Embracing Global Kindness in the Digital Age: The Role of Connect with Kindness Curricula

• In Event: Teacher Identities, kindness curriculum and systemic reform

Proposal

Introduction: In an age dominated by digital communication and education, the need for curricula that engage students while promoting universal values like empathy and kindness has never been more pressing. The Connect with Kindness curricula, originating from the International Expressions of Kindness Multimedia Showcase, are designed to address this need. These curricula, enriched by contributions from children across the globe, transcend cultural and geographical boundaries, offering a powerful tool for fostering global connections among students. In a world increasingly polarized by conflict and division, the capacity of these curricula to cultivate empathy and compassion is of paramount importance.
Rationale: The Connect with Kindness curricula stand out as a pioneering tool in global education, distinguished by several key features:
1. Child-Generated Content: Built on the analysis of over 1,000 projects submitted by 1,800 children from 45 countries, these curricula reflect genuine, child-centered perspectives on kindness. This approach ensures that the curricula resonate deeply with young learners, making the concepts of kindness and empathy accessible and relatable.
2. Teacher-Friendly Design: With educators in mind, the curricula offer easy-to-implement lessons and activities that seamlessly integrate into existing educational frameworks. This user-centric design empowers teachers worldwide to adapt the curricula to the specific needs of their students, fostering a more inclusive and compassionate classroom environment.
3. Seven Thematic Pillars: Structured around seven key themes derived from the submitted projects, the curricula encapsulate universal aspects of kindness, such as empathy, care, compassion, and global citizenship. These themes ensure the curricula’s relevance and adaptability across diverse educational settings.
4. Multimedia Engagement: By leveraging the power of multimedia, the curricula encourage learners to express their understanding of kindness through various formats—videos, artwork, essays, photos, and digital storytelling and act based on these expressions. This approach enhances student engagement and allows for a richer, more diverse expression of ideas and behaviors.
5. Cross-Cultural Relevance: Successfully piloted in diverse geopolitical contexts, the curricula have proven their adaptability and resilience, making them valuable resources in various educational environments.
Challenges: Implementing the Connect with Kindness curricula on a global scale is challenging. The growing trend of countries like Russia to block US-based digital content poses a significant barrier to accessibility. However, the curricula’s ability to adapt and localize content ensures their continued relevance and accessibility, even in regions with stringent internet restrictions. Interestingly, the curricula have encountered resistance in the United States, where innovative approaches not yet endorsed by established institutions are often met with skepticism. Paradoxically, the strongest acceptance has been observed in smaller countries and communities in Europe and Africa, where the curricula’s impact has been most profound and visible.
To overcome these challenges, several strategies can be employed:
• Localization and Adaptation: Developing localized versions of the curricula and partnering with local educational institutions can help circumvent digital restrictions. Additionally, creating offline resources ensures that the curricula remain accessible to educators and students in areas with limited internet access.
• Alternative Hosting Solutions: Exploring alternative hosting solutions, such as using local servers or decentralized networks, can help maintain access to the curricula in regions where traditional hosting platforms are blocked.
Impact: The Connect with Kindness curricula have had a profound effect on students globally, fostering a culture of kindness that extends beyond the classroom. The curricula have dramatically transformed school atmospheres and sparked unexpected ripple effects within larger communities by providing students with the knowledge and skills to act with kindness. Serving as windows to other cultures and nations, the curricula enable students to explore commonalities and differences, reinforcing the nature of kindness and its universal, non-controversial value. Moreover, the curricula empower students to engage with critical global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, through a lens of empathy and compassion.
Scholars like Jamil Zaki (2019) and Darcia Narvaez (2014) have emphasized that empathy is not a fixed trait but a skill that can be nurtured and developed. The Connect with Kindness curricula align with this perspective, providing a structured yet flexible framework for cultivating empathy and kindness in students. Larry Nucci’s (2009) work on moral development, and his coauthored book on social justice (2021) support the curricula’s emphasis on real-world applications of moral reasoning, while Marvin Berkowitz’s (2012) research on character education underscores the importance of integrating moral and ethical education into the fabric of school curricula. Furthermore, the adaptability of these curricula aligns with the findings of Kristjánsson, Harrison, and Peterson (2024), who challenge the myths of character education and advocate for a more nuanced approach to promoting universal virtues, including kindness.
Conclusion: The Connect with Kindness curricula are an indispensable resource for educators seeking to foster a global culture of kindness and empathy in the digital age. Despite the challenges posed by geopolitical barriers, the curricula’s success in various countries during its pilot phase demonstrates their potential to make a lasting impact on young minds. By continuing to support and expand these curricula, we can ensure that children everywhere have the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow in a world that increasingly values compassion and understanding.

Authors

• Tatyana Tsyrlina-Spady, International Kindness Reset

• Amy Spangler, International Kindness Reset