In Counseling class, Norris Elementary students have been taking our school theme of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” and putting it into action!  Each student has been assigned a Secret Kindness Pal* in another classroom and it is their mission to show kindness to this student throughout these three weeks of school in December.  Acts of kindness can be as small as waving, smiling, or saying “hello”, though many students have gone far beyond this by giving compliments and inviting their pal to play with them at recess!  This last week of December, each student also gets to deliver a “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” gift that they’ve made for their Secret Kindness Pal. They get to reveal their identity and they also get to experience the great feeling of giving to someone else during this “getting” time of the year.  Much of our social-emotional learning in Counseling class involves teaching students to think of others, be kind, and build up their empathy muscles. It has been awesome watching the students take all that they have discussed in class and now put their skills to work; and if things go as planned, a few new friendships will be forged in the process! 

*This project is inspired by the “Secret Kindness Agents” program developed by Dr. Ferial Pearson, an education professor at the University of Nebraska- Omaha.