LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Define the concept of kindness and the benefits of promoting kindness in schools.
- Explain the differences between how younger and older children express kindness
- Explain how practising self-kindness or self-compassion is important for building resilience.
- Demonstrate activities that aim to teach kindness to different age groups.
Module introductiON
Practising kindness is rooted in having prosocial values. Prosocial values refer to a set of values that prioritise thewell-being of others. They are often associated with empathy, compassion, and a sense of social responsibility.
Teaching these values is critical for fostering positive behaviours, healthy relationships, and a supportive learning
environment in the classroom [1, 2].
Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping children’s values and beliefs. They have the power to influence how children
perceive and treat others. Through positive interactions with students and modelling prosocial behaviours, teachers can
reinforce the importance of values like empathy, kindness, and respect [3, 4]. Teaching and reinforcing such values can
help students develop a greater sense of social responsibility and the ability to respond to the needs of others [5].
Examples of prosocial values include empathy and respect. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings
of others, while respect involves treating others with dignity and showing consideration for their thoughts and feelings.
By teaching empathy, students can develop the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others, respond in
sensitive and caring ways, and speak up against injustice or unfairness [6, 7]. Teaching respect can help children
develop the ability to communicate in ways that are respectful and considerate, listen actively to others, and value the
perspectives of others. These prosocial values are essential for building and maintaining positive relationships and can
help foster a kind and compassionate classroom community [8]. As teachers, it is important to model these values and
incorporate them into daily interactions with children. By doing so, teachers can help our children develop important life
skills and become responsible and caring members of society
References
1. Sanderson R, McQuilkin J. Many kinds of kindness: The relationship between values and prosocial behaviour. In:
Roccas S, Sagiv L, editors. Values and behavior: Taking a cross cultural perspective [Internet]. Cham: Springer
International Publishing; 2017 [cited 2023 Apr 4]. p. 75-96. Available from:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-56352-7
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-56352-7_4
2. Binfet JT, Gadermann AM, Schonert-Reichl KA. Measuring kindness at school: Psychometric properties of a
school kindness scale for children and adolescents. Psychol Sch [Internet]. 2016 Feb [cited 2023 Apr
4];53(2):111-26. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pits.21889 DOI:
10.1002/pits.21889
3. Lumpkin A. Teachers as role models teaching character and moral virtues. JOPERD [Internet]. 2008 Feb [cited
2023 Apr 4];79(2):45-50. Available from:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07303084.2008.10598134?journalCode=ujrd20 DOI:
10.1080/07303084.2008.10598134
4. Jennings PA, Greenberg MT. The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to
student and classroom outcomes. Rev Educ Res [Internet]. 2009 Mar [cited 2023 Apr 4];79(1):491-525. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0034654308325693?journalCode=rera DOI:
10.3102/0034654308325693
5. Wray-Lake L, Syvertsen AK. The developmental roots of social responsibility in childhood and adolescence. New
Dir Child Adolesc Dev [Internet]. 2011 Dec [cited 2023 Apr 4];2011(134):11-25. Available from:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cd.308 DOI: 10.1002/cd.308
6. Thompson KL, Gullone E. Promotion of empathy and prosocial behaviour in children through humane education
Aust Psychol [Internet]. 2006 Aug [cited 2023 Apr 4];38(3)175-82. Available from:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00050060310001707187 DOI: 10.1080/00050060310001707187
7. Roth G, Kanat-Maymon Y, Bibi U. Prevention of school bullying: The important role of autonomy‐supportive
teaching and internalization of pro‐social values. Br J Educ Psychol [Internet]. 2011 Dec [cited 2023 Apr
4];81(4):654-66. Available from:
https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/2044-8279.002003
DOI: 10.1348/2044-8279.002003
8. Moynihan DP, DeLeire T, Enami K. A life worth living: Evidence on the relationship between prosocial values and
happiness. Am Rev Public Adm [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2023 Apr 4];45(3):311-26. Available from:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0275074013493657?journalCode=arpb DOI:
10.1177/0275074013493657
KEY CONCEPTs
4.1 Kindness in the Classroom
As educators, we are all familiar with the concept of kindness and its importance in creating a positive and supportive learning environment. It is something that all teachers strive to instil in their students. However, did you know that the definition of kindness can be multifaceted? In this first video, we will dive into the meaning of kindness, exploring its various dimensions and implications. By gaining a better understanding of kindness, we can better equip ourselves to nurture this valuable trait in our students and in ourselves.
