® curriculum to parents & caregivers at home.

English Spanish

Here are the answers to some common questions about Kindness in the Classroom®.

Let us know if you have questions that aren't covered below.

What is Kindness in the Classroom ®?

Kindness in the Classroom ® is a free Tier 1 evidenced-based social emotional learning curriculum designed to helps schools create a culture of kindness. By including a focus on equity, teacher self-care, and digital citizenship, The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is excited to share an engaging, relatable, and inclusive curriculum.

How much does Kindness in the Classroom ® cost?

THE CURRICULUM IS COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. Many of the materials required for lessons are items that teachers and schools already have on hand. There are some books that are required for a few of the lessons which might need to be purchased, though most lessons link to a video of someone reading the book if funds are not available to purchase the required books.

How long are the lessons and how much preparation is needed?

Teachers' time is precious. With that in mind, the lessons and projects can be taught for 30-45 minutes once a week. Each lesson gives a time estimate to aid teachers in adapting the lesson into shorter class periods. Most teachers report needing no more than 15 minutes to prepare for the lessons.

What is the Kindness Framework?

Read about our approach to teaching kindness & the Kindness Framework here.

Do I need to teach all the lessons? Do they need to be taught in order?

Lessons are sequential within each unit. The units are designed to help students develop their social emotional skills through a process of being inspired, feeling empowered to be kind, acting on that feeling, reflecting on what they have learned, and sharing their experiences. However, you may implement selected lessons based on your students needs.

How does the curriculum fit with district, state and national standards?

All Kindness in the Classroom® lesson plans have been mapped to the five CASEL Core Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health Education Standards (NHES), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards, when applicable, and the national Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy, Mathematics, History/Social Studies, and Science & Technical Subjects. Utilization and adoption of these national standards and competencies vary by state, however, teachers can align their own state standards with each lesson as well. For each unit, a Standards Map was created to summarize each of the standards met by all lessons within that unit.

Why is it important to teach social and emotional learning (SEL)?

There are so many reasons! Aside from increased academic performance, SEL programs like Kindness in the Classroom ® improve attitudes and behaviors and reduce emotional distress. Research shows that students receiving the curriculum had greater empathy and sympathy for fellow students and teachers, were intrinsically motivated to be kinder and caring and showed decreased aggressive and antisocial behaviors. Interestingly, teachers reported they had significantly fewer conflicts with their students after teaching the curriculum and said they had more time for teaching... all resulting in students having more time for learning.

How can I successfully implement Kindness in the Classroom ®?

The fact that you're even considering implementing SEL in your classroom means you're already on the road to success. To get started, you can complete an initial Implementation Assessment to help plan a roadmap to successfully bring Kindness in the Classroom to your school-with full support of staff, administration and parent / guardians. After that, you can check our Grades K-5 and Grades 6-8 how to get started documents and then review the teacher training materials.

Do I need training in order to implement Kindness in the Classroom ®?

Training is not required to use the curriculum, but it is encouraged. The lessons are designed for ease of use and minimal preparation. If your school is planning to use the curriculum within a grade level or throughout the school, it is beneficial to use our free training called Cultivating Resilience Through Kindness to get acquainted with our materials.

Does the entire school need to implement Kindness in the Classroom ®?

While it is advantageous to use Kindness in the Classroom ® school-wide, you may also wish to implement by grade levels first, and then roll out the program to other grades later.

Is Kindness in the Classroom ® an anti-bullying program?

Kindness in the Classroom ® is designed to pro-actively build healthy relationships among students and a culture of kindness within your school. With this effective curriculum, bullying can oftentimes be prevented.

Does Kindness in the Classroom ® align with CASEL?

Yes, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)-the world's leading organization for advancing social emotional learning-has recognized Kindness in the Classroom® as a CASEL SELect program for excellence in supporting SEL in schools and districts nationwide.

Is Kindness in the Classroom ® culturally responsive? (Equity)

The curriculum has been rated "excellent" by the Equity Project based on this report.

