BURKBURNETT (KFDX/KJTL) — When you think of gym class activities like jump rope and dodgeball probably come to mind, but how about acts of kindness? That’s something the P.E. teachers at IC Evans Elementary in Burkburnett are focusing on.
It’s all a part of the teacher’s “Is there anything I could do to help you?” project. It’s a simple question that could go a long way.
Sometimes, asking someone a simple question can have a big impact on their day.
“The project is based on our curriculum,” Physical Education teacher Carter Richards said. “We teach respect and cooperation through words and actions, so what better idea than to let them take this one home and ask their parents do they need help after school because you know they work hard all day, so we thought of the idea of ‘Is there anything I could help you with?'”
For IC Evans Elementary physical education teachers Mary Cluley and Carter Richards, their main focus is getting students moving, but if they can walk out of this gym with a key life skill like kindness, that’s what really matters.
“We love every single thing about our jobs,” Cluley said. “We love teaching physical education, teaching physical, the mental, teaching them how to be better human beings because that will lead to their success in life, success in relationships.”
Their “Is there anything I could do to help you?” project works like this: Students get a blank calendar at the start of each month to take home, and every time they help someone or do something nice, they fill in the sheet, bring it back, and can have it displayed.
It’s become a hit with the students.
“Mrs. Jackson, love is being kind. I help my mom to fold the clothes.”
“I clean the kitchen, clean my room, clean the playroom.”
“And I clean the whole house…sometimes.”
“When we asked them what they had done at home, a big smile came across their face,” Cluley said. “‘I helped my baby brother by feeding him.’ We got the whole gamut, and their shoulders were a little taller. They were so proud to tell us.”
Both teachers just hope to see this grow.
“Establishing relationships with these students and making them know that they’re not just loved at home, they are loved here at school by the both of us,” Richards said.
Because a little kindness and love can go a long way.
For the program, some kids even color in their calendars and sheets, and then Coach Carter or Mrs. Cluely will take them to local businesses to be displayed.