Welcome to this activity on exploring acts of kindness in the classroom. In this exercise, you will be viewing an image
slider that features different examples of kindness that can be shown in the classroom by either students or teachers. As
you go through each slide, take a moment to reflect on why you believe the act of kindness is important, and share your
thoughts with the group. This exercise is designed to help you think about the many ways that kindness can be shown in
the classroom and to spark ideas for how you can promote a culture of kindness in your own teaching practice. So let's
get started and explore the power of kindness together!
It is important to recognize the various ways kindness can be shown in the classroom, both by teachers and students. We
hope this exercise has helped you reflect on the different acts of kindness that can make a positive impact on the learning
environment. As you move forward in your teaching journey, we encourage you to continue exploring ways to incorporate
kindness into your daily practice. Are there any additional kind acts or responses that you believe can be shown in the
classroom? Have you experienced any of these before, and if so, did you appreciate them?
4.2 Self-Compassion and Resilience Development
In our ongoing exploration of kindness, we will now turn our attention to a form of kindness that is often overlooked -
self-compassion. We must extend kindness not just to those around us, but also to ourselves, to build a positive and
healthy relationship with ourselves. This next video will delve into the concept of self-compassion and its significance in
cultivating resilience and personal growth. Let's learn more about this vital aspect of kindness.
Why Practise Kindness Towards Ourselves and Others?
Now that we have watched videos and discussed the importance of being kind to ourselves and others, it's time to test
your knowledge. This pop quiz will help you reflect on the reasons why kindness is so important, as well as how it relates
to SEL.
Great job on completing the pop quiz! Remember that practising kindness towards ourselves and others is a key
component of building a positive and supportive learning environment. It is also an essential aspect of developing social
and emotional skills such as self-awareness, social awareness, responsible decision-making, self-regulation, and
relationship skills. Let's continue to make kindness a priority in our daily lives and classrooms.
4.3 Learning Together: Activities to Promote Kindness in the Classroom
Talking about kindness is an essential first step, but to truly instil kind values in children, teachers must also actively
demonstrate and reinforce its importance. As we continue our SEL training on nurturing kindness in the classroom, we will
now explore practical ways of promoting and reinforcing kindness in students. We will be introducing three activities that
were developed by our team, are age-appropriate and can be easily replicated in the classroom. Through these activities,
both participants and their students will experience the power of kindness by recognizing and acknowledging the kind
words and actions of others.
These activities have been designed for teachers to implement with their students, but in this session, they are
encouraged to demonstrate each activity with you and with each other. By participating in these activities themselves, they can better understand how to facilitate them in the classroom. Let's discover some fun and effective ways to cultivate
kindness among children.
Activity 1: Animal-Talk Activity
The ‘Animal talk’ activity is an interactive and fun way to get to know children and discuss their views and feelings. The activity involves using pictures of various animals to initiate conversations and explore a child’s emotions and perspectives. It aims to establish the child’s feelings, their opinions of themselves and the people around them, and their favorite animals. The activity can be adapted to suit the child’s needs and can be used as an icebreaker, to discuss specific topics or issues, like the importance of being kind, or to simply get to know the child better. Check it out here!
Activity 2: Positive Snapshots of Kindness (for ages 10 to 12 years)
Our second activity, "Positive Snapshots of Kindness," is designed to help students in the 10 to 12 age range recognise and appreciate the positive qualities of their peers. To demonstrate this activity during the training, pair up your participants and invite them to write kind and affirming messages to each other, highlighting their unique strengths and qualities. By focusing on the positive aspects of their peers, your participants and their students can build a stronger sense of community within the classroom.
POSITIVE SNAPSHOTS OF KINDNESS
As the facilitator, your job is to explain the activity's aims and steps to your participants and help them feel confident about demonstrating it with their own students. In this activity, students will be randomly assigned a partner and given prompts to write down kind and positive things about their partner, focusing on their unique qualities and strengths. By reflecting on the positive aspects of their peers, your participants will learn to recognize and appreciate the good in others, thus fostering a sense of community and empathy. This activity is simple and fun to implement, and can help to create a positive and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated.
