Schools in the area have been celebrating random acts of kindness, and some have decided to dedicate a whole week in support of students performing random acts for fellow students, teachers and members of their community.
Mallaig School kicked off its Random Acts of Kindness week last Monday, giving different challenges to students from kindergarten all the way to Grade 12.
The kindergarten students were given smaller tasks on a list that they could check off as they performed each act throughout the week, while the junior-high students were given a “bingo card” that had several simple acts of kindness, such as holding the door for others, offering kind words to someone who is having a rough day, and thanking the custodian or the secretaries for all the work they do.
The kids were challenged to cross them all off by the end of the week.
Olga Filipchuk is the Family School Liaison Worker for Mallaig School, and she has been one of the main drivers in getting kids involved and raising awareness about how even the smallest of gestures can make a big difference to people.
“The most important part of this is making sure we get the kids engaged and give them ideas of all the good things they can do for other people.”
Melissa Mcmaster, a teacher at Mallaig school, has engaged her high-school classes in a few different ways to do their part during the week.
“My English-Language Arts 10-2 class made literacy focused bookmarks for the grade 1-2 English class, and the English-Language Arts 30 class decided that they would dedicate their time to take over teacher supervision times for Grades 1 to 4 at lunch so these teachers and staff could have a well-deserved break.”
Filipchuck added that the whole week is a good experience for the kids and it teaches them that kindness goes a long way.
“Our teachers have done a good job making sure the classes are engaged in the activities, and the kids are co-operating very well.”
David Michaud is another teacher at Mallaig School who has jumped on the kindness bandwagon, getting his junior high and high school students involved. The kids wrote small notes of encouragement and posted them on random student lockers.
He also noted that students were well on their way to filling out their bingo cards, with many having completed them by Friday.
“I just like the fact that it takes a person outside of themselves for a while, forcing them to think about others and how to make their day better. Being acknowledged by someone you didn’t expect it from can brighten a day very quickly,” says Michaud.