Guest Post #2: Project(ing) Kindness ~ A Think-Care-Act Experience, part of the EA/UNCW Think-Care-Act Project Partnership

Introduction:

Dr. Elizabeth O. Crawford and I met at the 2014 National Conference for Social Studies.  I presented a session, Change the World: Local and Global Think-Care-Act Projects, and Dr. Crawford, an education professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington, attended my session.  From our meeting arose our EA/UNCW Think-Care-Act Project Partnership. 

Through the 2014-15 school year, my current and former sixth and seventh grade students at The Episcopal Academy “taught” Dr. Crawford’s senior pre-service education majors how to think about personal qualities and talents, identify passions for social change, and act to change the world for the better.  Through Skype and shared project plans, my students and those of Dr. Crawford have inspired and encouraged each other to make a difference.  We are delighted and proud to share the TCAP work of our students, and we will present jointly at NCSS in November 2015.

For Dr. Crawford’s students, the culminating piece of the Think-Care-Act Projects was to write a guest blog post about their projects.  Below, and for the next few blog postings, you will read guest blogs from future teachers, with links for further research.  This one, by Chelsey Scott, involves project(ing) kindness.  Happy reading and thinking, caring, and acting!
—Sue Cannon

Guest Post by Chelsey Scott
University of North Carolina Wilmington

Project(ing) Kindness

A Think, Care, Act Experience

Does size matter? Everyone is familiar with the age-old argument, and everyone has an opinion about it. What determines the validity of those opinions (and the appropriateness of this introduction) is simple: context. Size matters when I’m deciding what iPhone to buy next. Size matters when I’m ordering a coffee at Starbucks, especially if I only have $3.00 to spend. However, size doesn’t always matter. When I see a spider on the wall, I don’t adjust my screams based on how large it is.  Jerry is just a little mouse, but he still got past most of Tom’s antics and came out victorious. What about when someone offers a passing smile or leaves flowers on your desk? When it comes to kindness, does size matter ?

While studying peace and conflict as a Social Studies concept, I wondered why something so inherently simple was made complicated. I decided to focus my Think-Care-Act Project on peace-building.  I spent a few months researching kindness: what constitutes it, what are the causes and effects, how does it impact those involved? I found that there were endless studies corroborating the Greek proverb that kindness begets kindness. One particular study showed how people change or adapt their behavior based on what they observe others doing. The researchers observed that people gave more when they saw others doing so and showed more kindness when someone was kind to them (Fowler and Christakis, 2010).

There are and always have been civil unrest, war, violence, and hate to some degree. Peace is often thought of in a hopeful, but unrealistic manner. On the other hand, conflict is widely accepted as a part of life. While conflict may never be eradicated, peace should not be part of a dream; it should be a reality for all of humanity because people have an inherent right to feel content—at peace. I believe that this begins on an individual level. In the words of Martin Kornfeld, “If we all do one random act of kindness daily, we just might set the world in the right direction” (Kornfeld, n.d.).

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation & RAKtivism

Though not attributed to one person, the term ‘random act of kindness’ was popularized in recent years and has led to the establishment of various organizations. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is a nonprofit with the mission of inspiring people in all walks of life to practice kindness and pass it along. The organization coined the term RAKtivism as part of their movement and recruits individuals, called RAKtivists, to submit a short application and become part of the change ("About the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation," 2015). They describe RAKtivists as, “the Foundation’s activists. RAKtivists believe that kindness can change the world and exemplify that in their day-to-day lives. The RAKtivist program recognizes these individuals and creates a community for kindness to flourish” (“What are RAKtivists - Frequently Asked Questions,” 2015). I just could not surpass the opportunity to call myself a RAKtivist (that’s basically a superhero name), so I applied.

Less than a week after submitting my application, I was congratulated by the RAK team and had my name added to the list of over 2000 others who want to spread happiness. I also had my picture and quote from my application added to their website, which I wish I had known before submitting a selfie from two years ago. Regardless, my mission had officially begun. So began my journey to live up to my new title - RAKtivists unite!

Being Aware of Opportunities to Commit RAKs

I should also mention that my goal to commit random acts of kindness had a few challenges. First, I had a budget of $0.00, so none of my kindnesses could involve buying or paying for anything. It is not that I didn’t want to spend any money. It’s that the $0.00 budget actually meant a $0.00 checking account balance because I’m a college student. The other challenge - I had no social media accounts (yes, really). My opportunity to commit RAKs counted on being aware of my surroundings at all times. I had to take advantage of any opportunity to be kind that I came across in my daily activities. It turned out, these opportunities were everywhere.

