Teaching Kindness Through Education

In the U.S., education budgets allocate hundreds of billions annually to teach reading, writing, and math. But kindness is rarely included in formal curricula. That is changing in some areas, thanks to initiatives like Kindness 101.

Kindness 101 is a program that leverages stories from CBS News’ “On the Road” series to teach kindness and character development. These stories come with lesson plans provided by the nonprofit organization Character Counts!, based at Iowa’s Drake University. “We wanted to create curricular resources that highlight the best of our country, and make them accessible to educators without cost,” explained Scott Raecker, executive director of Character Counts!

Visiting Kindness 101 classrooms is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work. A visit to Neil Lahammer’s third-grade class at Burnside Elementary School in Red Wing, Minnesota, stands out for its impact. Lahammer is among the thousands of teachers who have employed Kindness 101 to reach millions of children globally.

The lessons, accessible via Kindness101.com, aim to inspire children to mirror the acts they see in the videos. Lahammer noted, “When I see students replicating what they see, as a teacher, that’s priceless.” One student remarked, “The lessons make me want to be a better person.”

The influence of the lessons extends further through the Kindness Club founded by Lahammer. Students participate in food and glove drives and promote kindness throughout their school, giving up recess time weekly. “It’s incredible how eager they are to help others,” Lahammer commented.

Beyond his classroom, Lahammer instructs other teachers within his district on how to utilize the curriculum effectively, aiming to foster an environment filled with kindness superheroes. His contributions earned him the title of the first-ever Kindness 101 National Teacher of the Year, awarded at a gala in Des Moines, Iowa, in April. This award will now be an annual tradition.

Speaking of Lahammer, a student shared, “He makes me smarter and happier. He’s my whole world.”