How to Easily Get your School Involved in Paying it Forward

Many teachers are inundated with requests. For teachers who are time poor, but would to instill kindness values into students there is a simple way to run ‘Pay it Forward Day’  that takes up ‘no time’ at all for busy teachers. Teachers can give students the task of coming up with their own Pay it Forward Day initiatives and then carrying them out. If you have an equivalent to a student representative council, then this might provide the proper framework for this to happen. Here’s some further ideas if you want to get more involved:

  • Choose a day or a week, preferably the last Thursday in April for PAY IT FORWARD DAY / WEEK.
  • Explain the concept to the children [older children could view the movie perhaps]
  • Brainstorm ideas for ‘paying it forward’,
  • Write and illustrate a class picture book for children at the local hospital
  • Be friendly to someone they would normally ignore
  • Help someone with homework or classwork
  • Friendship hand….trace the shape of child’s hand, write his or her name. Each member of then class then writes one complimentary word about the person until it is full. Cut out hand and display.
  • Peer tutoring e.g.  Yr 11 students help Yr 7 with Maths problems,  Yr 6 help Yr 1  with reading
  • Do chores at home to help family members
  • Write cards to cheer up people   e.g. Teacher, friends, local retirement home

You will be amazed at how many ideas the children will think of themselves.

  • Let parents know about the school’s initiative and explain that it is something that can be modelled and encouraged at home.
  • Inform the local newspaper for some positive promotion of your school.
  • Let our website know what you have achieved so we can share your great story with others who want to make a difference in the community.
  • Print off Pay it Forward cards and distribute to children. Some schools have made up their own Pay it Forward Day card with the school logo included.

By paying a good deed forward children learn that they can make a positive difference to other people’s lives. The ripple effect is visible, motivating and energising.  Everyone can make a difference!