Intentional Acts of Kindness Have Better Results Than Random Gestures
Nurturing empathy is a big part of teaching about kindness. To do that, it's more effective for students to take part in intentional acts of kindness rather than random good deeds. Being purposeful about kindness teaches students to think about and consider others more deeply.
When children are learning to embrace kindness as a way of life, they should learn to be conscious about their decisions. Random acts of kindness imply that acts of good will are flippant, spur of the moment gestures. They’re important and appreciated but not as impactful as intentional kindness.
Deliberate acts of kindness require students to be thoughtful, considerate, and empathic. Taking time to think about what a person likes or needs helps them understand them better and connect on a deeper level.
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Why Intentional Acts of Kindness Can Have Better Results
Everyone's heard the term random acts of kindness, but I believe being intentional about kindness has a better outcome.
Spontaneous and random gestures involve little thought for the recipient and are quickly forgotten. A purposeful act of kindness involves a premeditated and conscious decision to improve someone’s day. These kind acts involve empathy, consideration, and a genuine desire to improve someone's happiness or wellbeing.
Intentional acts may take time and require thought about the recipient's needs or circumstances. They involve deliberate effort and planning to personalize the kindness. Students draw on empathy to put themselves in the shoes of others to understand how a good deed could offer comfort or support.
Random acts of kindness naturally do contribute to a culture of goodwill. But it's the focused effort of intentional acts that provide a more enriching experience for both the giver and receiver.
Encouraging students to reflect upon and perform intentional acts of kindness develops perspective-taking, increased social membership, and a structured way of encouraging kindness within the school context.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the reasons intentional kindness can be more beneficial than random acts:
1. Deeper Connections
Intentional acts of kindness often lead to a deeper connection between the giver and receiver. Recipients of a purposeful gesture can feel like they’re the center of someone’s attention and are truly cared for. These types of gestures show more thoughtfulness and consideration.
2. Targeted Support
Unlike random acts, intentional acts are specific and targeted. They're more likely to meet a particular need or challenge making them more meaningful and impactful.
3. Long-Term Impact
Premeditated acts have the potential for long-lasting effects. By personalizing them, they can contribute to long-term positive outcomes for the recipient. This could be emotional wellbeing, personal growth, or enhanced social connections.
4. Personal Growth
Participating in intentional acts of goodwill provides opportunities for personal growth and enhanced emotional intelligence. Students learn more about themselves, their values, and their capacity for compassion. As they actively choose to make a positive impact in the lives of others, it also has an impact on them.
With students’ well-being bolstered, there is potential for increased student engagement in lessons, for an increased quality of peer and student-teacher interactions, and for the possibility of continued kind acts taking place within the learning context.
What Skills Do Students Use or Learn When Engaging in Intentional Acts of Kindness?
Participating in premeditated acts of kindness utilizes social, emotional, and executive functioning skills. Here are some key skills that students develop and use when practicing intentional kindness:
1. Empathy - Social Skill
Students learn to understand and empathize with the feelings of their recipient as they consider their emotional needs and experiences.
2. Perspective-Taking - Social Skill
Intentional acts require students to take the perspective of others. It helps them to imagine what it's like to be in someone else's shoes. This enhances their ability to understand different points of view and promotes a deeper connection.
3. Communication - Social Skill
Effective communication is essential in the planning and execution of intentional acts. Students learn to express their intentions and to actively listen to the needs and preferences of others.
4. Decision-Making - Executive Functioning Skill
Intentional acts involve thoughtful decision-making. Students assess the situation, consider the options, and make choices that help them carry out their good deeds.
5. Goal Setting - Executive Functioning Skill
Setting a goal for an intentional act of kindness, like providing comfort, helping with a task, or making someone smile, requires a clear objective. Students learn to define and work towards a specific outcome.
6. Planning and Organization - Executive Functioning Skill
Intentional acts usually require a level of planning and organization. Students may need to coordinate resources, time, and actions to deliver a purposeful act of kindness.
7. Self-Regulation - Emotional Skill
Engaging in acts of kindness may evoke feelings and emotions like joy, empathy, anticipation, or even frustration. Teachers can remind students to reflect on their feelings during the process and employ self-regulation skills if required.
8. Social Awareness - Social Skill
Intentional good deeds involve an awareness of social dynamics and the needs of an individual or community. Students become more in tune with the feelings and experiences of others to improve their social awareness.
