Sometimes, an email catches my attention. The timing of the Random Acts of Kindness Week calendar from the physical education professional group SHAPE America and The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is perfect with everything that’s happening around us.
Kindness is a crucial life skill that children can develop through practice. At the start of the year, our Cooperative Games unit lays the foundation for the respectful and kind class community and continues in each lesson. Every day, I see simple random acts of kindness, such as students saying “GG” (good game) after a competitive activity, reminding each other to get their sweatshirts after class, and bringing a forgotten water bottle to a classmate, and more leaves filling the first-grade Kindness Tree. My favorite act of kindness is when students make other classmates feel like they belong.
Kindness brings physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. Teaching kindness in schools promotes happy and caring behavior among children. Acts of kindness release endorphins, increasing happiness and self-worth. They also help us form bonds and feel connected, which is crucial for everyone. Kindness leads to better attention spans, creative thinking, and academic results. It also reduces stress and increases happiness. Therefore, promoting a culture of kindness in schools positively impacts students’ overall well-being.
Receiving kindness and passing it on to someone else creates a ripple effect of love throughout our community. Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 14-20, but let’s continue to help our students realize the power of a single act of kindness should go beyond these national days of kindness.
