Module Introduction
Compassion and prosocial behaviors, like kindness, are essential for well-functioning societies. We need to be kind to one another—for our health and happiness, and for real progress to occur. Research has found that practicing compassion and kindness can improve our health, well-being, and relationships. And beyond ourselves, these qualities strengthen our communities and may even be vital to the survival of our species as a whole. When we cooperate and listen to one another, creativity and problem-solving flourish; whereas excessive competition depletes resources, leads to wars and conflict, and stalls innovation.
Research has shown that compassion and kindness are deeply rooted in human nature–our first impulse is to cooperate rather than compete. Indeed, as Darwin argued*, sympathy for others is how we got here as a species. Even toddlers spontaneously help people in need out of genuine concern for their welfare. This innate kindness, however, often gets lost in a society built on competition. Hence, schools have a golden opportunity to cultivate the compassionate side of students by creating a school culture in which kindness is valued and practiced.
And this opportunity isn’t just a good thing to do—it’s a dire need. In a world where hateful rhetoric and turning a blind eye to suffering seem to increasingly take up space and airtime, we need compassion to be louder. We also need to be more than just nice. We need compassion that fights for the rights and freedom of all peoples.
And to teach our students to be kind, we need to start with ourselves.
* Dr. Dacher Keltner, UC Berkeley professor and founder of the Greater Good Science Center, points out in his book Born to Be Good that Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” is actually a misinterpretation of his work. Darwin argued instead that “…for those communities, which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members, would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring…” (Darwin, 1871/2004, p.130). And, as evolutionary scientist David Loye discovered, “In The Descent of Man Darwin writes 95 times about love…Of moral sensitivity I found he wrote 92 times….Of competition, he wrote 12 times; of cooperation – called mutual aid in Darwin’s time – 27 times.”
Spark Interest
We invite you to watch one or both of these videos. The first one is a beautiful illustration of what happens when we spread kindness to others [3:05]. The second is a sweet animation of offering kindness to people who are having a challenging day [1:19].
Happiness is Helping Others [3:06]
Kindness Sparks Joy [1:19]
How do you feel after watching the video(s)? Can you identify a few emotions? Did the video(s) change your thinking in any way about human nature, kindness, or something else?
The media we consume matters. In a study of 28 parents and 22 staff in a pediatric dental clinic, participants who watched kindness media (compared to those who watched children’s programming) had significant increases in feeling happy, calmer, more grateful, and less irritated. They were also more generous: 85% were more likely to donate the honorarium they received for participating in the study.
When we witness others being kind, our bodies and hearts react. We feel good and we’re motivated to act compassionately towards others.
We encourage you to show one of these videos to your students or colleagues and ask them to reflect on it.
Learning Objectives
In this module we will:
- Define kindness, compassion, and related terms
- Explore the benefits of kindness and compassion for educator well-being and relationships
- Explore the benefits of cultivating your own kindness and compassion for your students and classrooms
Module Resources
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices organized by developmental level, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional learning opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topics of "Kindness and Compassion for Adults" and “Kindness and Compassion for Students”.
Individual Exploration
Research has shown again and again that kindness and compassion are innate to humans—but our schools have not necessarily been built to foster this innate tendency in either students or staff. Instead of encouraging cultures of connection and support, our educational system emphasizes competition and amplified levels of achievement, lessening both student and teacher well-being.
By consciously cultivating a school culture grounded in kindness and compassion, school leaders and staff can create an environment in which their own and their students’ natural ability to care for each other can flourish. And when everyone feels cared for, then just watch the magic happen!
What are Kindness and Compassion?
In this first segment, learn how researchers define kindness and compassion, and what they’ve discovered about what gets in the way of our ability to extend these qualities towards others. [15:30]
Reflection
- Pause and think of a time when you should have felt compassion, but didn’t. What do you think might have been the reason?
- Can you identify the situations or mental states in which you find it most difficult to muster kindness and compassion? What might you do to cultivate kindness or compassion during these times?
- Are there people you find it difficult to have compassion for? How might you shift your thinking to see their common humanity?
Why are Kindness and Compassion Important for Educators?
In this next video, learn what researchers have discovered about how kindness and compassion can benefit educators. [3:48]
Reflection
- Did anything surprise you about the benefits of fostering kindness and compassion in education? Take a moment to think of a time when you offered kindness or compassion to a student or a colleague. How did it make you feel? Was it challenging? Did it shift your relationship with this person in any way?
- Next, think of a time someone at your school, a student or colleague, showed you compassion or kindness. How did it make you feel? Did you notice the dynamic change between you and that person afterwards?
How Educators Can Cultivate Kindness and Compassion
In this final video, learn how adults can intentionally develop their own capacity for kindness and compassion. [18:36]
Reflection
- What is one small way you can infuse more compassion into your daily practice?
- What is standing in the way of you showing more kindness or compassion? How might you address these barriers?
