Old Trail Magazine - 2024 Spring

BUILDING A CULTURE OF KINDNESS

New to the Primary School this year, “The Community Kindness Project” was introduced to students in Toddler through Grade 2. The project highlights how little acts of kindness can make a big difference.

“When children are observed, by faculty or peers, performing an act of kindness within the community, they are encouraged to add a bead to a classroom kindness string,” explained Primary School Director Amanda Irwin. “When the string is full, the class adds the entire string to a community chandelier hanging in the Alderfer Lobby. This collective representation of kindness demonstrates how small acts can create big change and, ultimately, make our school a more beautiful place.”

Acts include helping to straighten up boots lined in the hallway, including a friend in a group game, giving a classmate a hug when they are missing their family, and everything in between that contributes to the positive culture of the school.

The early years of a child’s development are crucial for acquiring various social and emotional skills necessary to navigate the world successfully. When children understand the impact of kindness and empathy, it creates a solid foundation for more complex social skills to develop. Research supports the idea that, for children to think critically and problem-solve effectively, they must first feel safe in their environment and develop a secure sense of belonging in their community. Therefore, a focus on kindness serves as a cornerstone, laying the groundwork for academic success.

“Kindness is socially contagious,” Amanda added. “When children observe kind acts occurring around them, they become more relaxed, emotionally regulated and likely to perform kind acts themselves. Shining a spotlight on kind acts within the community is one way to bring value to this expectation and help children become more aware of their actions and those of others.”

With a focus on nurturing the whole child, Old Trail supports children in becoming thoughtful and intentional when interacting with others. The curriculum prioritizes the development of empathy and kindness, recognizing the potential to positively shape young minds.