Kids who show kindness to animals are more likely to show kindness to other people—which is one of the many reasons why it’s so important for teachers to reinforce positive behavior that demonstrates empathy, compassion, and respect for animals. Print out a stack of TeachKind’s Kind Student Awards to have on hand for whenever your students go out of their way to do something kind for animals.
You can also use the award as an incentive to do good deeds by offering it to students who decide to go vegan, volunteer to help out at a local shelter, raise money to help build doghouses for “backyard dogs,” or perform any other act of kindness to animals. Just like adults, kids love to be recognized for succeeding, so help instill empathy in your students by showing them just how much good they can do when they speak up or take action for animals in need. Make giving out Kind Student Awards one of your classroom activities!
