Are you tired of always hearing about the negatives of student behavior on the radio and in the news? NRCS students are, and we want to celebrate those who are embracing KINDNESS within our schools and communities. Students are spreading KINDNESS daily and it is time that we recognize the impact this is having within our schools.
On Wednesday, May 28th, we dare you to show the world that our youth are not in the lost generation; we are the powerful citizens of tomorrow who will make a change for the better.
Wear a yellow piece of yarn around your wrist on this day to tell everyone that you want to make a difference through being kind. Have students sign a pledge when they choose to wear the yarn, that says they will commit daily acts of kindness, as a mantra of their life. Pledge sheet attached that can be photocopied.
Take it to the next level:
• Post It On The Lockers! This is a great use of yellow post-it notes. Have students write positive kind messages on tons of yellow stickies and then put one on every locker for when the students arrive in the morning to start their day of kindness off with the right vibe. Examples attached.
• Create a “Clothesline Of Kindness”. This is a long string hung up like a clothes line in the lobby or gymnasium or cafeteria with pieces of clothing cut out of paper. Clothes pined to the string. On the items of paper clothing, write a little thank you to someone who was kind to you or to someone you wished you had thanked for a past kindness. Template is attached.
• “Positive Behaviour Ballots”! These recognize the value of KINDNESS amongst students.
Attached you will find a template you can photocopy in yellow and cut into ballots. You
can have teachers use them to recognize ‘acts of kindness’ throughout the day and
students can enter their ballots in a bucket at the main office for a draw at the end of the day. You could also give 3-4 ballots to each student that they too can hand out to someone they see as being kind throughout the day or even for longer. Of course, you will need to have a prize for the big draw at the end of the day.
• Make posters that advertise kindness and put them up around your school.
-We hope you will take our challenge and celebrate how amazing students can be!
Natalie Baker and Emmalee Harvey of NRCS Me to We Group
