A fun way to ‘catch’ kind acts

By Mary Poullas 

As a fun initiative to get the students excited about showing kindness while creating a positive school community, we are always on the lookout for random acts of kindness.  

In the “Caught You Being Kind” program, which has been ongoing at Dante and Honoré Mercier elementary schools for the past two years, we discreetly “catch” students being kind to others and enter them in a weekly contest.  

The adult who notices a kind act fills out a coupon describing it and places it in the Caught you Being Kind box in the main office. Once a week, a winner is selected by the personal development and community involvement animator in a blind draw. There is much anticipation for the winner to be announced over the school intercom! The winner is delighted to receive a small prize that they are encouraged to share with a friend.  

Taking notice of those moments shows children that we value their actions: Both the big acts of kindness and the small, every day, quiet acts of kindness.  

My favourite thing about the “Caught You Being Kind” approach is that it really motivates the students to try their best, and it provides a good model on how to interact with and treat others.  

Mary Poullas is a personal development and community involvement animator with the English Montreal School Board.