Fast forward a month or so, I now had a list of various kind acts that I had done. Though small, I hoped that they had a meaningful impact on others. Some examples of what I did (and what you can do, too!):

·      take out a neighbor’s recycling or trash

·      help an elderly person carry bags

·      hold the door for someone

·      give a word of encouragement or a random compliment

·      share with someone (food, pens, things you don’t need, etc.)

This is just the beginning of an infinite list of ways to be kind to someone. Most of these require so little effort, yet make such an impact on those we are kind to. Speaking to an audience of educators, we all know the value of a little kindness. Establishing a peaceful environment gives everyone in the room a sense of security and encourages positive behavior.

Research Proves that Kindness begets Kindness

The RAK foundation teamed up with Spark Policy Institute to implement a school-based two-year pilot program. The evaluation showed that establishing a school-wide kindness initiative made noticeable changes in all areas of the school day. The pilot’s published research report includes multiple evidences to show this. On student impact: “Students and teachers identified improvements in classroom culture and more inclusive behavior” (Lawson, Moore, Portman-Marsh, & Lynn, 2013, p. 3). On academics: “Teachers linked RAK lessons with students’ increased confidence and positivity, which led to better academic performance” (Lawson, Moore, Portman-Marsh, & Lynn, 2013, p. 3). On school climate, a teacher noticed that: “Students have an awareness of kindness being global, not just in the classroom, but at home too” (Lawson, Moore, Portman-Marsh, & Lynn, 2013, p. 3).

So, let’s recap:

•  Size might matter sometimes, but not when it comes to kindness. Even the smallest RAK makes a difference.

•  Research proves that kindness begets kindness, so one person’s RAK can elicit hundreds more.

•  Opportunities to be kind are always around us and RAK’s do not necessarily require money or resources.

•  While everyone has a chance to make a difference, educators can make kindness an everyday part of students’ lives. Peace building can (and should) be integrated into all facets of the classroom; the best way for students to learn is through experience.

Imagine the global impact this could make if everyone got on board. As educators, future generations of citizens come through our classroom doors every day. We have the potential to impact students’ understanding of peace and show them what it means to be a part of change.  Coming soon: world peace!
--by Chelsey Scott, 2015

Teaching Resources

• RAK Lesson Plans: Contains a variety of lessons to teach and incorporate kindness into any K-12 classroom. There are also project ideas and other materials, all free of charge. Check out the rest of the website to read studies and research on kindness, get updates on their pilot program, and more! https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/lesson-plans-pilot-program
• National Peace Academy Lesson Plans: The National Peace Academy published a series of lessons for elementary teachers on understanding and promoting peace. There are eight complete, downloadable lesson plans, all based around the NPA's "5 Spheres of Peace" Framework. Each of the lessons contains objectives, leading questions, and a step-by-step activity guide. http://nationalpeaceacademy.us/edresources/study-guide/childrens-curriculum/
• Become a RAKtivist: Read about how to become a part of the RAKtivism movement, see who else is joining, and submit your own application! Students can apply as well. Joining will give you access to monthly newsletters with recommended RAKs based on holidays and events that other RAKtivists will be doing as well. The team encourages people to document their kindnesses to be shared on their blog.   https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/raktivists
• The Kind Campaign: This non-profit organization includes an international movement, documentary, and school-based program, all with a purpose of replacing bullying with kindness among students. Specifically geared towards girls, the organization offers various resources for teaching students what it means to be a kind peer, friend, and person. https://www.kindcampaign.com
• For more about how to do Think-Care-Act Projects with students, read Sue Cannon's blog: http://thinkcareact.blogspot.com/2014/11/change-world-local-global-think-care.html

References

About the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/about-us

Fowler, J. H., & Christakis, N. A. (2010). Cooperative behavior cascades in human social networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(10).

Lawson, A., Moore, R., Portman-Marsh, N., & Lynn, J. (2013). RAK School Based Pilot Implementation: Year Two Evaluation Report Executive Summary. Retrieved from Spark Policy Institue website: http://rak-materials.s3.amazonaws.com/reports/RAK_Final_EOY_Executive_Summary.docx

What are RAKtivists - Frequently Asked Questions. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/frequently-asked-questions

Courageous Teachers = Empowered Students

“Courageous social studies teachers across the country are wading into these difficult, sensitive topics in ways that have the potential to move young people from discouragement to empowerment, from complacency to awareness.”
—Dr. Beth C. Rubin

Teaching Social Justice Issues is a Crime?

