BrentColey.com
  • Home
  • Books
    • Stories of EduInfluence
    • The Gift
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Videos
    • Video Tutorials: Google Forms
    • Video Tutorials: Google Documents
    • Video Tutorials: Audacity
    • Math Review Videos
  • Resources
    • StudyCast
    • Student Podcast
    • Literature Circles
    • Flowchart Notes
    • Classroom Income Tax
  • About Brent
  • Contact Info

Thoughts on Teaching, Leadership, and Educational Technology

Contagious Actions

10/20/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
In our world right now, there’s a lot of attention being paid to protecting ourselves from illness, specifically COVID-19. Yesterday, I experienced something that reminded me that a virus isn’t the only thing that’s contagious.

I’ve previously written about the Power of the Little Things, how even the smallest of actions can reap huge dividends for those around us. How a high five, a simple compliment, or something as small as a smile can make someone’s day, week, or even month. Yesterday, I was reminded that exercising the Power of the Little Things can be contagious.

​Every morning at school, one of my responsibilities and privileges is greeting students and their families as they arrive on campus. As students walk by and get out of their cars, I make it a point to look for small compliments to give. If I see a student walking up in what appears to be a new pair of shoes, I say something like, “Wow! Are those new shoes? Those look great!”

If a kindergartener or first grade girl has a bright bow in her hair, I’ll comment on it. “Pretty bow!”

If a boy has a stylish shirt or a girl is wearing a pretty dress, I’m sure to mention it to them. Every single day I compliment students in ways like these. Why? Because chances are, they’re dying for someone to notice their new shoes, hair bow, shirt, or dress. Think back to when you were young. Remember when you got that new pair of shoes and wore them to school for the first time? My guess is you hoped someone would mention them. I know I did. And this doesn’t just apply to the early grades of elementary school. Middle and high schoolers crave this attention too, probably even more so. 

But yesterday I experienced something super cool. As one car drove up before school, I opened the car door and one of our young girls got out. She thanked me and then looked at me, as if searching for something. She looked at my hat, my shirt, and finally her eyes settled on my shoes.

“Mr. Coley, I really like your shoes!” she said with a big smile.

​
My shoes. My ordinary shoes. My old, worn, scuffed, and need-to-be-replaced-soon shoes (see below).

Picture
It was as if she was looking for something to compliment, couldn’t find anything extraordinary, so settled on my shoes. And you know what? I believe that’s exactly what happened.

See, this isn’t the first time this has occurred. This is actually the third time this year a student has complimented my shoes. None of those times were my shoes anything special, anything that would have stood out. In fact, all three times I was wearing older, worn shoes.

Then why did I receive compliments on them from students? Simple. Because I complimented them first. I’ve modeled the behavior, and I truly believe in this case, they’re now mimicking my actions.

The lesson to be learned here? A virus isn’t the only thing that can be spread. Our behavior is contagious. Kindness is contagious. I’ve made it a habit to look for the little things -- shoes, glasses, dresses -- and make a positive comment about them. And now I have students doing the same thing. Looking for something nice to say is on their radar. And if they’re complimenting my old shoes, how often are they doing the same kind of thing with their peers? I’m guessing more than they would have otherwise.

If you’re not already doing so, I encourage you to look for those small compliments to give to the students and staff around you. Because not only will it make a difference in the life of the person you encourage, but your action can create a ripple effect that can spread to others.

Remember, not everything that’s contagious is bad. We can all be super spreaders...of kindness!

Picture
Want to hear more? I devoted an entire chapter of my book Stories of EduInfluence to the topic of how small actions can make a big impact. Click/tap here to listen to the Audible version of “Chapter 8: The Power of the Little Things."

If you’d like to purchase a copy of the book in paperback, Kindle, or Audible versions, head over to Amazon.

1 Comment
This is great. Kindness is indeed contagious.
10/22/2021 01:30:56 pm

Always enjoy your take on things.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About Brent

    Brent has worked in the field of education as a teacher and administrator for 29 years. A former elementary school teacher and principal, he is currently Coordinator of Elementary Education in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District in Southern California. Read more about Brent here.


    Follow @brentcoley

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    February 2025
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    May 2023
    July 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    November 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    December 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    July 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    October 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012


    Categories

    All
    Admin
    Android
    Assistant Principal
    Cell Phones
    Classroom Management
    Classroom Website
    Collaboration
    Cool Tool
    Copyright
    Creative Commons
    Ed Tech
    Eduinfluence
    Games
    General
    Google
    Ipad
    Iphone
    Ipod
    Language Arts
    Leadership
    Mac
    Mentor
    Organization
    Pe
    Plagiarism
    Plc
    Podcasting
    Productivity
    Self Care
    Story
    Studycast
    Teamwork
    Texting
    Vocabulary
    Whativelearned

Picture
Copyright (C) 2025 Brent Coley
Photos from somegeekintn, woodleywonderworks, Joybot, British Council Singapore, jseliger2, berkuspic, toddwendy, Alexandra E Rust, skippyjon, crdotx, tharrin, roybuloy, .FuturePresent., Just some dust, frankpierson, Jair Alcon Photography, Luigi Mengato, Muffet, stevendepolo, Pilar Soro, Sander van der Wel, jblyberg, jonathangarcia, DraXus, angeloangelo, Sthetic
  • Home
  • Books
    • Stories of EduInfluence
    • The Gift
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Videos
    • Video Tutorials: Google Forms
    • Video Tutorials: Google Documents
    • Video Tutorials: Audacity
    • Math Review Videos
  • Resources
    • StudyCast
    • Student Podcast
    • Literature Circles
    • Flowchart Notes
    • Classroom Income Tax
  • About Brent
  • Contact Info