BE KIND, DO KIND

Christopher Academy is proud to be participating in the Be Kind/Do Kind program.  CHKD and Kohl's Cares have partnered to provide resources and encouragement to area schools to promote treating others with kindness and respect. Sandra Fabian of CHKD commented to me that adults tend to repeatedly tell children what NOT to do, but spend far less time discussing with them what they SHOULD or CAN do instead. She said one of the goals of their program is to focus on talking about and modeling for our children better options for how we treat others.

Virginia Stage Company is also partnering with CHKD and Kohl's Cares by providing two programs free to all participating schools in our area. On September 24 they performed  The Selfish Giant at CA for K-5th grade students. Our students enjoyed a high caliber professional play, met the actors, asked questions, and received a positive message about the value of sharing, being respectful, and being kind. VSC will return later this year with a program for 4th and 5th grade students related to bullying.

Inspired by the play, our students created their own KINDNESS TREE that is filled with colorful leaves on which they have written ways they have or will treat others kindly and respectfully.  They are reminded of these ideas every time they pass the tree on the wall in the hallway.  CARES Club is using Be Kind/Do Kind as our theme for all our community service projects this year.

CHKD also provided activity booklets to stimulate thinking about positive ways to interact with each other. I have completed a couple of these activities with third, fourth and fifth grade students. I have been pleased and impressed with the discussions I have had with thes students. I know they don't always make the best decisions when they are out on the playground and at lunch. Unkind things happen and we have to intervene. But our students DO know the right thing to do and for the most part they know why it is the right thing. 

Our goal is to help them develop that internal switch that directs them toward doing the positive thing instead of the negative hurtful thing. This is tough when we live in a world in which what they see and hear from adults is more along the "in your face, one line put downs" that characterizes much of what is on TV and in videos. I am hopeful that our children will guide us adults to also Be Kind/Do Kind.