When a friend posted on Facebook a link to an article indicating there is legislation pending in West Virginia that would make teaching social problems a crime, I thought it was a cruel joke from The Onion.  No such luck.  Emailing my cousins in West Virginia revealed several more such articles, indicating the proposal was ongoing and real.  What would be a crime?  Anything a critically thinking, motivated teacher does to empower students to become engaged, empowered, critically thinking citizens.

According to the article from Common Dreams, “Before students may participate in secondary level courses involving the study of social problems, global economics, foreign affairs, the United Nations, world government, socialism or communism, pupils shall first have completed basic instruction in geography, United States history, United States government and the government of the State of West Virginia, local governments in West Virginia, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions of the United States and the State of West Virginia.”  Misdemeanors were listed as penalties.

According to an article in the West Virginia Gazette, legislation may not be imminent.  “Delegate Michel Moffatt, R-Putnam, said the intent of the bill is for West Virginia students to learn about the nation’s founding documents and history, but he said the language ‘needs to be worked out.’ ”

However, the situation in our social studies and history classrooms is dire.  We teachers have the opportunity every day to help our students think, care, and ultimately act to change a world filled with injustice and inequality.  Do we have the courage to do our civic duty?  Taking the time to connect our required curricula with the issues of the day is our responsibility as teachers. 

The payoff for our courage as teachers is the difference between apathetic and discouraged students and engaged, empowered citizens. 

A Typology of Civic Identity

This conclusion is supported in the research of Beth C. Rubin who has spent a decade researching how students become (or don’t become) civically engaged.  Her article in Social Education, linked below, details her qualitative research at a variety of schools: ranging from those in high poverty settings to affluent settings and schools with highly diverse populations to those with little racial or ethnic diversity.

Dr. Rubin includes summaries of classroom activities undertaken by six teachers who tackled tough issues with their students.  The spontaneous to highly-planned classes included such activities as comparing current events such as the shooting of Mike Brown and ensuing protests with the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights in one classroom.  In another classroom, inspired by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s series “When Whites Just Don’t Get It,” students created a mural depicting the differences in life expectancy, net worth, and incarceration rates likely for a white and a black baby in the United States today.

Active: Aware/Empowered vs. Passive: Complacent/Discouraged

What is Dr. Rubin’s conclusion?  It is one West Virginia legislators and all teachers would do well to read.  She writes, “I noticed that in classrooms in which students directly engaged in activities and discussions about both the ideals and the shortcomings of this country, about their rights as citizens and successful struggles for social change, students who felt disjuncture also tended to express empowerment, a belief in the ability to contribute to meaningful change.”  This result was true in affluent and economically depressed schools.

Moreover, when students in high poverty settings do not have such opportunities in their classrooms to learn about the country’s founding documents and connect them to their rights and responsibilities as citizens, they “expressed deep discouragement, a belief that no change was possible.”

Teachers in schools with affluence and less diversity also have a great responsibility to include social justice issues in their lesson planning, says Rubin.  When such students “did not participate in lessons about inequality and social justice, it was common for them to voice complacency, a sense that all was well in the United States and no change was necessary.”  In contrast, her research shows, when privileged students tackled issues of inequality and injustice with their teachers, they “expressed an awareness of injustice and a desire to work for change.”

Our students often come running into the classroom eager to talk about difficult issues, and we need to make time to honor their passion.  On the other hand, sometimes we are the ones who need to pull off the Band-Aid of complacency and bring an issue to our students.  We can do this teaching in age-appropriate ways, and I have offered many suggestions for such teaching in past blog posts.

Other resources for bringing issues into the classroom are linked below.  Teaching Tolerance, ZinnEd Project, Rethinking Schools, and my own website, Teach for Peace, are among my top go-to sites for material to use when tackling tough issues.  Whether it’s by using picture books, news sources, or YouTube videos, or undertaking debate, journal writing, or document comparison, we teachers can and must help our students connect issues of injustice and inequality to their lives.  Our courageous teaching can lead to their courageous actions as informed, empowered local and global citizens. 

-Susan Gelber Cannon

LINKS:

• Common Dreams article on pending West Virginia legislation 
• West Virginia Gazette article on pending legislation
• Beth C. Rubin: Article in Social Education, A Time for Social Studies: Talking with Young People about Ferguson and Staten Island
• Nicholas Kristof: Article in New York Times, When Whites Just Don’t Get It
• Teaching Tolerance
• ZinnEd Project
• Rethinking Schools
• Teach for Peace