Is there is difference between the K-5 and 6-8 curriculum?

Yes! The elementary and middle school programs were designed differently with the needs of those children and schools in mind. Please see our implementation guide for K-5 here and the guide for grades 6-8 here.

What does the research say about the effectiveness of Kindness in the Classroom ®?

Please refer to our Research & Reports section to review several reports we commissioned on the effectiveness of Kindness in the Classroom®. Spoiler alert: it works!

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FREE K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® Curriculum

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Download our free K-5 kindness lesson plans and projects to help teach important kindness skills to your kids.

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Lessons from Creating a Kindness Curriculum 

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Lessons from Creating a Kindness Curriculum 

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The results of our study were promising. Students who went through the curriculum showed more empathy and kindness and a greater ability to calm themselves down when they felt upset, according to teachers' ratings. In an exercise with stickers, they consistently shared about half of them, whereas students who hadn't gone through the curriculum shared less over time. They earned higher grades at the end of the year in certain areas (notably for social and emotional development), and they showed improvement in the ability to think flexibly and delay gratification, skills that have been linked to health and success later in life.

This was a small study, and we'd love to see deeper investigations into our Kindness Curriculum in the future. For example, what happens over a longer time if we support students' practice throughout the year and into the next school year and beyond? If parents got involved in the curriculum, they could provide powerful support as well.

"Kindfulness" in Daily Life

Mindfulness and kindness go hand in hand, so much so that the phrase "kindfulness" accidentally (but aptly) came out in one of our conversations and has stuck with us. While we administered a specific curriculum for the purposes of our study, any teacher or parent can bring the principles behind it to bear on their interactions with children.

The first key is simply to model mindfulness and kindness. For example, what quality of attention do we bring when we interact with our kids? Do we give them our full attention - eye contact, kneeling down to speak with them, asking questions - or are we distracted? Kids are extraordinarily observant, and they pick up on whether we are paying attention to them. By modeling behavior, and through our interactions, we show them what it's like to be seen and heard and to be compassionate with others.

Another simple activity is to relax and feel the natural breath for a few moments during the day. Kids need to be active and run around, of course, but they can also benefit from cultivating a bit of stillness. For example, when Laura enters the classroom, she or one of her students rings a bell, which signals students to listen until the sound ends and then feel five in- and out-breaths together. This practice settles students and gathers their attention so they are more ready to learn.

We can also help kids reflect on their emotions, which sometimes feel overwhelming, and change their relationship to them. After a child calms down, we can sit with them and reflect on that feeling. Which part of the body felt angry, happy or upset? All emotions are natural, so kids shouldn't feel bad about experiencing them; we can teach them to cultivate a kinder attitude. For example, a parent might say, "When I feel sad or angry, it doesn't feel good in my body. But all people have feelings. Feelings help us learn about ourselves and others. I can be kind to myself no matter what feelings come. I can get better and better at learning from my feelings."

And, by the way, practices like these are equally useful for parents and teachers, who are struggling with stressful workplaces or busy classrooms. For teachers, brief practices with students many times during the school day allow everyone to pause and be fully present to themselves, each other, and what is happening, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. For parents, mindfulness and self-kindness training allow them to be more present with their spouse and children at home and with their coworkers at work.

Finally, to combine the concepts of mindfulness and kindness, we can teach caring practice to our kids. These phrases work well for children: May I be safe, may I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be peaceful.

When the boy split his chin, the other four year olds got together to do this practice: May you be safe, may you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be peaceful.

And these wishes can be extended further: To my entire classroom, my school, my neighborhood, my whole community... May we all be safe, may we all be happy, may we all be healthy, may we all be peaceful.

In the midst of their distress, the children found comfort and support for themselves and their friend rather than feeling upset and worried. They later shared with him that they had offered him these wishes. It's these small changes, spread across classrooms, that could make schools more kind - and educate a new generation of more compassionate and connected citizens.

