In celebration of World Kindness Day today, November 13, we asked educators on the ASCD+ISTE Connect community platform and following the EL Magazine LinkedIn page to share examples of the different ways–small and large–that they help create a “culture of kindness” in their school or classroom. Here, we share some of their responses.
100 Acts of Kindness
The 100th day of school is a big deal in kindergarten. Every year that I taught kindergarten, our class would start collecting canned food about a month before the big 100th day. Some years we would get to 100 cans; other years, I would supplement, but part of our 100th day celebration was sorting the cans by color, food type, or anyway that the students wanted. The students would get so excited looking at all the cans we collected! Then at the end of the day, we would load all the cans on a cart and take them to our guidance counselor, who is in charge of donations for our weekend food backpack program. It was a way for even the youngest to be kind to others.
—Brian Smith, 2nd Grade Teacher
Feeling Seen
My country is at war, and one of my 3rd graders heard about it on the news. As an educator, I try to stay composed and not show my emotions in front of my students. However, this student came to my office with a heart-shaped card, colored like the Lebanese flag. I was moved to tears, and it meant so much to me. Working at an international school that values cultural diversity, this gesture felt especially touching, as it showed she understood my feelings about Lebanon during this difficult time.
—Rawan El Adawi, PYP ICT Educator, EdTech Lead
The Ripple Effect of a Simple “Hello”
As an assistant principal who is constantly moving around the building, I always greet students with a smile and ask them how their day is going when I pass them in the halls. I like to check in with them so that they know that I truly care about them. Even after having a crucial conversation with a student or staff member, I always follow up with a positive connection. Kindness can be shown in simple ways, and I think more teachers and administrators need to understand that a simple smile and hello can go a long way.
—Kendra Yearick, Principal Intern-MSA Student
Passing on a Good Word
Really enjoyed it when a deputy principal shared with me a positive comment they heard from a parent. Made my day.
—Sam Hallett, Teacher
The Power of Charitable Gestures
In terms of kindness, 14- to 18-year-old students in the United States have the opportunity through Ving Project to request that someone they know who is struggling (and not in their family) receive a rather significant grant. The idea of the organization funding the effort is to promote philanthropic thinking among teens.
I introduced the idea to students to discuss what it means to think philanthropically and invited them to put one together if moved to do so. Several of my students have nominated people, and so far, all have been funded!
—Rushton Hurley, High School Director of Innovation
Get Out the Pen and Paper!
A handwritten thank-you note is something people rarely do anymore. So I try to send those out whenever possible in addition to the verbal shout-outs and virtual forms of recognition.
—Julia Torres, Teen Services Program Administrator
I love spreading kindness through small, handwritten notes of appreciation to other educators and school employees! You can build this into a weekly routine so it's completely unexpected and not related to a designated teacher appreciation day or week. And since “stressed” is “desserts” spelled backwards, I like to include chocolate or sweet treats to alleviate some stress!
I am a veteran educator and have saved all the notes shared with me through the years in a yellow "smile file." Now that more communication is handled digitally, I print emails that include personal feedback and bring me joy. I randomly select an item to read from the folder on days when I need some encouragement.
—Christina Bauer, Director of Student Data Systems and Accountability
Adding Creativity to Learning
My students were overwhelmed with difficult and depressing poems by Juliusz Słowacki (a poet of the Romantic period in the first half of the 19th century). It is not easy for them, so I proposed we host a "Poetic Slam"—a rap battle between two poets (Adam Mickiewicz vs. Słowacki) to lighten the mood. The students had to show their creativity and not use offensive terms in their rap. They could use the help of AI, create their own background music (beat), and even add sounds themselves (beatbox). They worked in groups of three, and they had 25 minutes to prepare for the "battle." I liked watching them at work. It turns out that shy people find a place for themselves in such creative activities, and the experts are most often those who are bored with typical literature. (Of course, they were annoyed that AI couldn't rhyme very well in Polish and were proud that they could do it better than technology.)
I use such "breaks" to help students catch their breath. After performing their rap battles, they left the lesson full of joy, excited. They recorded a joint TikTok to show off their invented rap. I like such lessons.
—Joanna Waszkowska, Teacher
ASCD+ISTE Connect
Connect is a digital community forum where educators can meet and collaborate, featuring both member-exclusive spaces and open discussions to tap into a vast network of education changemakers.
