John Magee
My name is John Magee AKA The Kindness Coach and Founder of Kindness Matters. I have been teaching kindness and wellbeing to school children and teachers since 2010. My motivation and passion for education began after the credit crunch of 2008, when I lost my…
Read more about John Magee
How can we spread a little more kindness in school?
Yesterday was World Kindness Day, which allowed us to reflect on how we can be a little kinder in our everyday lives.
We all need to receive kindness whether it is kindness from friends and family or a random act of kindness from a stranger that we were not expecting. Each act of kindness, makes someone’s day a little brighter.
How then do we support our pupils in developing this trait? Here are 5 tips for your school to get started.
1. Whole school ethos
When developing kindness in school is a focus, it is then modelled and encouraged in everything you do. Look for daily opportunities to support giving kindness in different situations even when it is challenging.
It’s fair to say that since the dawn of civilisation and since we all sat around making fire, we have always learned from the stories we have heard. Share your stories with your pupils and get into kindness conversations with your pupils. I’m sure they have plenty of stories to share as good examples as well!
3. Random act of kindness
I truly believe in the mantra that, ‘it is in the giving that we receive.’ Have a think about that. It ties into my personal mantra of, ‘what you do comes back to you.’ I believe all of this because kindness is a universal law! Whether you like it or not, when you do good deeds, good deeds tend to come back to you in many shapes or forms and that’s a lovely feeling. A lot of the time these things come back to you when you least expect them.
Carry out random acts of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you (Princess Diana).
Random acts of kindness you could suggest pupils try could include:
- Putting bins out for a neighbour
- Take time to have a conversation with a senior citizen.
- Buy someone a scratch card.
- Donate some items to a charity shop.
- Help around the house without being asked.
The list of possibilities is endless!
4. Teach explicit kindness skills
Some children may struggle to be kind, especially when they have additional needs. In these cases, take some time to role model kindness. Both how to give kindness and how to receive, as some children also find this aspect challenging.
5. Recording kindness
Recording our daily acts of kindness is a powerful tool as it helps us reflect on our current and past actions. This is something both pupils and staff can get involved in. Life can be unpredictable but recording random acts of kindness helps raise self-esteem and also gain resilience; giving you and your pupils tools for the future. Why not try this with your pupils and make random acts of kindness display in your classroom or school?
Find out more
If you or your school would like to find out more about how to incorporate kindness in your school, have a look at my 30-day challenge and Kindness Matters book.
At the right time, a kind word from a stranger or encouragement from a friend can make all the difference in the world. Kindness is free, and most of it is priceless.
