Let’s Shock the World with Our Generosity: Curating Kindness in the Classroom
The Kindness Ripple Effect
Have you ever noticed that when someone is nice to you, it has a heart-softening effect?
The world feels kinder.
The sun is brighter.
That is because kindness changes us.
Think back to the last time someone was kind to you.
Did a car wave you in as you tried to merge on the freeway?
Did a coworker encourage you about a project you were collaborating on?
Did your daughter grab you around the neck in a bear hug?
How did you feel?
Seen?
Appreciated?
Loved?
You were.
And the best thing is that receiving kindness usually generates…more kindness.
You probably waved at your fellow driver, thanked your coworker, and squeezed your daughter.
Kindness upon kindness.
It may have even changed your attitude for the rest of your day.
The Mayo Clinic says, “Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy, and compassion, and improve mood.”
When you feel good, you tend to pass it on to those around you.
Author/cartoonist Scott Adams gets it.
He reminds us,
“Remember, there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness.
Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
You guys. With kindness, it just keeps getting better.
Kindness in the Classroom
In a National Library of Medicine study of 9 through 11-year-olds, it was found that when students were encouraged to engage in 3 acts of kindness each week for 4 weeks, good things happened.
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They were happier. (Terrific!)
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They were more satisfied with life. (Amazing!)
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The bonus of the study?
They were more accepted by their peers.
(What kid doesn’t like a little popularity in class?)
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And the bonus bonus of the study?
They in turn were more inclusive of their classmates.
(It just keeps getting better, guys!)
The scientists had expected the first two results…not the last two.
The study went on to say, “Encouraging prosocial activities may have ripple effects beyond increasing the happiness and popularity of the doers.”
It concluded that students that engaged in kindness were less likely to bully others as teenagers.
So. Many. Bonuses.
ILG Hearts Kids
At ILG we are all about “encouraging prosocial activities that have ripple effects” in the classroom.
We love our kids. We want them to be happy and satisfied with life.
And we really want them to be kind.
You may be thinking, “Me too!” But where do we start?
Great question. We start by creating a generous culture in the classroom.
Not only can we teach our students how to rock a Bunsen burner, but we can also teach them how to be generous with their words,
how to look for opportunities for kindness,
and how to change the world around them with goodness.
How, you say?
Our 12-lesson Generosity Roadmap gives each teacher a way to lead their students in a lifestyle of generosity.
Each lesson is comprised of a video lesson that engages the students, inviting them to live a big-hearted generous life:
Giving of their time, their talents, their influence, their belongings, and more.
And so the ripple effect begins.
Our first video, I Like Teachers, challenges your kids to “shock the world with generosity.”
Challenge accepted.
What an awesome shock it would be for kids all across our country to engage with kindness and turn the culture on its head by simply being…kind.
I think we should try it, don’t you?
Susanna Aughtmon is a gifted writer, wonderful wife, mother, daughter and friend, and a valued member of the I Like Giving team.
