Here are five ways technology can help teachers promote kindness, according to an Education Week interview with Jennifer Foster, a senior program coordinator for the eMINTS National Training Center, a teacher training initiative at the University of Missouri.
1) Teach social-emotional skills
BrainPOP produces videos on a range of academic subjects for elementary and middle school students, but its content on social-emotional skills, such as conflict resolution and mindfulness, are especially relevant for middle schoolers, Foster says.
“Conflict resolution, problem solving, those are [social skills] that middle school students really need to develop so that they are learning to get along and collaborate with others,” she says.
2) Encourage students to slow down and pause before speaking
VoiceThread can help students learn to see other points of view and to pause and think before responding, Foster says. These skills contribute to being respectful and positive on social media, working in groups, and eventually on online work platforms.
To use VoiceThread, a teacher decides on a prompt, such as asking students to share a story about themselves or their opinions about an assigned reading. Students record a short narrative that their classmates listen to before recording and giving their reactions and feedback to the original narrative.
Kids have time to process what they are going to say, according to Foster. They can write it down and record what they want to give as feedback. The original student can then listen to all of the comments about their story. The process makes students think about what they’re going to say rather than sharing the first thing that comes to mind, she says.
3) Create a sense of belonging
Padlet is a website that allows groups to create shared boards so students can post and comment on other posts. It’s a good tool for practicing digital communication skills needed in a work environment, and for creating vision boards or allowing students to map out ideas for a group project, Foster says,
Padlet can also be used as a digital space for students to introduce themselves at the beginning of the school year with a photo and short biography, helping to build a sense of belonging and community, says Foster.
Students live in a digital world and are sometimes hesitant to share things about themselves out loud in front of a full classroom of students, but they’re very comfortable sharing things on social media, she says.
Padlet encourages respectful digital communication by enabling students to share thoughts and comment on other people’s posts, Foster says.
4) Improve emotional regulation
Headspace is a tool for improving students’ emotional regulation, Foster says. It teaches social-emotional skills such as emotional management and social awareness through short videos. Lessons can show how to express gratitude or the health benefits of smiling. Some interactive videos to things such as leading students through a breathing exercise.
Use the videos like a brain break when transitioning from one activity to another, she advises.
“Headspace would be really great at the beginning of a class period or as they’re getting ready to move from group practice into individual practice or right after lunch, where the kids come in and they’re completely dysregulated because things are crazy in the cafeteria,” she explains.
5) Promote reflection and goal-setting
Canva has templates for reflections and goalsetting, which are important to developing students’ self-awareness, according to Foster. It also allows students to be creative in how they express themselves, she says.
Students who struggle to write by hand or to keep a journal can benefit from this tool, says Foster.
The result can be a visual representation of what students want to achieve, perhaps reflecting on their own behavior about an incident that recently happened, she says.
Be careful using Canva, Foster says. The tool can be overwhelming to students. Teachers should make sure they are giving students guidance and parameters on what templates to use in the program, she recommends.
Education Week