This essay originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

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Lessons from Creating a Kindness Curriculum

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Center experts share their lessons from creating a "kindness curriculum" for young students

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Acts of Kindness for Kids: Teaching Children to be Kind

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Acts of Kindness for Kids: Teaching Children to be Kind

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Acts of Kindness for Kids: Teaching Kindness | CCY

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Cultivate acts of kindness for kids with our resources. Teach children about empathy, compassion, and spreading kindness. Create a culture of kindness today!

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5 Benefits to Teaching Kindness in School 

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5 Benefits to Teaching Kindness in School 

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5 Benefits to Teaching Kindness in School

As the youngest of seven children, my parents reinforced kindness daily. In the hustle and bustle of trying to get all of us to school on time, we learned to help one another get ready in the morning. Our parents modeled kindness for us consistently. This inherent behavior then translated to the outside of our home, as well. Academics were paramount in our home, yet kindness was an important character trait. We all worked hard to do well in school, yet being a kind person was critical to how our parents raised us.

My father was an NYC homicide detective for 50 years. He would take the bus, train, and NYC subway from our home on Long Island to his precinct. Every day, he would walk by a door attendant and wave hello. Over the years, he formed a friendship with this door attendant. My father would take the time to stop and catch up with him every day.

One late evening, my father was on duty and got shot in his chest. Thankfully, he was wearing his bullet-proof vest. After his surgery, he awoke to the door attendant and his surgeon standing together at his bedside. My father was so happy, yet confused, to see his friend at his bedside. It ended up that the surgeon and doorman were brothers. The surgeon spoke first and told my father that he was honored to be his surgeon. He was so happy to have been able to help my father because his brother, the door attendant, had told him about my father's kindness of going out of his way to say hello to him, which helped form a wonderful and authentic friendship.

Science has proven good reasons to prioritize kindness, backed by evidence of many physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. Many impressive benefits support teaching kindness in schools to decrease negative behavior:

1. Happy, caring children
Endorphins produce the good feelings that we experience when being kind. They activate areas of the brain affiliated with pleasure, connection, and trust. Acts of kindness also help us form connections with others, reported to be a strong factor in increasing happiness.

2. Greater self-esteem
Any small act of kindness can increase happiness, uplift energy, and give an incredible feeling of hope and self-worth from the rush of endorphins.

3. Greater sense of belonging
Everybody has a fundamental need to belong and feel connected to the people around them. Being part of a community ensures support during difficult times and helps to increase a child's awareness of connection. Our teachers here at Far Hills Country Day School actively promote a culture of kindness that leads to improved friendships and feelings of belonging.

4. Better concentration
Kindness increases a positive outlook, so children have greater attention spans, are more willing to learn, and are better creative thinkers with better results at school.

5. Improved health and less stress
Being kind has many physical and mental health benefits, including increased happiness and reduction of stress.

Kindness is a powerful tool for nurturing the well-being of everyone at Far Hills Country Day School. It's a significant step towards empowering our students to be their best selves through kindness.

Our preschool students created a colorful banner of their handprints for our 9/11 lesson. There is a quote from Dolly Parton on the center of the banner: "If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours."

Each child can incorporate kind activities when it is modeled by the people they admire. Emily Seelaus, Director of the Upper School, and I have partnered to join in an all-school celebration of our pillars each month. For September and October, we are focusing on kindness through the curriculum and various activities for the students. This is the foundational piece to build the rest of our pillars. We will be working with the students throughout these two months to promote kindness within each of us.

We had read a book to our new students entitled, Kindness is Cooler Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler. Take the time to read it with your child(ren). It will be so wonderful!

As I was walking out of a store last week, I held the door open for an older woman with many packages in her hands. She said to me, "You are too kind." I smiled at her and thought that my parents would be very proud of me.

Best regards,

Pat Barry

Interim Director of Lower School

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5 Benefits to Teaching Kindness in School

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5 Benefits to Teaching Kindness in School As the youngest of seven children, my parents reinforced kindness daily. In the hustle and bustle of trying to get all of us to school on time, we learned to help one another get ready in the morning. Our parents modeled kindness for us consistently.

