An elementary school is Ireland is doing something radical with their homework program. Instead of doing assigned homework, students are assigned “acts of kindness.”

In December, students at Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Uí Choileáin, Clonakilty, were given a kindness task for each day, instead of homework. According to Upworthy, ” Mondays they are asked to reach out to and communicate with an elderly person. Tuesdays they make a family member’s life easier by taking over a chore or helping out without being asked. Wednesdays are for random acts of kindness of any kind, and Thursdays are for doing something kind for themselves to take care of their own mental and emotional well-being.” Students have weekends off.

Acts of kindness seem to have infiltrated the school. Students must track their kind acts in a “kindness diary.” There is also a “kindness bucket” in the school where students can drop positive sights and affirmations for other students. The acts are read randomly on Fridays. In addition, each class will brainstorm and complete an act of kindness for the community.

The school wrote on Facebook about the project, ” In this world, consumed by social media, where our young people are constantly experiencing pressure, there is no better way to show them the way forward in the world than by practicing kindness. We all know that helping others makes us feel good about ourselves…. What’s not to love about that?!? That feel good factor we experience form helping others cannot be quantified. Our message to the children is very simple: they can be the reason somebody smiles today and they can definitely help make this world a better place for others and for themselves.”

Fifth class student Tadhg Ó Seighin told the Irish Examiner of the project, ” I think the project is very important because it encouraged people to be kind to one another and to be kind to people who aren’t treated very nicely.”

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