International Friendship Day falls on July 30. It’s a chance to highlight the importance of supportive friendships through teamwork, cooperation, and empathy. It’s a must for teachers to mark on their calendar especially if they need help with behavior management.Engaging Friendship Day activities reinforce good behavior and teach important social skills. Students learn to engage…
You may not think that daily mantras can make much of a difference but using positive affirmations for children can be life-changing!By using daily positive affirmations for kids you can help to develop a growth mindset and improve their attitude. Positive thinking quotes are a powerful social-emotional learning tool that can have a profound impact…
STOP BULLYING!Bullying is often a hot topic among parents and teachers. It has been for as long as I can remember and sadly, not a lot has changed. But I feel like we’re making some headway with educators now using social and emotional learning programs in their classrooms to build emotional intelligence which naturally puts a stop bullying.I’ve…
Download your free checklist now!Whether you’re looking to build character traits at home or in the classroom, recognized kindness days are a wonderful time to start a kindness campaign.Kindness is a good old-fashioned value that does a lot more than improve character. Did you know that it can also; Continue Reading Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn…
The wrinkled heart activity or crumpled paper activity is a powerful lesson every child needs to participate in to understand the lasting effects of bullying.This simple activity is a valuable friendship lesson that shows students how difficult a wrinkled heart is to mend!Who could imagine that a single sheet of scrunched up paper could be…
Need a friendship lesson for your grade? This Enemy Pie read aloud is perfect!!!!Title: Enemy PieAuthor: Derek MunsonIllustrator: Tara KingAge group: 4 – 10 yearsTheme: Friendship, Problem-Solving, Bullying, Judgement, Respect Get Enemy Pie read aloud HERE! Enemy Pie is a wonderful picture story book for young children who struggle with friendship issues or feelings of exclusion. It’s…
How are character traits developed?It’s a given that parents want their kids to grow up with good set of values and positive character traits. Kindness, compassion, perseverance, honesty, and respect are just some of the traits we want to instill in our kids. Charles Starkey, Associate Professor of Philosophy studies emotion theory and moral psychology. He says that…
Why do we need to teach kindness and empathy?Experts advocate that we must teach kindness and empathy in schools to reduce bullying. Why? Because kindness is the antithesis of bullying and empathy is the foundation of kindness. Being kind means that you consider the needs, feelings, and concerns of others to ensure you act appropriately….
A kindness tree is a fun and effective friendship activity and whole school project!A kindness tree bulletin board is a beautiful and creative way to encourage and acknowledge acts of kindness within a school. As a whole school kindness challenge, it’s a heartwarming way to foster caring and supportive relationships amongst students and teachers as…
Book Title: The Watermelon ShieldAuthors: Rose McCallum (she/her) and Finn McCallum (they/them)Illustrator: mikemotz.comFor ages: 6-10 years (a good read for all ages)Topics: bullying, kindness, compassion, empathy, character development, juvenile self-helpRelated learning areas: social and emotional learning (SEL), well-being/self-confidence, communication/healthy boundaries Continue Reading Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit Facebook Messenger Email Share
How important are relationships in education? Rita Pierson, in her classic TEDTalk, says “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” I thoroughly agree and I would like it mandated that every teacher watches her talk every year! I want to expand her sentiment to include student to student relationships. Continue Reading Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn…
Teaching Kindness can Change the Culture of Your School!Phrases like “random acts of kindness” and “pay it forward” have become popular terms in modern society. There are even special days dedicated to being kind and organizations who specialize in altruism. But why has kindness become so popular? Perhaps it’s best explained by those who have identified…