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As the impact of the global pandemic continues, kindness and compassion have never been more important. Lockdown showed us that people are hardwired to be kind to one another. You need not look further than the monumental effort of CaptainTom Moore who has raised over £30million for the NHS at 100 years old, or schools and universities across the country making protective equipment for medical and care staff, to see kindness shining through. Research shows that when we cooperate and show kindness to our fellow humans, we become healthier, happier and more successful. And schools are the perfect place to breed more kindness not only as a means towards a more harmonious society but also as a means to helping everyone through these tumultuous times.
Kindness as an antidote to stress
The uncertainty of Covid19 has put many people's mental health and wellbeing under immense strain. When you consider that 'emotional contagion' means that our moods and emotions are contagious, it doesn't take too much imagination to believe that at least some of this teacher stress is passed onto their students, or their own children at home. So, how can kindness help alleviate this stress? Well, studies show that when we do, receive or witness at act of kindness, our bodies release a hormone called oxytocin. In his book, The 5 Side Effects of Kindness, Dr. Hamilton explains that oxytocin acts as a direct antidote to the stress hormone cortisol. It also helps lower our blood pressure, and reduce inflammation and free radicals in our cardiovascular system (that cause tissue damage and ageing). Although staff will be returning to schools where social distancing will be the norm, it doesn't mean that we can't look out for our colleagues and students more. Pay compliments, make cups of tea, hold doors open, show an interest in people's lives, and express concern and offer help when people are suffering. Schools that encourage care and concern for everyone in their community are less stressful places.
Kindness as an antidote to perfectionism
Something that can seriously undermine our mental health and wellbeing is comparing ourselves to others and wanting to lead perfect lives. Social media taps into this innate instinct to want to know how we are doing compared to everyone else, and when we see other people's perfect lives, it can undermine our happiness. But our education system taps into this instinct too - schools compare Ofsted gradings, or league table positions, and students compare exam results, or university offers. The need to do better than our peers can drive this desire to be perfect. And in these zero-sum game scenarios, where someone else's gain means another's loss, we end up with a system of winners and losers. So, how can teachers and schools cope better in this competitive environment? Self-compassion might be the answer. In a meditation practice known as 'loving kindness', meditators begin by cultivating kindness and compassionate feelings to themselves, then they extend these feelings to people they care about, then to strangers, and even to people they are having difficulty with.

There are many empirical benefits to a loving kindness meditation and one of the most important effects is that we tend to cut ourselves and others some slack. When practised regularly, this meditation can help us remember that no one is perfect and we're all just trying to do our best whilst, undoubtedly, making some mistakes along the way.

Keeping the above in mind, the following five tips will help put kindness at the heart of your school:

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As the impact of the global pandemic continues, kindness and compassion have never been more important. Lockdown showed us that people are hardwired to be kind to one another.

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Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying

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Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying

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Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying

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There are many physical, emotional, and mental health benefits associated with kindness.

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Promoting Kindness Through the Kindness Project

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Promoting Kindness Through the Kindness Project

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Bullying Prevention Month: Promoting Kindness Through the Kindness Project - Indiana Gateway Digital Academy

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October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of […]

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Reasons Teaching Kindness In Schools Is Powerful For Students

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Reasons Teaching Kindness In Schools Is Powerful For Students

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10 Reasons Teaching Kindness In Schools Is Powerful For Students

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Teaching Kindness Changes the Classroom Community!Phrases like “random acts of kindness” and “pay it forward” have become popular terms in modern society. There are even special

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Secret to Ending Bullying in School: Teaching Kindness

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Secret to Ending Bullying in School: Teaching Kindness

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Approximately one third of American youth have been bullied, and the vast majority of bullying occurs on school grounds. It's safe to say that this is an epidemic, and one that has not been effectively tamed in the last few decades.

