Showing posts with label RAKs. Show all posts
Monday, February 22, 2016
The Kindness Crusader
From time to time, a counseling colleague will reach out in collaboration, sometimes with an inquiry or a request for help, other times with a "Hey, I adapted your idea and this is what happened." Today's post is the result of a combination of the two. After I spoke at TCA in Dallas, Kelly Locke from Wilkinson Elementary in Conroe sent this note:
I didn't have exactly what she was looking for, but we tossed ideas back and forth; once her script was complete, she kindly agreed to share what she wrote.
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| Aren't these two AdOrAbLe? |
The Kindness Crusader by Kelly Locke
Good morning! Today is the last day of National Random Acts of Kindness week, and the day that you will finally find out why I needed so many toilet paper rolls! Today�s theme is �Let Kindness Be Your Super Power� so in class you will be making kindness superhero cuffs. Create your own kindness superhero design. Plus, as a treat I have asked the Kindness Crusader (a local superhero) to answer some important questions for us.
Kelly � Kindness Crusader, thank you so much for being here today. Our students would really like to know what super powers you have and why they are so special.
K.C. � I have magnetic powers. When I want something, it is automatically drawn to me.
Kelly � Wow; that is awesome. So, that power is sort of like kindness, right?
K.C. � I�m not following you.
Kelly � Well, when you are kind to others, more people want to be around you. It is as if they are drawn to you.
K.C. � I�ve never thought of it that way, but yeah I guess it is.
Kelly � What is another super power you have?
K.C. � I have the courage to stand up for others when someone is being unkind to them, but I�m not sure that is a super power because anyone can do that.
Kelly � Really? It is that easy? How could our students stand up for others and help them when they are in trouble?
K.C. � Oh yeah, it is super easy. All your students have to do is stand up for what is right. If you see someone being rude to another student you can say �At Wilkinson we are always nice to each other.� Or �Wilkinson Lions care about each other and don�t say mean things to one another." Then offer to walk with the student who had the mean things said about them.
Kelly � I noticed that you didn�t say anything mean back to the person who was rude first. Don�t you want to get them back for what they said?
K.C. � Getting someone back can be tempting at times, but that is spreading unkind words, not being a kindness superhero.
Kelly � Oh ok. Kindness superheroes do the right thing even when it is tough. Ok, so I think we have time for one more super power.
K.C. � I have special vision that helps me see people from a really far distance that might need my help. I�m always on the lookout for the opportunity to swoop in and help others.
Kelly � I don�t know if any of our students have special vision, but are there ways they can look for others to help?
K.C. � Oh sure!! It is really very easy. All your students have to do is open their eyes to the world around them and see how they can help. For example � if someone is walking down the hall with a huge load of books they can hold a door for them or help them carry them. If they notice someone sitting alone or not having a friend to play with at recess they can go over and be their friend. There are lots of ways to be kind to others. You just have to open your eyes and see what is happening around you.
Kelly � Kindness Crusader, thank you so much for joining us today. I know that we have a lot of great students who could be kindness superheroes just like you.
K.C. � It was my pleasure to be here. And remember students � being kind sometimes takes courage, but the more you practice it the easier it becomes. Sometimes you just have to wake up, look in the mirror, and say��I�m going to be a kindness superhero today!� Have a great day!
I'll bet those kindness cuffs turned out cute. Thank you, Kelly, for sharing your engaging work with us. Your students are undoubtedly blessed by your creativity, passion, enthusiasm and love. Cape up and crusade on!
Monday, November 16, 2015
A 'Tweet' Way To Give Thanks
Today I'm grateful because Free Spirit Press invited me to be a guest blogger in their Counselor's Corner column while Danielle is away on maternity leave. My first post for them, After The Trauma: Treating PTSD in Children, is now live.
I'm also happy because of the fun I had with this idea:
It's gratitude with a twist because I put this basket in the staff lounge ... at my old school, to 'tweet' my former faculty, to #CelebrateMonday by being thankful.
Author Douglas Wood said it best: We don't give thanks because we are happy. We are happy because we give thanks.
I also updated my Connections Countdown calendar with a few new connection ideas as we prepare for the holiday season.
Might be kind of cool to give your students a blank copy
and see what innovative ideas they'd like to try.
Megan over at Coffee Cups and Crayons has something similar, a Random Acts of Christmas Kindness calendar; click {here} to download hers.
Even NBC is climbing aboard the Kind-Acts Train.
Finally, check out this Gratitude Experiment clip.
I think you'll be glad that you did.
How did you #CelebrateMonday?
Friday, November 13, 2015
Making Kindness Viral
Welcome to our Warm The World With Kindness campaign.
Need a resource to help make kindness go viral?
Need a resource to help make kindness go viral?
Check out Words Wound by Justin V. Patchin and Sameer Hinduja.
Written with connected kids in mind and dedicated to teens everywhere, Words Wound is a must for all students as well as any parent, grandparent, educator, caregiver, and/or guardian who wants to keep our children safe and help make respect and kindness online {and off} a habit. Period. Exclamation point.
Positively filled with real-life stories and actionable strategies for responsible computer use, this treasure is laid out in three parts:
Part One: Cyberbullying - What you need to know
Part Two: Treating others with respect and protecting yourself
Part Three: Building a culture of kindness
The Think About It boxes encourage deeper reflection that will likely prompt important discussions with peers and role models; the Status Update pages ask readers to take a realistic look at their own digital citizenship.
Kindness truly is the real global warming.
Check out this book; I enthusiastically recommend it.
Here now, some additional resources to help spread kindness like wildfire:
Check out a cool Kind Acts generator from Shari's Berries {here}.
Harvest some Random Acts of Kindness suggestions {here}.
We're getting the blue wristbands for our students; I can't wait!
And if you haven't already signed up for the Great Kindness Challenge 2016,
you can do so by clicking on this save-the-date graphic.
Treat yourself to these inspiring Kindness Tree visual displays.
Enjoy an interview with Lisa Currie from Ripple Kindness Project {here}.
Soak up some sage advice from Sue Scheff: Just Be Nice.
Always choose kind.
I like that.
Any questions?
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