9. Responsible Decision-Making - Executive Functioning Skill
Making intentional choices involves a sense of responsibility. Students learn to consider the potential impact of their actions and timing of their decisions. Teachers may need to coach students if they're showing kindness towards a student who has experienced a trauma.
10. Flexibility - Executive Functioning Skill
While executing an intentional act, students may need to be flexible or think on their feet. They may need to use problem-solving skills to adapt an aspect of their plan if something goes wrong or the timing isn't right.
As many of the students’ kind acts are likely to take place within the immediate school community, the school as a whole stands to profit with a notable increase in both positive school affect and climate.
How to Teach Intentional Kindness
Learning in a kind and positive classroom environment equips students with valuable life skills. It helps them to develop a growth mindset and to feel secure and supported in their surroundings.
Here are some effective ways for teachers to instill the concept of intentional kindness in their students:
1. Lead by Example
Teachers are powerful role models who can set a clear example by showing intentional kindness towards students and colleagues. Sharing their thought process for kind decision making and emphasizing the intention behind actions can help normalize kindness in the classroom.
2. Incorporate Kindness into the Curriculum
Find opportunities to explore and discuss acts of kindness in literature, history, or science. Integrating kindness into lessons and activities highlights it as an important part of learning and personal development.
3. Establish Classroom Norms
Rather than classroom rules, work with your students to create a set of norms. Let them help shape the expectations for your classroom so they feel a sense of ownership but highlight intentional kindness as non-negotiable. When they own it, they're more likely to live it.
Regularly revisit and celebrate instances where your norms are upheld to reinforce intentional kindness.
4. Use Real-World Examples
Share stories or examples of individuals who have made a positive impact through intentional acts of kindness. These can be both historical figures and contemporary role models students can relate to. This helps children understand the real-world relevance of kindness and inspires them to follow suit.
5. Implement Kindness Challenges
Create kindness challenges that encourage students to plan and execute intentional good deeds. Allowing them to choose who they want to help and how, fosters decision-making and empathy skills. Celebrate their efforts and discuss the impact of their actions as a class.
6. Foster Supportive Relationships
Nurture a supportive and inclusive classroom culture that values positive peer relationships. Use activities that promote teamwork, cooperation, and understanding. Encourage recognition and appreciation of the strengths and unique traits of their classmates. This helps to foster a foundation for intentional kindness.
7. Reflect and Discuss
Hold regular sessions for students to share their experiences with intentional acts of kindness. Discuss the emotions they felt, the impact their actions had, and any challenges they encountered. These discussions deepen their understanding and reinforce the importance of conscious decision-making.
8. Integrate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Use SEL resources that explicitly address kindness, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Structured activities and lessons that promote intentional kindness help develop social and emotional skills and build emotional intelligence.
9. Encourage an Attitude of Gratitude
Introduce gratitude practices within the classroom. Foster an environment where students express appreciation for the kindness they receive from others. Gratitude creates an awareness of positive behavior and acknowledges the intentional kindness happening around them. Positive reinforcement creates a sense of pride and accomplishment to encourage more good deeds.
Acts of kindness can build trust and acceptance between people, encourage social bonds, provide givers and receivers with the benefits of positive social interaction, and enable helpers to use and develop personal skills and thus themselves.”
Ready-Made Intentional Kindness Activities for Your Classroom
I hope you're keen to get started after reading some compelling reasons to take part in intentional acts of kindness.
There are many simple ways of spreading kindness with intention. If you’re looking for more meaningful activities that don't need a huge time investment, take a look at the ideas below.
And don't forget to participate in Random Acts of Kindness Day in February and World Kindness Day. Students will be looking forward to joining others around the world to make a difference! This post has other ideas to make it fun!
1. Kindness Bookmarks Challenge
You might be wondering why I included my kindness bookmarks in this list. How intentional could coloring some kindness affirmations be?
This popular resource has a huge impact on students and create so much excitement in the classroom. Kids can't get enough of them and teachers love that this no-prep activity is FUN while promoting social emotional skills.
But the reason they're included as intentional kindness is that students write a positive message on the back with the intention of making someone's day. They have no idea who they are writing to so they really need to think about the wording they'll use to uplift or encourage.
Some of the Benefits of This Kindness Coloring Activity Are:
These coloring bookmarks are so popular with elementary and special needs students. They tick all the boxes for fun, excitement, and learning while making an impact throughout your school.
