Kindness Continues

The work of building a kind community continues.

Before we started a whole-class discussion on our current-kindness-status, we asked students to think of a headline to describe kindness in our classroom.

Here is what they shared:

• What makes kindness in our community?
• Examples of kindness in our community
• How can you help our community?
• Are you sick of being mean?

As teachers, we are pleased to see fourth and fifth graders growing in their understanding of practicing kindness. We began our discussion by asking students, "Are we a kind community? Or not a kind community?" 

We purposefully chose these questions as one-dimensional conversation starters. We wondered if students would answer in one-dimension or if they would notice and articulate the complexities of being a kind community. When students shared their answers we further challenged their thinking by asking, "What makes you say that?"

Note their responses:

• We are a struggling community because people are comparing steps, etc. in a manner that is not helpful.
• We are kind of a kind community because some of the time we’re not so kind and the rest of the time we’re kind.  
• A lot of the times, people tell other people things.  They are not being trustworthy and that leads to gossiping.
• We are generous.
• We are always helping each other.
• We are a kind community because we don’t really think anyone is not equal.  We welcome everybody.  No one is frowning on new people.  We do gossip, but it’s very frowned upon and we’re working on it.
• We are a mix because our community is made up of smaller communities.  Some like to gossip, some like to help, some like to keep to themselves.
• We are all friends but some people have friends who are closer than others.
• We (teachers) asked, "Are the smaller communities a bad thing or a good thing?"
• Both-they can lead to gossip, but it’s good because they are your closer friends who can help you and understand you better than other people.
• Towards the end of the year, we can get annoyed with each other.
• Now is the time we need to really be kind.

We hope that you will be inspired to have these kinds of conversations at home. As your child shares and thinks, continue to challenge him/her to add to our community through acts of kindness and positive, productive conversations.