"Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows"

This school year we have put an emphasis on showing our students the importance of kindness in their lives. Defining it, modeling it and giving students opportunities to experience that positive feeling of doing something nice for someone else has become an integral part of our curriculum.
On a recent internet search I came across this video.
Animals Advocates
After watching the video, I am reminded that kindness is far reaching .  It is a byproduct of the "good light" within us. But kindness... needs to be taught and then nurtured and then exercised.
Children, though inherently sweet and wonderful, need to be given opportunities to show kindness toward others and experience the appreciation that comes from it.
Kindness for children comes early. It starts with teaching babies not to pull the kitties tail or how to give those wet sloppy kisses to show love. We teach toddlers to give hugs and to say please and thank you. We teach preschoolers not to pick the pretty flowers or to hang on the branches of trees.
It makes sense that school would be the next logical step in a child's journey to learning how to live a kind and gentle life.
At Jefferson, we work diligently each school year to engage our students in several community service projects as well as many simple acts of kindness. Last month, the second and third graders worked together as a team to put together 65 soup bags to be donated to local food pantries.

This past week the students of Jefferson sent off four hundred "water cycle" bracelets to Doyle/Ryder Elementary School in Flint, Michigan as a show of solidarity and support for the water crisis they are enduring. The learning from this project was large. Students connected the parts of the wondrous water cycle,  kept up with current events, analyzed a neighboring city and state.

 discussed where our water comes from and how water treatment facilities  keep water clean. All this with a culminating project of kindness, fun and friendship.

Kindness, for my students includes keeping our courtyard bird feeders full during the winter. They understand that the birds depend on us for food during the winter months.  Making sure that a weekly cob of corn is placed on the courtyard squirrel feeder keeps our furry friends energetic enough to entertain us outside our classroom window everyday. If you have a backyard bird feeder, be kind and keep it filled during the cold days of winter. Your kindness will be returned to you with every beautiful bird that visits your feeder.

Children are very receptive to getting and giving kindness. They are empathetic by nature and take making a sad person happy again very seriously.  When it comes to teaching kindness, my second graders make my job easy.               Always remember...                  
Your simple act of kindness can make a tremendous impact on someones life.