Seed of Kindness

A major theme in our classroom for the past few months has been kindness. This is in response to a high number of recess issues and hurtful words and actions in the classroom. After numerous discussions about how we treat other, how we wish to be treated and using our WITS, behaviour has failed to improve.

In an effort to promote kindness and acts of kindness, we began to grow Seeds of Kindness!

Introducing the idea to students, I explained that a seed is something small that grows into something bigger. Our flower pot will be kept onto of the mailboxes with slips of paper beside it. Students are encouraged to write about something kind someone did for them. They have been told not to include their own name- I wish for the emphasize to be placed on the student committing the act of kindness, not the author of the note. Keeping this secret adds a bit of mystery and excitement! 

After explaining the idea, we practiced submitting a seed. Every wrote a seed and I read each one! Students could see how happy and proud their peers were to receive a seed! Some students even commented that even though they didn't get a seed, they still felt good about making someone else happy! WOW! Exactly! When we fill others' bucket, our bucket is filled too!

At the moment, the pot is overflowing with seeds! Hopefully, the novelty of this activity is not lost quickly... and that the effect is lasting. Many of the seeds are general comments, such as: You're awesome! I am encouraging students to use specific examples of kindness, as this is more meaningful. 

I will post a few examples of seeds and seeds will be coming home in agendas.

~Ms. Burland