Over 100,000 teachers are using a program called Kindness 101 to inspire kindness and character in millions of children around the world, including in the US. The program, which uses stories and lesson plans to teach kindness, is being used in schools such as Burnside Elementary School in Red Wing, Minnesota. Neil Lahammer, a third-grade teacher at the school, has seen firsthand the impact of the program on his students.
Lahammer is one of the many teachers who have implemented Kindness 101 in their classrooms, with impressive results. His students have started a Kindness Club, where they give up their recess time to do food drives, glove drives, and promote kindness throughout the school. The program is free and accessible to all teachers, thanks to a nonprofit organization called Character Counts! at Iowa’s Drake University.
Kindness Education
The idea behind Kindness 101 is to use stories and real-life examples to teach children the value of kindness and character. The program’s executive director, Scott Raecker, believes that by teaching kindness, schools can help develop better citizens. The program has been so successful that Lahammer was chosen as the first-ever Kindness 101 National Teacher of the Year.
The impact of the program is evident in the way it has changed the behavior of the students. “When I see the students duplicating what they’re seeing in the videos…that’s gold,” Lahammer said. His students have become more empathetic and willing to help others, and the program has created a ripple effect of kindness throughout the school.
Spreading Kindness
The success of Kindness 101 has implications for education as a whole. By incorporating kindness and character education into school curricula, schools can help create a more compassionate and empathetic society. As Lahammer’s students have shown, teaching kindness can have a profound impact on the way children interact with each other and with their community.
The program’s success is a reminder that education is not just about academics, but also about developing the whole child. By teaching kindness and character, schools can help children become better citizens and create a more positive and supportive community. The impact of Kindness 101 will be felt for years to come, as a new generation of children grows up with a strong foundation in kindness and empathy.
