#Choosekind Award For Schools

Kristina Gray, author of Strong and Mighty Max is expanding the work of edition two by encouraging Primary Schools across Coventry and Warwickshire to sign up to the #Choosekind Award which will be officially launched at an all schools event to celebrate world kindness day on the 13th November 2019.

Every school that signs up to receiving the new educational resource pack, which compliments edition two of Strong and Mighty Max will receive downloadable learning resources (available in September 2019) to inspire schools to embody the value of kindness as an everyday life choice.

The aim is to encourage young people to empathise with others around them and engage in practical initiatives that show kindness to their peers, within their family, and to people in their local community.

Kristina Gray talks about her reasoning behind this award:

“The #choosekind award is something that every Headteacher can award to a child each term, who has stood out for embodying the value of kindness among their peer group at school. The aim is that at the end of each term a pupil is selected and praised and given this award. The hope is with more inspirational learning activities that inspire children to be kind to one another and others that it will provide a much needed social capital that will make the difference to the emotional and subsequent mental well-being of children”

The new educational resource that supports this award will build upon the principles of encouraging children to have a ‘growth mindset’ and how acts of kindness contribute to this. It is achievable by everyone when inspired by educators and the results are believed to reap a benefit for school communities.

With Mental Health issues on the rise in schools, there is a wealth of scientific research on ‘social buffering’ that can help prevent students’ emotional pain transitioning into a mental health issue. Dr Margot Sunderland, (Director of The Centre for Child Mental Health), states that countless research suggests that painful childhood experience, without ‘social buffering’ at the time, have a significant impact on children’s behaviour, attendance and learning outcomes.

Teaching the values of kindness by the example of caring and empathetic educators plays a key role in providing social support for children.

If you are a school in Coventry and Warwickshire and are interested in receiving the educational resource download and attending the launch of the #choosekind award, get in touch through the contact page of this website.

‘Ian’-Short film, directed by Abel Goldfarb.

(Click on above picture to watch film)

Ian is a beautifully animated short film, directed by Abel Goldfarb, it has been created to promote inclusion; reduce bullying and help children understand disability. Based on a true story, this a great video to play in the classroom to discuss differences and the values of kindness and empathy.

Ian is desperate to enjoy the local playground, but his physical difficulties are made worse by other barriers: the other children don’t understand why he seems different, and keep away from him; some of them laugh at him or are simply too busy to stop and play.

 

 

Understanding Dwarfism-Challenging Myths

 

This is a great video which helps to educate people about dwarfism. It challenges the myths and encourages an understanding that people born with dwarfism have the same jobs, daily routines, passions for sport and family life aspirations as everyone else.

I remember meeting Nichola who features in this video when my son was just four months old. I was always impressed by her positive outlook on life. Seeing her as a professional woman and mother who just happened to be born with achondroplasia like my son gave me such encouragement that my baby would one day be able to achieve whatever he put his heart and mind to.

Competitive sport has become part of my seven year old’s life because of the work of the Dwarf Sports Association (DSA) which has given him opportunities to compete against his peers. The reality for Samuel amongst his peers at school is that he will always be disadvantaged in a running race or sporting competition as his legs are shorter. However at the DSA annual games event in Birmingham, UK, he can do athletics and team sports and have a good chance of winning.

 

Samuel returned from the DSA this year with a medal for every event he competed in, this was such a boost and encouragement for him. Ellie Simmonds (GB Paralympic swimmer), and Patron of the DSA even presented him with one of his medals.

(Samuel’s medals- Gold: 20 metres running, Silver: 10 metres running, Silver: new age curling, Silver: cycling, Gold: football, Gold: hockey)

 

 

Video: Hamish McClean

Dream Big is a theme in the story Strong and Mighty Max. Hamish McClean achieved his dream; Paralympic swimmer for New Zealand.

Hamish encourages young people to reach for their goal in life.

Video: We are all different

We are all different, this short video explains how a person with autism sees the world. It explains how everyone’s brains function differently. A great video to introduce to students when discussing visible and invisible disabilities.

Video: Interview with Ellie Simmonds

Eleanor May Simmonds, OBE is a British Paralympian swimmer competing in S6 events. She came to national attention when she competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, winning two gold medals for Great Britain, despite being the youngest member of the team, at the age of 13. In 2012, she was again selected for the Great Britain squad, this time swimming at a home games in London. She won another two golds in London, including setting a World Record in the 400m freestyle, and a further gold medal at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, this time setting a world record for the 200m medley. Credit: Wikipedia

Video: Roberto Pino

Roberto Pino has become a hero in Brazil as his nation’s only competitive surfer born with dwarfism. Despite measuring just 136cm (4ft 5) Roberto competes against non-disabled rivals and has blown them out of the water in national contests. He made history as the first dwarf ever to claim gold in the over 35’s category of a state competition, achieving a lifelong dream. (Credit: Daily Star)

Video: Why design should include everyone | Sinéad Burke

Sinéad Burke is acutely aware of details that are practically invisible to many of us. At 105 centimeters (or 3′ 5″) tall, the designed world — from the height of a lock to the range of available shoe sizes — often inhibits her ability to do things for herself. Here she tells us what it’s like to navigate the world as a little person and asks: “Who are we not designing for?”