Kindness

At the start of the year my friend bought me a message display board for the Possibility Hub. I decided early on that it was something I wanted to let the kids use to display messages. In the very first week two girls asked me if they could put a message up. I thought it was a lovely message and of course I said yes. Little was I to know what was to follow.

Three weeks later and I was teaching a Year 5 Design Technology class and the kids had prototyped something to show a type of energy use. I’d asked them to present it at the end of the lesson. As we went around the circle, I came to a boy who had an anxiety attack and froze. He didn’t say anything and wouldn’t speak to me and not knowing this boy, I was quite worried. I tried to keep the sharing going around the circle while assisting this boy, but kids don’t miss much. They noticed something was wrong and were concerned about him also. Obviously, we got on with the short remainder of the lesson and we sorted out the situation.

Fast forward one week. We were doing something similar again with the intent of sharing at the end of the lesson. I had worked closely with the boy this week to make sure he was comfortable and willing to share. We stood in a circle and as I got to this boy (albeit briefly), he told us what he had done. I didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable so I tried to keep the sharing moving. As I went to the next person, I heard two voices from behind me say, “Well done ____”, “that’s two types of Energy!” I was really pleased that they had identified that it was in fact two types of energy, but more importantly I was SO proud that they had recognised this boy’s achievement and encouraged and supported him.   

I’ve been teaching for 18 years. I love teaching now, more than I ever have. Kids say things that make me laugh, kids bring out the best in me, to make them laugh. I love the ‘Aha’ moments when kids click and understand things. I love it when kids create things that are more than I could have imagined and most importantly I love when kids do and say things that are just beautiful, kind and caring. Today was one of those moments. Those two girls were not prompted. They weren’t looking for attention and you could tell by their tone and volume and the sincerity in their voices. I have not stopped thinking and talking about this incident since it was said, hence this blog.

We have a great responsibility as teachers to teach content and strategies. To instil in students how to learn and to love learning. But most importantly we have an opportunity to mould these students into good people. Kind, caring, polite, respectful young people. I’m not claiming that the girls’ actions were my doing. However, I will most certainly be acknowledging them the way they did their classmate. I will be celebrating every opportunity I see to reinforce this kindness and caring, to these girls and anyone else.    

So, going back to the message that the girls wanted to put on our display board. What was their message? It said…’One kind word can change someone’s day’. Coincidence? I’m not sure. But I’m sure it made that boy’s day and it certainly made mine!