For children in grades 1 – 8, this training program includes 72 classroom and schoolwide activities.
Built around Three Basic Rules: being kind to ourselves, being kind to one another, and being kind to this space; and The Kindness Pledge: seeking to be positive, putting down put-downs, honoring our differences, discovering our similarities, healing our hurts, listening to one another, honoring heroes, reaching higher for success, and living our dreams. During the program, students are rewarded and recognized for their acts of kindness.
Cultivating Kindness promotes a positive school environment, lowers tension among groups, decreases the number of disciplinary reports, and teaches students the social skills they need to be successful adults.
PART 1: KIND SCHOOLS
Work of the Task Force
Work of Action Groups
Schoolwide Activities
- Selecting Staff and Faculty Task Force Members
- Selecting Student Task Force Members
- Selecting Community Task Force Members
- Creating a Vision
- Choosing Program Components
- Maintaining a Calendar of Events
- Establishing Action Groups
- Action-Group Planning
- Creating Posters and Signs
- Organizing a Kickoff Event
- Organizing Five Days of Kindness
- Organizing Quarterly Events
- Using Kindness Boxes and Notes
- Using Kindness Coupons
- Establishing Kind Buddies Connections
- Establishing a Study Buddies Program
- Creating a Student Service Team
- Creating a Student Media Team
- Identifying Guest Speakers
- Creating a Group of Student Speakers
PART 2: KIND CLASSROOMS
Kind Classrooms: Lessons for Grades K-3
Sequence 1: Basic Practices for Building a Community
- What Is Kindness? Using a Kindness Log
- Three Basic Rules
- Learning the Kindness Pledge
- Doing My Best
- Mail Pouches
Sequence 2: Who We Are
- Trains
- Power Circle
- Card Villages
- Class Quilt
- Class Flag
Sequence 3: Circle of Kindness Meetings
- Creating an Opening Ritual
- Checking In with Feelings
- Clearing a Conflict, Asking for Forgiveness
- Creating a Closing Ritual
- Kindness Pledge Activity
Sequence 4: Living the Kindness Pledge
- Seeking the Positive
- Putting Down Put-Downs
- Honoring Our Differences, Discovering Our Similarities
- Healing Our Hurts
- Listening to One Another
- Honoring Heroes
- Reaching Higher for Success
- Living Our Dreams
Kind Classrooms: Lessons for Grades 4-8
Sequence 1: Basic Practices for Building a Community
- What is Kindness? Using a Kindness Log
- Three Basic Rules
- Learning the Kindness Pledge
- Building Integrity
- A Code of Ethics
Sequence 2: Who We Are
- My Cultures
- A Collage of My Culture
- Character Cards
- Power Circle
- Paper Beams
Sequence 3: Circle of Kindness Meetings
- Creating an Opening Ritual
- Checking In with Feelings
- Clearing a Conflict, Asking for Forgiveness
- Creating a Closing Ritual
- Kindness Pledge Activity
Sequence 4: Living the Kindness Pledge
- Seeking the Positive
- Putting Down Put-Downs
- Honoring Our Differences, Discovering Our Similarities
- Healing Our Hurts
- Listening to One Another
- Honoring Heroes
- Reaching Higher for Success
- Living Our Dreams
Sequence 5: Kindness Dilemmas
- Jack’s Dilemma
- Maria’s Dilemma
- Alicia’s Dilemma
- Takisha’s Dilemma
- Roberto’s Dilemma
- Creating Kindness Dilemmas
Appendix A: The Context of Character Education
Appendix B: The High School Connection
Appendix C: Kind Classrooms Lesson Posters
- Three Basic Rules
- Kindness Pledge
- Circle of Kindness Meeting Agenda
- Four-Point Process for Clearing a Conflict and
Asking for Forgiveness
Tables
- The Kindness Pledge
- Kind Classrooms Lesson Schedule:
Grades K-3
- Kind Classrooms Lesson Schedule:
Grades 4-8
- Schoolwide Activities