Practices to Try (as referenced in the video)
To boost positive mood
Stories of Moral Beauty (adult) At the start or end of staff meetings, staff members notice and acknowledge acts of moral beauty performed by students and staff, promoting an awe-inspiring atmosphere and building a positive school culture. (less than 15 minutes)
Discovering Meaning Through Awe (adult) Staff members write about a time they experienced awe, reflect on what this experience revealed about what is most meaningful to them, and consider ways to bring this meaning into their daily lives. (less than 1 hour)
Behind Your Back (all ages) A student or staff member stands with their back to a small group of three to five people, each of whom take turns sharing their appreciation of that person. (less than 15 minutes)
To increase self-awareness and emotion regulation
Brief Body Scan (college, adult) A mindfulness practice that relaxes each body part, helping you to release tension and calm the mind (less than 15 minutes)
Challenging Your Thoughts and Beliefs (adult) Teachers use a list of questions to explore their thoughts, beliefs, and emotions about a difficult experience in order to gain a more positive perspective. (less than 15 minutes)
Mindful Breathing for Adults (college, adult) Practice quietly and calmly redirecting your attention to your breath each time your mind wanders. (less than 15 minutes)
Self-Compassion Break for Adults (college, adult) Take a short break to acknowledge your stress, feel less isolated, and offer yourself kind words. (less than 15 minutes)
To practice loving-kindness
Loving-Kindness for Adults (college, adult) Send good wishes, warmth, and kindness to others by silently repeating key phrases. (less than 15 minutes)
Imagining Flourishing and Kindness: A Mindfulness Practice for Adults (college, adult) A mindfulness practice that helps you to envision a sense of deep well-being, extend loving-kindness to yourself, and imagine how you might “show up” in the world—with greater compassion and openness. (less than 15 minutes)
To increase kindness and connection in classrooms and schools
Designing the Classroom to Promote Kindness (all ages) Students assess their classroom decor and set up, and provide input on changes that could be made to subtly cue kind behavior. (less than 30 minutes)
Making Kinder Classrooms and Schools (adult) Staff evaluate school spaces and alter as necessary to subtly cue kind behavior, particularly in students. (less than 1 hour)
Feeling Connected (adult) To help cultivate a sense of belonging at school, write about a time when you felt connected to a colleague and consider why you experienced that sense of connection. (less than 15 minutes)
2×10: Getting to Know a Student (all ages) Teachers spend two minutes a day for ten days getting to know a student with whom they wish to foster a positive relationship. (less than 5 minutes)
Staff Meeting Rituals that Build Trust and Community (adult) This practice offers opening and closing prompts for building trust and community among staff at meetings. (less than 15 minutes)
Calm, Clear, and Kind: What Students Want From Their Teachers (article) Researchers asked students what makes a caring teacher—and these same qualities may help support your well-being as an educator.
To foster autonomy and support student voice
Student Voice Counts [2:47] “When students share their perspectives and work with peers and adults in school to address issues and solve problems, amazing things happen in schools.” (from Panorama Education)
Youth Voices: Locating Identity, Agency, & Belonging in All Learning Spaces [4:53] “This video features young people sharing how their understanding of their identities, emotions, and the world around them has shaped their views, their values, and their vision for society. This is a clarion call to action for adults to leverage SEL to prioritize the agency and expertise of youth in re-imagining and re-designing thriving schools and communities.” (from CASEL)
How to Help Students Focus on Learning Instead of Their Grades (article) We would serve students better if we helped them find their inner sources of motivation to grow and learn at school.
To build our own courage for compassion
Developing the Courage to Speak Up (high school, college, adult) Students use a “Courage to Speak Up” heuristic (a reflection tool) to raise their awareness of how they respond to prejudice—and to help them to develop the capacity to address moments of prejudice in an academic setting. (less than 15 minutes)
Courageous Connections that Challenge Your Biases (adult) Honestly assess your personal biases and their impact, and create a plan to face the anxieties you experience about people you dislike or avoid. Next, practice courage and openness while interacting with those individuals, and reflect on what you learned. (less than 30 minutes)
7.3 Take It Deeper: Kindness and Compassion Reflection Activities
- Use the worksheet “What Does a Kind Teacher Look or Act Like?” (linked below) to learn from your students how they describe kindness in educators.
- Use the worksheet “A Connected Moment” (linked below) to reflect on a time when you felt connected to a student or colleague, helping to increase your own well-being.
- Use the handout “Questions for Connectedness” (linked below) to increase a sense of connection among staff members.
Module Resources
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices organized by developmental level, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional learning opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topics of "Kindness and Compassion for Adults" and “Kindness and Compassion for Students”.
Use the worksheet “What Does a Kind Teacher Look or Act Like?” to learn from your students how they describe kindness in educators. Use the worksheet “A Connected Moment” to reflect on a time when you felt connected to a student or colleague, helping to increase your own well-being. Use the handout “Questions for Connectedness” to increase a sense of connection among staff members.
Group Facilitation
Before facilitating groups, spend time in individual exploration in order to experience and embody the learning. And if you haven’t yet explored our introduction to SEL in California, make sure you explore those resources.
Module Resources
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional learning opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topics of "Kindness and Compassion for Adults" and “Kindness and Compassion for Students”.
A revisable, turnkey powerpoint slide deck to use for professional learning sessions on the topic of "Kindness and Compassion for Educators".
A powerpoint slide deck with welcoming and closing activities to include in professional learning sessions.
Use the worksheet “What Does a Kind Teacher Look or Act Like?” to learn from your students how they describe kindness in educators. Use the worksheet “A Connected Moment” to reflect on a time when you felt connected to a student or colleague, helping to increase your own well-being. Use the handout “Questions for Connectedness” to increase a sense of connection among staff members.
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Do you want to dive deeper into the science behind our GGIE practices? Enroll in one of our online courses for educators!
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