(Editor's Note: This blog was posted first on the 'Teachers of Vision' website.)
Winnie the Pooh once told his beloved friend Christopher Robin, “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
Likewise, the apostle Peter wrote that in order to become a fruitful follower of Jesus Christ, we should build upon our initial experience by first adding virtue, then knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and finally charity (or love) to our faith.
Christ-centered love most definitely lifts the act of caring for others to a whole different level. Love can elevate our classrooms as well, helping with discipline, participation, and especially conflict resolution. But, as educators, it is often difficult to teach students to look beyond themselves and care deeply for others.
Perhaps the easiest way to instill love within the classroom is through small acts of kindness. After all, kindness is basically seeing a need and meeting it. Kindness involves putting aside our own agenda and giving others precedence. And regardless of how small or insignificant an act of kindness might seem, it is actually quite powerful because of its snowball effect.
So, begin small. Find an immediate need, and intentionally model a realistic way to kindly meet that need. Then, sit back and watch the snowball grow, as that small kindness impacts the classroom, and maybe even the entire school and beyond.
For example, a student’s sandal once broke during our recess. Her parents could not be reached immediately, and the only solution was sending to a nearby store for replacement shoes. The immediate problem was solved, but that teacher realized we would have another day, another child, and another broken shoe.
She saw a need and met it by enlisting donations from students, parents, teachers, and local retailers. Everyone at school caught her vision. And soon, this teacher had not only gathered extra shoes for emergency situations, she had established a clothes closet as well, filled with nice, clean clothes and shoes in every size. Plus, students were so proud of this endeavor that visiting our clothes closet was an honor rather than a disgrace.
Another time, the atmosphere in my own classroom reached a boiling point. Emotions were highly charged, and hurt feelings were running rampant. Thankfully, I remembered a trick an older teacher had taught me years before.
So, we closed the books, and I told each student to write his/her own name on the top of a blank sheet of paper and pass it to the child in front of them. Next, they were instructed to write one kind thing about the person named on the top of the page.
I reminded them to only write about that person’s best characteristic or something positive that student had done in the past, ignoring current misdeeds and grudges.
We passed the papers around, over and over and over again, until each page came back to its original owner filled with comments. Finally, silence reigned as each student read the lines penned by their fellow classmates.
Granted, some lines of affirmation were shorter than others, and some were written begrudgingly, but all were written with something good and true about each of the kids in that room. And as they read, the class atmosphere changed.
Smiles slowly replaced frowns, and peace settled over all. When the bell rang, the kids even seemed reluctant to leave. A few simple words of kindness had turned that awful day into a time to cherish and remember.
I am pretty sure Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin would have been quite proud of my students that day. I know I was.
And all it took was an intentional act of kindness.
With that same spirit of intentional kindness, here’s a list of ways to model and teach kindness and love. A few of the ideas involve long-term projects, and a few require online participation. Accordingly, feel free to adapt the ideas listed, in order to make them doable in each particular classroom.
Notes of Gratitude—Leave a sticky note on the garbage can to thank the janitor for emptying it, or write a handwritten letter to the bus driver with gratitude for a nice, warm ride to school. Think about people who deserve a little appreciation for making each day run smoothly.
Food Drive—Collect canned goods for a local food pantry, or better yet, start a school backpack brigade. Brainstorm foods that are pre-packaged and kid-friendly. In each backpack, pack enough food for the weekend. The principal or counselor might quietly distribute backpacks to students who need the weekend care packages most.
Candy Grams—Teach puns while leaving sweet treats for friends and family. First, collect different candies, then attach punny notes. For example, on a pack of Lifesavers, write, “You were a lifesaver, today. Thanks!” The possibilities are endless.
Painted Rocks—Gather small rocks (from appropriate places) and paint them with bright pictures or positive messages. Leave them in unusual places to bring a bit of colorful joy. Students could even create a school rock garden.
Blankets of Love—Help students collect NEW blankets to give to the homeless, or join Project Linus, named after Charlie Brown’s friend with the iconic security blanket. This online project asks individuals and groups to make blankets to give to sick and needy children.
Rock Your Socks—Teach your students to cherish our differences by learning about Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Let them celebrate that uniqueness by sporting crazy, mismatched socks one day. And collect new pairs of socks for donation to Kid President’s online Socktober drive for the homeless.
Secret Pals—Assign secret pals by the week, month, or semester, and instruct kids to leave notes, snacks, or tiny treasures like pencils, erasers, or handmade gifts for their secret pal. Teach them to be anonymous givers who desire nothing more than the pure joy of giving.
Remember, kindness counts! And as Pooh so eloquently reminds us, we can never care about others too much, not if we are truly filled with the love of Christ.