How Do We Stop Bullying?

Zero Tolerance

Schools are meant to be a safe haven for children, an educational oasis where they should be free from hunger, fear, and bullies. Most schools now have a zero-tolerance bullying policy. According to the Department of Education, a zero tolerance policy is one that "results in mandatory expulsion of any student who commits one or more specified offenses."

However, the Association of American Educators argues that zero-tolerance policies may not be effective. In fact, these policies ma cause more harm than good because they do not allow for crucial nuances to affect punishment and disproportionately affect children of color. The American Psychological Association has supported this claim since 2008.

Kindness Is Key

Zero tolerance policies aren't working. But kindness may be able to.

Skeptics may scoff at this, saying "kindness can't be taught!" But they would be wrong. Kindness is a teachable habit that has the potential to completely alter school culture. Here's how:

Ending Bullying With Kindness

The Science of Kindness

You may have heard of oxytocin referred to as the "love hormone" because it is released during hugs. According to Medical News Today, it also "impacts bonding behavior, the creation of group memories, social recognition, and other social functions." Acts of kindness release oxytocin, along with dopamine and serotonin-all feel-good chemicals.

But these emotional boosts only last a few minutes. In order to reap more permanent benefits of kindness, altruistic acts have to be repeated. When you teach school kids to be kind, they learn to recognize the positive emotional benefits of kindness, and naturally want to repeat the process.

How To Teach Kindness

According to neuroscience expert Dr. Patty O'Grady, " Kindness changes the brain by the experience of kindness. Children and adolescents do not learn kindness by only thinking about it and talking about it. Kindness is best learned by feeling it so that they can reproduce it."

The science is clear on why teaching kindness matters. However, deciding how to teach kindness is more subjective. Here are some tried and true ways that educators use to teach their students to be considerate.

1. Mindfulness: Mindfulness has many definitions, and can mean different things to different people. In general, it is the habit of being aware and present in the moment. Mindfulness is being aware of our actions and how they make us and others feel. Mindfulness can be taught to students, even young ones! There are lots of age-appropriate techniques for teaching kids to be more emotionally aware.

2. Social Emotional Learning: Social Emotional Learning, or SEL for short, is when students learn about their emotions and how their actions affect others through empathy, set positive goals, and create healthy relationships with others. SEL focuses on fostering collaboration, responsibility and compassion in children. To encourage SEL, teachers engage with students by asking empathetic, open-ended questions and focus on cooperation and healthy conflict resolution.

3. Celebrate Kindness: There are nearly endless ways to celebrate kindness. Have your class write compliment cards once a month to their fellow students. Celebrate random acts of kindness by praising children who show selfless behavior. Have your students write weekly thank-you cards to someone in their life that they appreciate. Create bulletin boards that provide students with examples of kindness. Get creative!

4. Model Kindness: Of course, one of the best ways to teach kindness is to model it. Always treat others with compassion and consideration. Have respectful, empathetic conversations with students. When you model or express an emotion, name and explain it to your students. Depending on school rules, you can even bring your classroom to service activities!

The Results of Kindness

Once you implement teaching kindness in the classroom, you will see positive results in all aspects of school culture-not just related to bullying! Because kind acts release hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, they help create stronger bonds between students and encourage more acts of compassion.

Kindness encourages a strong sense of community and belonging while boosting students' self-esteem. This is a result of the "helper's high" that oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin give us after we help others. Kids feel good about themselves when they help others, and are more accepted by their peers. This combo of self-acceptance and peer-acceptance improves childrens' happiness and sense of community.

Kindness can have physical benefits, too. The hormones released after a good deed lower stress and boost happiness, which is good for the heart and blood pressure, while reducing the aging process.

Plus, increased serotonin levels can help students with learning, memory, mood, sleep, health, and digestion-all which mean better concentration in the classroom.

