Living with Power

One of my passions is providing opportunities for socio-emotional learning in my classroom. Over the years, I’ve tried out hundreds of lessons, activities and projects. I love mixing it up but I also love my old stand by’s that seem to have an impact no matter how many times I do them.

One of my favorite books is “Each Kindness” by, Jacqueline Woodson. This is a book that stops my class in their tracks every time. It’s sad and makes you want to scoop up the main character “Maya” and be her best friend forever. The overarching message is that bullying doesn’t feel good to the giver or receiver. The subtle messages are much more powerful. Students learn that they feel just as bad as the person who they may be being unkind to. This book provides opportunities to talk about doing the right thing now because you may not have an opportunity to “undo” or “make up” for your actions.

I read the book every year to my class. I always end it with some reflection and a chance for the children to participate in an activity. I fill a bowl of water and give each child a stone. We hug them, hold them in our hands and fill them with love and kindness. Each child is able to drop their stone into a bowl of water. We watch the stone create a ripple effect and talk about how we can make a “ripple” out into the world ourselves

At the end of the activity I let each student choose a stone from the bowl to take home with them as a tangible reminder to be kind and share it with the rest of the world.

It’s such a simple activity but has such a large and profound impact. They always talk about it for a few weeks after. This year, I had a few past students come by as I was preparing for it and they said “oh this is the kindness stones that ripple out into the world.” It wasn’t lost on them clearly!

Sometimes the most simple activities are the best and most impactful. If you have a classroom, children or spend time with children, I encourage you to read this book to them. I’ve read it so many times that my book is tattered. Yet, each time I learn something new from those I am sharing it with.

If you’d like to purchase a book for yourself or someone you know, you may purchase it here. (Please note that if you purchase it through this link, I may earn a small commission)

I’m so excited to share some of my favorite books with you in the future!

-McKenzie