by Jon Bluestein, Lower School Program Head

Random Acts of Kindness Week took place early in February. Friends School teachers engaged our lower school students in several activities that call attention to how we show kindness, that strive to celebrate kindnesses we observe, and that encourage students to look for even more ways we can be kind to each other, ourselves, and the environment. While we, as adults, may see the disconnect of creating a week or day for something that we hope we can do on all days, for young children it is important to see behavior modeled and celebrate examples of kindness. The explicit conversations and actions that can come from this (not so random) focus on kindness helps us build habits and neural pathways that can guide our children beyond random acts to regular acts in their everyday lives. Kindness can become part of an identity and, as LifeVestInside’s Kindness Boomerang video so nicely demonstrates, when you show kindness to others, it carries forward to many and often comes back to you.

The work of helping children become kind humans starts early at Friends School. Our Preschool teachers emphasize the importance of being kind every day and kindness is baked into the curriculum. Through role-playing, puppet shows, classroom language, and daily routines, children learn how to be kind friends by listening, helping, keeping each other safe, checking in with one another, and using kind words. This ongoing practice helps them to understand that kindness is something we can show to others all year round. During Random Acts of Kindness Week, all meetings were focused on kindness and teachers led students in their observations of kind behaviors and the retelling of those examples of kindness that they witnessed.

First graders beautified our campus and inspired our community members by creating and leaving painted rocks around the building for all to enjoy. The students were very proud of their work and how their creations brought joy to others.

Fifth graders clandestinely placed personalized messages of appreciation in student lockers. These notes made the day for many and continue to provide affirmation to those that keep them in their lockers to see over and over again.  

The impact of these acts of kindness is so strong and only serves to lift spirits and bond our community and the world beyond. That impact is felt by both the recipient and the giver, and the mutual good feeling permeates the culture of the school. When negative interactions inevitably occur, the deep store of goodwill that has built up over time helps us to navigate and quickly work through conflicts. The power of this reality is an important one for students to carry with them throughout their lives. It feels good to be kind. It feels good to have someone be kind to you. 

By sharing in the good feelings brought about by kindness, we are building up shared understanding, cooperation, and positive intent that leads to successful and productive relationships. It is through such relationships that we find happiness. The work of helping students live this is anything but random.