Kindness and Reducing Bullying

Integrating kindness in schools can have drastic effects on bullying levels. When we teach children to be mindful of their thoughts and actions, we encourage them to behave compassionately. Such positive behavior is naturally rewarded through peer-acceptance, friendship, and strong community bonds. Kindness is the opposite of bullying. When kindness because a habit and even a culture in your classroom, bullying will diminish.

Though they have been implemented in schools for decades, zero-tolerance bullying policies just aren't working. Bullying is still widespread throughout schools, and it's hurting our kids. According to the CDC, students who experience bullying are at increased risk for poor school adjustment, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression.

But all hope is not lost. Anti-bullying programs in schools can decrease bullying by up to 25%. Teaching kindness to our students is an effective, positive way to stop bullying in schools and make kids happier, healthier, and safer.

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Secret to Ending Bullying in School: Teaching Kindness - Stand 4 Kind

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Approximately one third of American youth have been bullied, and the vast majority of bullying occurs on school grounds. It's safe to say that this is an epidemic, and one that has not been effectively tamed in the last few decades. How Do We Stop Bullying?

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School climate describes the quality and character of school life and is an important factor in students' social and emotional experiences. A healthy school environment is safe, inclusive, respectful, and free from violence and bullying. One of the easiest ways to create a positive school climate is by being kind. School staff and teachers who model how to treat students with kindness and respect help prevent bullying.

Benefits of Kindness

Being kind can have many different benefits to both the giver and the receiver. These benefits include improved:

Relationships

Social connection

Happiness

Energy

Mental health

Heart health

Life satisfaction

Overall wellbeing

Both performing acts of kindness and experiencing acts of kindness have been shown to decrease:

Encourage Students to Show Kindness at School

Performing three acts of kindness each week can improve students' overall wellbeing and their social-acceptance among peers, according to a study of 9-11 year olds in Vancouver, Canada. School-based activities, such as a "Kindness Challenge," can encourage students to be kinder to their peers.

Here are 7 ways students can show kindness to other kids:

1. Show support for others' ideas, goals and activities

2. Be optimistic and positive towards others

3. Be outwardly happy (Smile!)

4. Collaborate with students who are outside of their group

5. Express empathy towards others by listening to them and reflecting back what they said

6. Reach out to someone who is struggling or alone

7. Step in to deflect or defend when someone is being bullied

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School climate describes the quality and character of school life and is an important factor in students' social and emotional experiences. A healthy school environment is safe, inclusive, respectful, and free from violence and bullying. One of the easiest ways to create a positive school climate is by being kind.

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Yoko (A Yoko Book, 1) [Wells, Rosemary] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Yoko (A Yoko Book, 1)

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Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer: 9781984816399 | Brightly Shop

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This bright book by the creator of Love Makes a Family celebrates acts of kindness big and small. Kindness is a friendly hello. A roaring cheer. A quick boost. Kindness is what makes us strong! This joyful…

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The Nice Book by David Ezra Stein: 9780399165344 | Brightly Shop

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A perfect introduction to manners and playing nice, by David Ezra Stein—author of Caldecott Honor winner Interrupting Chicken, Pouch! (a Charlotte Zolotow Honor book) and Leaves (recipient of the…

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I am Kind by Brad Meltzer: 9780525552956 | Brightly Shop

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The littlest readers can learn about Abraham Lincoln in this board book version of the New York Times bestselling Ordinary People Change the World biography. This friendly, fun biography…

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How Kind! by Mary Murphy: 9781536224092 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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One good turn deserves another - and another - in this universal tale about the contagiousness of being kind. Hen gives Pig an unexpected present. “How kind!” says Pig. Pig is so touched, in…

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Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña: 9780399257742 | Brightly Shop

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CJ spends Sundays with his Grandmother, riding the bus across town to Market Street. Along the way, CJ also gets a lesson in being grateful for what he has and learning to see the beauty all around him,…

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Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind by Jessica Hische: 9781524787042 | Brightly Shop

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In a follow-up to Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave, award-winning illustrator Jessica Hische brings to life another series of inspirational words and scenes with her lovely hand-lettering and adorable illustrations.…

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This simple yet powerful picture book--from a New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife team--tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. The perfect back-to-school read for every kid, family and classroom!

