This year we are so thankful to be in-person with our students. We want our elementary students growing academically, physically, spiritually and socially. For the second year now, I implemented Kindness Assemblies throughout the school year so that we can focus on a word and theme at a time that will remind our students to grow in these areas. October was our kick-off month and we had an assembly on the word, kindness. November, our word was gratitude. In December, our word will be empathy and we will talk about how to walk in someone else’s shoes. Over the next few months, we will have assemblies on the words, integrity and perseverance. Yes, these are big words and big concepts for children, but they are so smart and able to learn how they can be a better person.
Children need to be reminded often and they need to have visual aids. First, I required each class to come up with a ‘Kindness Cheer’…each class has their own song or chant and they are practicing and singing about being kind. I also created a huge ‘Kindness Tree’ in building two, which all the students are a part of. Each student in October wrote on their red paper heart ways that they will be kind this school year. Then in November, we added thankful leaves to our tree when we talked about having an ‘Attitude of Gratitude.’ We even memorized one of my favorite verses in the Book of Colossians 3:12: Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
We invite parents to these assemblies, and we present 18 students each month with ‘Kindness Awards.’ Students who have been kind to their classmates, obeyed their teacher, and gone above and beyond to help others, receive recognition from parents and peers. Positive reinforcement really does help! After every assembly I hear students in the hallways saying, “I want to get an award next time.” It inspires them to want to do better and do the right thing.
It has been my joy to bring these special assemblies to our school. It creates a wonderful environment for learning and the students are having fun so they don’t even realize there is a message in each assembly. At our most recent Attitude of Gratitude assembly, our puppet Sam came to the assembly with an attitude. We needed to teach him to be kind and thankful. The students loved hearing what Sam was thankful for and they shared what they were thankful for. Being a part of a school that implements these values into our kids is paramount. Parents that come to each assembly walk away feeling blessed and encouraged that their children are learning from God’s word and learning how to be a kind person.