Editor's Note: As back-to-school season kicks into high gear across several nations, these stories shine light on classrooms and schools where values like kindness, gratitude, and mindfulness are integral components of the curriculum. --Daniela

Striding into the fourth grade inner-city classroom for which he was substitute teaching, he began giving instructions -- in Japanese. Years later, at Stanford, Prof. Murphy-Shigematsu did it again, and draws out the subtle alchemy of beginner's mind in the classroom.

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In 1994, a crew of dedicated parents wondered: "Can a school be built on kindness?" Puget Sound Community School co-founder Andy Smallman shares stories and inspiration from 23+ years of prioritizing kindness alongside math and Language Arts.

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University of Wisconsin at Madison's Center for Healthy Minds finds that preschoolers receiving their 12-week kindness lessons showed signs of improvement in academics, mental flexibility, attention, sharing, and delayed gratification. The curriculum is now available online for free.

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Be The Change Idea

Do a random act of kindness today. [more]