1. Divide participants into groups of four
or five. During each round of
demonstration, one participant will take
on the role of the ‘teacher’ while the
other group members will act as the
‘students’. Encourage the ‘students’ to
respond and interact with the
demonstration in ways that reflect this
age group.
2. Invite one participant to kick-off the
demonstrations by instructing them to
randomly assign pairs among the
remaining group members. Then,
distribute writing materials.
3. The teacher shall now prompt the
students to write down the following
sentence starters on their own pieces
of paper. Ensure that the students
leave enough space to complete these sentences later.
● One nice thing about you is…
● One thing I would love for you to
know is…
● One thing you are good at is…
4. The teacher shall now instruct their
students to spend time completing
their sentences with their partner in
mind. The teacher can clarify that their
students should only write kind
messages about their partner.
5. When the time is up, the teacher can
collect their students’ responses and
check them to ensure that only kind
messages were written.
6. When ready, instruct the teacher to
randomly pick one of the notes and
read the message to the class without
revealing who had written it. The
teacher can encourage the other
students to guess who wrote the note.
The teacher can then reveal the author
of the note and invite that student to
come forward to share the message
they had written. Repeat this process
until all messages have been read and
shared.
7. Prompt the teacher to guide the
students through questions that will
help them reflect on the importance of
showing others kindness. For example:
● How did it feel to write kind messages
for your partner?
● How did it feel to receive kind
messages from your partner?
● What did you learn about the
importance of being kind?
8. When all group members have had a
chance to participate, facilitate a debrief
discussion with the entire group of
participants. Here are some questions
you can ask:
● Did you find anything challenging
during your demonstration?
How do you think your students will respond to this activity?
Activity 3: Kindness Group Awards (for ages 13 to 18 years)
Our third activity, "Kindness Awards," is designed to help older students develop a greater appreciation for the kind actions of their peers. Through this activity, participants will be paired up and take turns nominating each other for different "kindness awards," such as the "kindest friend award" or the "most helpful award." By recognizing and celebrating the positive qualities of their classmates, students will develop a greater sense of empathy and understanding, and build a stronger sense of community within the classroom.
KINDNESS GROUP AWARDS
As the facilitator, your role is to introduce the activity and provide clear instructions to the participants. You should help them feel comfortable and confident to nominate their peers for kindness awards. Encourage the participants to think creatively and come up with unique awards that reflect the values of their classroom community. For example, “Most Thoughtful”, “Most Caring”, and “Most Supportive” awads. The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to recognize and celebrate acts of kindness and to foster a culture of empathy and compassion in the classroom. By acknowledging and celebrating acts of kindness, students will learn to appreciate the positive impact of their actions on others and feel more motivated to continue to practise kindness.
1. Randomly select a participant by
drawing their name from a bowl or
another method. Invite the participant
whose name is chosen to randomly
select their partner’s name from the
bowl.
2.Encourage the participant to share
what ‘Kindness Award’ they would like
to nominate their partner for and why.
● Thoughtful friend: For someone who is always thinking of others and doing kind things for them.
● Best listener: For someone who always listens and shows empathy.
● Positive attitude: For someone who always has a positive outlook.
● Most supportive: For someone who always show their support and encouragement to those who need it.
3.Encourage the nominated participant to thank their partner, nominate them back for an award of their choice, and share their reason why.
4. Once both participants in a pair have
nominated each other for an award,
invite the next participant to pick a
name from the bowl and continue with
the award nominations by repeating the
above steps. All participants should
have a chance to take turn to nominate
others, as well as be nominated. End
the activity when everyone has had a
turn to share their nominations, as well
as be nominated.
5. Guide your participants through a list of
questions to help them reflect on the
value of being kind and noticing the
kindness of others. For example:
●How did it feel to receive an award from
your partner?
●Did you learn anything new about your
peers during this activity?
●How can we continue to incorporate
kindness into our daily routines?
● How do you think your students will respond to this activity?
At the end of the training session...
Demonstrate care for your participants’ views
Your participants’ views about the topic and training are valuable and can inform how future training modules are delivered. Conclude the training session by gathering verbal feedback – don’t forget to record these in writing!
● What new information did they learn during the training that they did not know before?
● In what ways do they think this topic will be useful for them in their work with students?
● What is their most valuable takeaway from the training?
Be sure to also collect your participants’ responses to the post-test and training evaluation form for more structured monitoring and evaluation!