ABSTRACT
Random acts of kindness among your students can cure interpersonal friction. It’s amazing how having students perform spontaneous “niceties” for one another enhances the classroom atmosphere and reduces the number of management problems. Random acts
Positive notes. Help students see the good in one another and themselves by having them write out positive traits. Supply students with a copy of the class roster. For each student, they write something positive so that everyone receives positive feedback. When the lists are completed, students anonymously submit the list to you. You then compile their lists of positive comments into lists for each student and distribute them. You also may want to keep a copy for yourself to add to the student’s file and share during Student of the Week.
Typically, students are happily surprised at the wonderful comments made by their peers. This idea has been used for many years because it has been meaningful for many students, some of whom kept the list more than 15 years. In fact, when one student was killed in Vietnam, authorities found his positive trait list on him.
Secret sweetie. This award designation endorses kindness in the classroom and recognizes students who are exhibiting this characteristic. It’s simple too. When you notice a student being kind, surprise him or her with a sweet treat and a brief thank-you note that are placed on the student’s desk when he or she is out of the room. Note that awards like Secret Sweetie are most effective when students are unaware of possible rewards for their actions.
Coin jar. Encourage students to donate their extra change to the “coin jar.” These random contributions then can be donated to a special cause voted on by the class.
