Newsletters
October RAK Newsletter
Oct. 20, '08
"One kind word can warm three winter months"
–Japanese Proverb
DECEMBER 2007
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOUNDATION • KINDTIMES NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE
MAKING THE EFFORT
WAYS TO GIVE BACK
SMALL ACTS ARE APPRECIATED
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH
FREE FBL POSTERS
MAKING THE EFFORT
As a high school alternative education teacher, I've learned that building relationships is the first thing that means anything in the classroom. Many of my students feel disenfranchised; they don't know where they belong or how to belong. Now I don't pretend to think that a simple hallway greeting or a handshake is going to miraculously change a life; however, I do believe that these effortless gestures can begin to build relationships eventually leading to trust and student learning.
Before non-educators thrust up their hands in disgust raging that this is nothing more than feel-good self-esteem nonsense, let's step back a moment. Most of the pessimists have forgotten that they had someone that cared about them and drew the hard line when necessary to which they responded. If you were one of those people who had someone who wished you a good morning or someone who actually held you to a rule, you were lucky. According to Jeffrey Cornelius-White of Missouri State University "positive teacher-student relationships are associated with optimal-holistic learning." This "revelation" is not news to any of us. But what is crucial is that time and energy must be built within the school day to make way for "positive teacher-student relationships," it can't all be about content, at least, not any more.
Our school does not allow hats or electronics – anything on your head or in your ears is off between the hours of 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. I must admit sometimes it is difficult to enforce these rules simply because when you do tell the student to take the hat off or put away the ear buds, he or she looks at you as if this is the first time one has heard this edict.
Anyway, it's the last two weeks of school and Corey passes me in the hallway with his hat on. Our "conversation" goes something like this.
Me: Good morning. Please remove your hat.
Corey looks at me as if I am speaking Mandarin Chinese, sighs loudly and takes his hat off.
Me: Thank you. I appreciate it.
You may think I'm being too indulgent. After all, just tell the kid to take his hat off. I'm the teacher, right? Not so fast. It's called modeling good behavior. How often, outside of school, does Corey hear someone say "good morning," "please," "thank you," and "appreciate"? I'm not sure, but I won't assume its common vernacular among Corey and his peers.
As time progresses, I add various phrases to our conversation, "Hey nice shoes," I'll say. Or, "cool hat, but wear it after 3:00 okay?" I could write him up for being disobedient. But he has never harshly retaliated and always removes his hat so we continue having our morning chitchat. Now it's the last day of school, the end of the school day. Students are bristling about as they leave the building for summer break. Corey turns the hallway corner with his hat on, sees me and removes his hat and smiles. I start laughing. "Hey Corey," I say, "it's after school and the last day - you can wear your hat now!" He laughs at me and says, "Yeah, I know. But it wouldn't be right."
A small step. A beginning. Call it whatever you want. Corey will be back to school in the fall and he will remember me and our conversations. Eventually Corey will remove his hat, I am confident of that. He will remove his hat out of respect for me because I made the effort to say hello and draw the line. And I know someday Corey will appreciate it.
-Submitted by: Peg, M.Ed.
WAYS TO GIVE BACK DURING THE HOLIDAYS
The Holiday's are just around the corner and there are plenty of people who could use a little cheering up and kindness, so we have compiled a list of a few ideas to brighten someone else's day!
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen
- Donate old children's books
- Go to a nursing home and sing holiday carols
- Donate canned goods
- Send out holiday cards telling people why they are special
- Donate blood
- Shovel your neighbor's walkway or driveway
- Anonymously pay someone's parking ticket
- Drop off baked goods for your neighbors
- Keep a supply of bottled water and crackers in your car to give to homeless people
- Donate gently worn winter coats
- Buy a Christmas tree for a family that can't afford one
- Invite an acquaintance over for the holidays who doesn't have family close by
- Give your coffee or hot chocolate to a construction worker
- Drop off a bag of groceries for a family that is in need
