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At CHARACTER COUNTS!, we talk a lot about the importance of creating a “culture of kindness” at your school or organization to prevent bullying and to produce a positive, supportive learning environment.
But how do you do that, exactly? Todd Fronce, a counselor at Eastwood Avenue in El Paso, Texas, has developed one answer.
About 30 students at Eastwood, home to about 1000 7th and 8th graders, have formed a group with a mission — Mission “I’mpossible,” that is. The group meets with Mr. Fronce and other counselors on a regular basis to talk about ways they can inject more kindness, caring, and community into the daily life of the school. Then the counselors assign them a “secret mission” to carry out in the school.
One time, it was secret notes with happy thoughts. The students wrote positive quotes or other supportive messages on notecards, decorated them, and then hid them around the school anywhere they could think of – in the cafeteria, the locker rooms, in desks in classrooms. Or a student would drop a folded note in a crowded hallway, and another student would dive to pick it up, thinking it would have juicy, private information inside.
“It was a big mystery at our school who was doing it,” Mr. Fronce said. “The kids had a ball.”
Another time, the mission was deliver positive praise in a specific way to three to five people every day. The students had to state what they saw, why that action makes the school a better place, and what specific aspect of good character it demonstrates. For example, Mr. Fronce, said, “John, I saw you waiting in line and not pushing, that makes it safer for everyone and shows patience. Thanks!”
During weekly meetings, the students journal about their secret missions, and discuss what they’ve achieved.
The idea of the school’s staff, Mr. Fronce says, was to work on the “inside” of students (developing values, ethics, and character) rather than the “outside” (saying ‘no’ to violence, bullying, cheating , drugs). “We decided to see how it worked out,” he said.
And, so far, so good. In addition to the secret missions, Mr. Fronce tries to “challenge the kids, and make them think about who they are and who they want to be.” The idea, he said, is that if students think hard ahead of time about who they are and what they stand for, when it comes time to make a decision, they won’t have to make a decision, because they’ve already done the planning that’s required.
Next up on the group’s to-do list: a Wall of Kindness, on which notes will be posted by students to recognize peers for doing something supportive, helpful, or thoughtful.
The mission I’mpossible project isn’t the only effort at Eastwood Middle School designed to build a more caring school culture. There’s also a Welcome Committee, that helps new students get adjusted, with both practical information like rules and logistics, and with a social group to join for lunch. (Eastwood had 16 new students just between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.) And there’s a group of Ambassadors, who meet weekly with counselors, and then teach lessons about character in their home rooms.
For other schools looking to create a culture change “from the inside out,” it’s critical, Mr. Fronce said, to build buy-in from teachers and administrators. “We’re lucky here, in that everybody works together for the betterment of the kids,” he said.
Congratulations to Mr. Fronce and to everyone at Eastwood Middle School!
Comments
This is such a great idea. If you get on the net and look up Brave New Girls it is a daily reading about how wonderful every girl is and gives ideas to leave around school. Worth looking at
I primarily work with elementary school students so I will need to tweak the ideas but this is TERRIFIC. Thanks, Mr. Fronce
What a wonderful idea! I also work with elementary students after school and the school has been working on bullying issues. What a great new way to address this all too prevalent issue! I hope you don’t mind if I adapt this idea for our site!
Mr. Fronce –
What a great program!!! It seems so simple and cost effective in these times when program budgets are being cut. I love the fact that it is developing the intrinsic with no extrinsic motivaters or tokens!! Congratulations!
This idea is terrific! We have been working hard to promote kindness and give a monthly kindness award. These students are nominated by peers and teachers for acts of kindness, and one homeroom class in each grade 1-5 wins an ice-cream party. All children nominated join the party. At the end of the year one child from each grade wins a bicycle. We have a family who sponsors this event. However, I love this idea and will modify a little to use in an elementary school. Thanks, Mr. France for the great idea!
Great idea! I love this and plan to do something similar at our elementary school. Thanks for sharing.
I love the technique very simple and unique,i will like to implement d programe