Don't miss the companion book, I Forgive Alex, about the importance of compassion and forgiveness.

Inspired by real events, I Walk with Vanessa explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help. By choosing only pictures to tell their story, the creators underscore the idea that someone can be an ally without having to say a word. With themes of acceptance, kindness, and strength in numbers, this timeless and profound feel-good story will resonate with readers young and old.
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
"This beautifully illustrated story shows young readers how to become caring and supportive upstanders. Love it!" --Trudy Ludwig, bestselling author of The Invisible Boy

Kerascoët, a husband-and-wife team, are the illustrators of the highly acclaimed graphic novel Beautiful Darkness by Fabie Vehlmann, which was chosen by Publishers Weekly as a 2014 Best Book of the Year, and the New York Times bestselling Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. Kirkus called Kerascoët's artwork "perfectly delightful" in a starred review of their book Paul and Antoinette. They are also the illustrators of Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai, to be published in fall 2017. Visit them at kerascoet.fr.

"A wonderfully illustrated, hopeful book that can help caregivers tackle an emotionally fraught subject with even very young children. "- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A simple, beautiful story with an empowering lesson and call to action." - School Library Journal, starred review

"The wordless pages and small, toylike figures make this a good choice for young children who can work out for themselves what has happened, what Vanessa's new friend does, and why it works." - Publishers Weekly, starred review

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I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët: 9781524769550 | Brightly Shop

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This simple yet powerful picture book--from a New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife team--tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. The perfect back-to-school...

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Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell: 9780399234163 | Brightly Shop

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Be yourself like Molly Lou Melon no matter what a bully may do! Molly Lou Melon is short and clumsy, has buck teeth, and has a voice that sounds like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor. She…

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Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts: 9780763642846 | Brightly Shop

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“In this witty, wise picture book, Boelts presents a kid’s-eye view of a consumer fad that rages through school at gale force.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred…

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Emily Pearson (Author), Fumi Kosaka (Illustrator)

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Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, paperback

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Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, paperback [Pearson, Emily, Kosaka, Fumi] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, paperback

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Finders keepers, right? When Ruben picks up someone's lost money, he finds out how hard it can be to do the right thing.

Ruben feels like he is the only kid without a bike. His friend Sergio reminds him that his birthday is coming, but Ruben knows that the kinds of birthday gifts he and Sergio receive are not the same. After all, when Ruben's mom sends him to Sonny's corner store for groceries, sometimes she doesn't have enough money for everything on the list. So when Ruben sees a dollar bill fall out of someone's purse, he picks it up and puts it in his pocket. But when he gets home, he discovers it's not one dollar or even five or ten-it's a hundred- dollar bill, more than enough for a new bike just like Sergio's! But what about the crossed-off groceries? And what about the woman who lost her money? Presenting a relatable story told with subtlety and heart, the creative team behind Those Shoes pairs up again for a satisfying picture book.

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Ruben feels like he is the only kid without a bike. His friend Sergio reminds him that his birthday is coming, but Ruben knows that the kinds of birthday gifts he and Sergio receive are not the same. After all, when Ruben's mom sends him to Sonny's corner store for groceries, sometimes she doe...

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WINNER OF A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR AND THE JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD!. With its powerful anti-bullying message and striking art, it will resonate with readers long after they've put it down.

Each kindness makes the world a little better

This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created The Other Side and the Caldecott Honor winner Coming On Home Soon

Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe's teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she'd shown a little kindness toward Maya.

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WINNER OF A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR AND THE JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD! Each kindness makes the world a little better This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created and the Caldecott Honor winner . With its powerful anti-bullying message and strik...

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Cynthia Rylant (Author), S.D. Schindler (Illustrator)

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Every Living Thing [Rylant, Cynthia, Schindler, S.D.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Every Living Thing