Benefits of an Educational Kindness Initiative

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” -Aristotle

Engaging a school in a kindness initiative will profoundly impact students, staff, and the entire school community. Potential outcomes include:

  • Improved School Culture and Environment: Encouraging kindness creates a positive atmosphere within the school, promoting respect, understanding, and cooperation among students, teachers, and staff.
  • Reduction in Bullying and Conflict: A focus on kindness can lead to a decrease in bullying and negative behaviors, fostering a more inclusive and harmonious environment where students feel safe and supported.
  • Enhanced Social and Emotional Skills: Practicing kindness helps students develop important social and emotional skills which are vital for their overall well-being.
  • Boost in Academic Performance: A positive and supportive school environment can positively impact academic performance by reducing stress and anxiety levels, allowing students to focus more on their studies.
  • Enhanced Mental Health and Well-being: Acts of kindness contribute to improved mental health by reducing stress, promoting a sense of purpose, and creating connections and positive relationships among students.
  • Development of Leadership Skills: Leading and participating in kindness initiatives can help students develop leadership skills, empathy, and a sense of responsibility towards others and their community.
  • Promotion of Inclusivity and Diversity: A kindness initiative can emphasize the importance of valuing and accepting everyone, regardless of differences in backgrounds, abilities, or identities.
  • Strengthened Parental Involvement: Parents may become more engaged and involved in their child’s education when they see the school promoting values like kindness and empathy, reinforcing positive behaviors at home as well.
  • Long-lasting Positive Impact: Teaching kindness sets a foundation for lifelong values and behaviors, preparing students to be kind and considerate individuals in their future endeavors.
  • Positive Reputation and Image: A school known for its kindness initiative can attract students, staff, and families who value a positive and nurturing learning environment, positively impacting the school’s reputation and enrollment rates

The ultimate goal of a kindness initiative is to create a safe, comfortable culture and environment for students and teachers alike. By involving students and parents, the likelihood of success increases significantly, and the hope of sustaining kindness over time is a probable outcome.

Sources

Azim Majumder, M., Ojeh, N., Rahman, S., & Sa, B. (2020). Empathy in medical education: Can “kindness” be taught, learned and assessed?. Advances in Human Biology, 10(2), 38. https://doi.org/10.4103/aihb.aihb_14_20

Binfet, J. T., Gadermann, A. M., & Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2015). Measuring Kindness at School: Psychometric Properties of a School Kindness Scale for Children and Adolescents. Psychology in the Schools, 53(2), 111–126. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21889

Caprara, G. V., Kanacri, B. P. L., Gerbino, M., Zuffianò, A., Alessandri, G., Vecchio, G., Caprara, E., Pastorelli, C., & Bridglall, B. (2014). Positive Effects of Promoting Prosocial Behavior in Early Adolescence. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 38(4), 386–396. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025414531464

Crone, E. A., Sweijen, S., te, W., & van de Groep, S. (2022). Pathways for engaging in prosocial behavior in adolescence. Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 63, 149–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2022.03.003

Dacher Keltner. (2010). Born to Be Good : The Science of a Meaningful Life. W.W. Norton.

Datu, J. A. D., Ping Wong, G. S., & Rubie-Davies, C. (2021). Can kindness promote media literacy skills, self-esteem, and social self-efficacy among selected female secondary school students? An intervention study. Computers & Education, 161, 104062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104062

Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3093

Erikson, M. G. (2019). Kindness, Communication and Academic Responsibility in Higher Education. Springer EBooks, 171–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15970-2_12

Kaplan, D. M., deBlois, M., Dominguez, V., & Walsh, M. E. (2016). Studying the Teaching of kindness: a Conceptual Model for Evaluating Kindness Education Programs in Schools. Evaluation and Program Planning, 58, 160–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.06.001

Kubzansky, L. D., Epel, E. S., & Davidson, R. J. (2023). Prosociality should be a public health priority. Nature Human Behaviour, 7(12), 2051–2053. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01717-3

Layous, K., Nelson, S. K., Oberle, E., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2012). Kindness Counts: Prompting Prosocial Behavior in Preadolescents Boosts Peer Acceptance and Well-Being. PLoS ONE, 7(12), e51380. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051380

Lee, C.-K. J., & Huang, J. (2021). The relations between students’ sense of school belonging, perceptions of school kindness and character strength of kindness. Journal of School Psychology, 84, 95–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2020.12.001

Nelson, S. K., Layous, K., Cole, S. W., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2016). Do Unto Others or Treat yourself? the Effects of Prosocial and self-focused Behavior on Psychological flourishing. Emotion, 16(6), 850–861. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000178

O’Grady, P. (2013, February 13). The Positive Psychology of Kindness | Psychology Today. Www.psychologytoday.com. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/positive-psychology-in-the-classroom/201302/the-positive-psychology-kindness

Raposa, E. B., Laws, H. B., & Ansell, E. B. (2016). Prosocial Behavior Mitigates the Negative Effects of Stress in Everyday Life. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(4), 691–698. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702615611073

Samuels, W. E. (2018). Nurturing kindness naturally: A humane education program’s effect on the prosocial behavior of first and second graders across China. International Journal of Educational Research, 91, 49–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.08.001

Shapiro, J., Youm, J., Kheriaty, A., Pham, T., Chen, Y., & Clayma, R. (2019). The human kindness curriculum: An innovative preclinical initiative to highlight kindness and empathy in medicine. Education for Health (Abingdon, England), 32(2), 53–61. https://doi.org/10.4103/efh.efh_133_18

Swick, K. (2005). Promoting Caring in Children and Families as Prevention of Violence Strategy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32(5), 341–346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-004-1082-8

Swick, K. J., & Freeman, N. K. (2004). Nurturing Peaceful Children to Create a Caring World the Role of Families and Communities. Childhood Education, 81(1), 2–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2004.10521284