Kindness breeds kindness, and the best example is Joanne Miller, a fourth-grade teacher in Deltona, Florida, who is out to spread the kindness virus.
Her enthusiasm is contagious, and it has infected her classroom comprising of twenty students. These pupils are from the Pride Elementary School and call themselves the Miller’s ‘Kindness Squad.’
Kindness is infectious
Each Friday, the students are trained to line up and spread cheer and happiness. However, the good does not end there. Joanne wants to spread joy before school, after school, and in every aspect of school life.
In a video created by Volusia County Schools, Joanne says, “We want to start small here in our classroom, and then to the school and then to the community. One of my biggest goals is to teach kindness in the classroom, and then we will spread it.”
End to bullying
The spread of kindness has helped the students develop a deep respect for one another. The kindness program is one of the reasons for a steep fall in incidences of bullying.
The emphasis has been on social-emotional learning and pre-empts any acts of intimidation. One habit Miller is teaching her students is to compliment fellow students for everything positive. It includes everything from good grades to a friendly smile. It is this positive atmosphere that deters any bullying attitude among the students.
The psyche of a child is like clay, ever-changing, and getting affected by the happenings in the school.
Elizabeth Johnson, principal of Pride Elementary School, says in the video, “If you’re having a bad day, this class will make you feel better. It’s a focus on academics and behavior and how do we make other people feel better.”
Miller is not satisfied with this alone and wanted to expand her venture on a global scale. She uses social media to spread the kindness revolution. Miller’s Instagram account has 170,000 followers, while her Facebook page has nearly 30,000 likes.
