Teachers don’t just teach the material. They challenge kids, nurture them, help them grow, and keep them focused. They support them while also holding them accountable when needed.

It’s not an easy job. Every classroom has conflicts: behavior problems, fights, rudeness, class clowns, and other disruptions. One recent story shows that the way educators are dealing with these challenges is changing in some surprising ways.

Atlanta school tries new kindness-focused approach

Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School decided to switch things up about two years ago. To get students to be kinder to each other—and to themselves—the school had to rebuild its entire culture and philosophy.

They decided to prioritize relationships and positive culture over lesson plans and instructional time. In practice, it was surprisingly simple. All it took was one small—and admittedly silly—question before opening the books each morning.

“Every class, every day, our........

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