Remember the video of the dancing traffic cop? (Okay, there were several…one, two, three, and more.) Hard not to smile, right? In fact, when you watched you can hear the cheering and laughter of the surrounding pedestrians. The power of the cop’s positivity is impressive.
Like kindness, positivity is contagious! And by creating positive communities in our schools, we can develop cultures that choose kindness over teasing and bullying. No less than a dancing traffic cop, each one of us has the power to shift culture through our own positivity and kindness! Here are five tactics to let your positive spirit shine:
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Smile. Smiles too have a contagious power. When we see a smiling face, we’re moved to smile ourselves. And when we are in a bad mood, forcing ourselves to smile can bring us some cheer. By putting a smile on every morning, we will spread positivity!
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Give high fives. Create a positive school environment by pass out high fives to students and adults alike. This action can make people feel good. Make it a habit to greet students and say goodbye to students every morning, afternoon and recess with a high five.
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Laugh and be funny. Laughter too is contagious. See the joy in situations by allowing yourself to laugh. Bring laughter to others by being funny, such as introducing a silly cheer, clap or attention getter to the students.
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Compliment people. One of the best ways to make students having a poor day feel better is to provide an honest compliment. Outloud notice the effort a student puts into a challenge or a student’s new idea or artwork. Offering frequent specific compliments makes school a great place to be!
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Ask questions and listen actively. Kids and adults alike love to be heard. Cheering up a student who seems down can be a simple as asking that child a question and listening intently. Active listening involves looking at the speaker, showing understanding with nods and/or uh-huh, and repeating back what you’ve heard, but not adding your own opinions. Just showing you are listening can help a child overcome feelings of sadness and be happy again!
With the contagious power of positivity and kindness, you can help shift the culture of your school and community. Through this shift in our schools, we will develop communities that do not accept bullying behavior — instead are great places to learn and grow.
So put a smile on your face today and let your positivity shine!
How do you create a positive and kind community in your home and your school?
