Overview:
Educators must intentionally “flex their kindness muscle” by fostering inclusion, connection, and belonging among students.
By Nosakhere Griffin-EL, Ph.D.
When you turn on television it seems like everyone is being unkind to each other. Politicians are hurling insults, using dehumanizing words to blame “the other side” for government shutdown; sport analysts rant about why a player isn’t living up to his million dollar contract; celebrities trade insults in a never ending battle of ego. Not to mention the ubiquitous trolls on all our social media feeds.
It’s little wonder then that unkindness filters into our classrooms. Across the US, thousands of schools have just celebrated World Kindness Week. And chances are, most of these celebrations focused on ensuring students are kind to each other. But it is worth remembering that kindness is a muscle – and as educators, it’s also up to us to exercise it for our students.
This year, more than 200,000 students across 18 states marked World Kindness Week. During that time, teachers nationwide offer bubbly reminders, encourage random acts of kindness, and dole out incentives. But as educators, we have a role to play too. We must use our kindness muscle to facilitate inclusive learning environments and help students connect with each other based on their common interests and dreams.
Unkindness doesn’t have to be loud. It can show us as the quiet kid who sits alone at lunch, lingers by himself on the playground swings, wanders the hallways without a friend by his side..
A recent study on bullying surveyed 210,000 students in grades 3rd-12th and found that 64% of them did not feel like they belonged at their school. This matters. When students feel like they don’t belong, it can negatively impact their learning and their well-being.
I recall a few years ago when I volunteered at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Hill District to read to kids, I noticed a young boy sitting by himself. When I asked to join us, he declined. After the story was complete, I went to the little boy and asked what he liked to do. With a slight stutter, he said drawing. So we began drawing together.
As we did, I began talking loudly so the other kids in the library could hear. My hope was that they’d come over to us – and they did. We all began sketching out a face together with each student talking turns drawing a detail. As they drew, I asked questions so they could get to know each other. By the end, the kids learned they had something in common: they all liked art. And in that moment, that once-isolated boy found belonging.
These moments of connection matter. Kindness isn’t just helping with groceries or holding a door. For educators, it’s about making sure every student is included. And we can do so by:
- Asking the child, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” If they don’t know, then ask what is something you are interested in or that you like to do?
- Listening intently and taking copious mental notes so you can make connections based on the dreams or interests of other kids in the learning space.
- Creating an activity that groups students based on common interests
- Encouraging dialogue by posing questions that deepen the connection between students.
When students feel seen and valued, it creates a positive learning environment but it is up to us as educators to intentionally flex our kindness muscle. So as we close the book on another World Kindness Week, even as we encourage our students to be kind to one another, let us challenge ourselves to create more inclusive learning environments for all our children.
Nosakhere A. Griffin-EL, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized educator, literacy innovator, and co-founder & CEO of The Young Dreamers’ Bookstore, an online/mobile bookstore dedicated to assisting children in using books as tools built their dreams. He is also a Public Voices Fellow at The OpEd Project in partnership with the National Black Child Development Institute.