I used this resource with our school's Kindness Club. We colored the bookmarks and hid them in books in our library. The Kindness Club members LOVED making the bookmarks, and I've received great feedback from our school's media specialist about the reactions from students who are finding the bookmarks. Thank you so much. 🙂
Shania B - 3rd, 4th, 5th Grades
As an End of Year activity, my kids coloured these in left them randomly in books in my class library for the next year's students - it has been so fun to see my new class discovering them!
Mia V - 2nd Grade
I just love this resource! I have used a couple of times now and not only is it easy and quick for teachers, the engagement that it generates within the classroom for students is exceptional. Thank you so much for a resource that is high in quality, easy and engaging to use and practical!
Megan V - 3rd, 4th, 5th Grades
2. Kindness Tree Collaborative Bulletin Board
This group project can be used as a grade, year level or whole school kindness initiative. Students, teachers and staff complete considered acts of kindness that they record on leaves, apples, birds, and bugs to bring your kindness tree to life.
You can use the tree to create a powerful community event to nurture friendship, inclusion, and caring during kindness days.
Why This Gorgeous Collaborative Bulletin Board is Loved:
Great community building resource. I really liked how it included everyone - teachers, students, parents and the Principal. Thank you.
Samantha R - K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Grades
I used this as a bulletin board outside my classroom. We are talking about being a kind school this year. This board is so cute and so powerful. I am thinking of doing it next year also!
Kaelene S - K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Grades
My Kindness and Manners Count Club used this resource to celebrate National Kindness Day for our whole school. It was loved by all.
Moneta R - 3rd, 4th, 5th Grades
3. Kindness Cash - A Money and Classroom Behavior Management System
This is such a fun and novel way to teach about kindness, friendship, and money management! Kindness Cash can be used all year as a behavior management incentive and to build essential life skills.
Acts of kindness are provided but sheets can also be edited to include considered acts of kindness. Students decide what they do and how much cash they earn. But what makes this resource unique is how they spend their reward money. Children can use the cash they have in their "bank" on reward coupons they give away to classmates!
As students buy coupons on shopping days, they'll have to decide who will receive them and consider what they like.
Kindness Cash is a fun incentive system that requires children to be intentional in their kindness and their purchases.
Why Kindness Cash is the Ultimate Life Lesson:
I am the coordinator of an after-school program and I have been wanting to find a way to promote good choices and finances and well this was that one-stop shop for me.
Denise
This is a fantastic resource! It was easy to use and my students loved it! Thank you!
Marlayne S - 5th Grade
4. Kindness Checklist Challenge
These kindness checklists have an editable component where students can add their own intentional acts of kindness.
They can work independently or in groups to select the recipients of their good deeds and plan what they’ll do.
There are also ready-made checklists that help students learn to be kind in different environments. These are popular among busy teachers as a no-prep Kindness Day activity to build character traits and nurture classroom community.
Why These Kindness Checklists Are So Popular:
Super helpful resource to use when encouraging acts of kindness! Well worded and easy for students to understand.
Fourth Story Creative Co - 4th Grade
I used this as a continuation of our weekly bully meetings about being kind. The checklist was a great way for them to see many different ways they have or can be kind to others.
Jacqueline Y - 2nd Grade
I loved this checklist! So many great ideas to talk about! Sent it home as a challenge for students to complete as many as they could in November and bring back for a prize!
Mandy E - K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Grades
Incorporating intentional kindness into the classroom empowers students to become compassionate, empathetic individuals. Consistent modeling, reflection, and practice helps them understand the profound impact their actions can have on themselves and the world around them.
I'd love to hear how you encourage intentional kindness in your classroom. Let me know!
► A Whole Year of Engaging Kindness Activities
Students thrive when they build connections and what better way to encourage a positive community in your classroom than teaching them to be kind! Kindness is an essential character trait that will stay with and help them succeed throughout their lives.
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This comprehensive back-to-school kindness bundle is your ultimate toolkit for promoting confidence, caring, respect, and positive behavior in your classroom.
These fun activities and lessons reinforce essential character traits and create an inclusive, kind classroom culture.
Students enjoy exciting challenges where they feel like they're on a secret mission, work together to create beautiful bulletin boards, hone their writing skills, relax with coloring pages, reinforce concepts with posters, engage in exciting games, and so much more.
This versatile back-to-school kindness bundle includes:
