A simple read-aloud sparked a movement for kindness and character-building in our first-grade classroom. After reading Henry & Ella’s Big Jar of Kindness by Audrey Lane to wrap up our Character Strong curriculum, Kindness Kickoff, a lively class discussion led to the creation of our very own Kindness Jar. Students filled the jar with Post-it notes describing small ways they showed kindness each day.
This activity inspired the students and asked that the activity continue every month. Now, our class uses the jar to write and reflect on different Character Strong traits. This month, we’ve been focusing on respect. Each day, when arriving at school, after lunch, after recess, or at the end of the day, students are given time to pause to reflect on how they’ve shown respect to others, our school, or the wider community. By doing so, they have taken real ownership of their social-emotional learning (SEL), helping to shape a classroom culture filled with self-reflection, empathy, and positive discussion and action.
Integrating SEL traits like kindness and respect has transformed our classroom into a supportive environment where students feel safe to express themselves, develop self-awareness, build healthy relationships, and even practice their writing skills. These small daily reflections have become a natural part of our learning experience. From our first-grade classroom to all of you, take time to read a book; you never know where it might lead.