When students enter kindergarten, they enter a whole new environment. Instead of watching cartoons and being comfy all day, they learn, interact, and play. Doing this requires them to sit in chairs properly, share with classmates, and follow specific rules. Honestly, this is a lot for kindergarteners to take in! So, teachers need to focus on teaching kindergarten kindness and good behavior. This requires careful modeling and discussion of expectations. Thankfully, there are some fantastic tips and resources to help students learn exactly what kindergarten kindness is.
The Importance of Good Behavior
There are a lot of content standards to meet in kindergarten! Honestly, this is the year students learn foundational skills, such as reading, writing, and completing math problems. However, teachers cannot teach these skills if students do not behave. If lessons need to stop continuously to correct behaviors, students will not be able to focus on learning. So, the year must begin with teaching kindergarten kindness and good behavior.
Kindergarten Goals
When teaching kindergarten kindness, there are important goals to keep in mind. First, it is vital to build a joyful community of kindergarten friends. They need time and practice to develop authentic friendships. When this happens, they will feel more comfortable in the classroom. It is also essential to focus on unconditional positive regard. This is huge in any classroom! It ensures students accept each other for who they are. For this to occur, teachers need to teach children to work hard and to be kind. Children need modeled examples of positive and negative behaviors and discuss the differences. Since a school environment is so new, there needs to be explicit instruction on kindness. They also need the belief and confidence of their teacher. Specifically, they need to know their teacher believes in them and will support them through this learning process. As students learn these skills, they will be ready to embark on joyful pathways to learning! This includes being prepared to compromise, discuss ideas, and share materials. Best of all, their learning and literacy will soar!
Implementing Kindergarten Kindness All Year Long
When teaching kindergarten kindness and good behavior, it is vital to remember that it is not a few weeks and suddenly done. Kindergarteners are young! They must consciously develop Social Emotional Skills (SEL) through positive discipline, growth mindset language, and joyful, responsive teaching! As caring educators, this is our contribution to healthier schools and healthier communities. We can—and must—bond with our students and teach them to work hard and be kind. Additionally, we must help them build healthy behaviors and thinking patterns for success in school—and life! Be sure to continue to believe in your students and support them as they need reminders of kindness and behaviors.
Helpful Resources
There is a lot to remember when teaching kindergarten kindness and good behavior. However, you are never alone! There are so many helpful resources out there to provide guidance. For over three decades, Nellie Edge Seminars have focused on Emotional Intelligence through empowering curriculum and joyful pathways to literacy. Be sure to check out the Nellie Edge Kindergarten Store for incredible resources! Additionally, the Responsive Classroom also has some excellent free videos that provide a vision for whole school climates. These all nurture positive social and emotional skills. Be sure to see the Responsive Classroom model video for an inspiring introduction.
Here are some more helpful resources focusing on engaging ways to practice kindness and behavior.
- Talking Circles: Friends Build Speaking and Listening Skills
- Hello/Goodbye Book Builds Home-to-School Bonds
- Sing, Sign, Spell, and Read: Thank You!
- Discipline Is the Absolute Hardest Part of Teaching: Why I Use Positive Discipline
- Wrinkled Heart Lesson
Kindergarten is a wonderful year for students. It is when they build a love of learning and start a new chapter in their lives. So, it is crucial to focus on teaching kindergarten kindness and good behavior. Everyone deserves to be in a supportive, welcoming classroom, and kindness and good behavior are key components.
Save these resources for later!
Make sure to save the kindergarten kindness resources to your favorite teaching Pinterest board. You will be able to come back to it when you are ready to implement kindness in your classroom.
