Mindful Service Learning Curriculum Module 1 Unit 1

Mindful Greetings

Objective

Begin building authentic connections with students.

Foster authentic community connections between students and others in their communities with mindful greetings.

SEL Competencies

Emotion Regulation, Positive Mindset, Social Awareness

Benefits

Encouraging students to pause, notice, and greet other students and school community members in a positive, cheerful, kind way helps build the foundation for authentic community connections.

Core Concept

Choosing to mindfully greet others is a simple, kind way to make them feel special. 

Student Extension

  • Tell students “a mindful greeting is a simple, kind way to make someone feel welcome or special, which is what Mindful Littles calls “uplifting”.
  • Ask students to draw a picture or write about a time when someone greeted them mindfully.
  • Either pair up students or allow them to choose a partner to brainstorm their own mindful greetings.
  • Explain to students that they will create a Mindful Greeting for several scenarios. They can use the symbols on the poster, or they can make up their own greetings.
  • Read the scenarios aloud and give students time to create their mindful greetings.
  • Give students the challenge to engage in service by saying, “Mindful Greetings are one of the simplest ways to practice uplifting those around you. Look out at home, school, or in your community for a scenario like one of these and practice uplifting someone with a mindful greeting.”
  • Ask students to reflect on service by drawing a picture or writing about a time they use a mindful greeting to uplift someone.

Optional Reflection

Draw a picture or write about a time you used a mindful greeting to uplift someone. What did you do? How did you feel afterwards? How do you think they felt?