International Kindness Reset: Who Are We—and What Are We Doing?
Testimonials
Due to the Pocket Guide Implementation and training I feel like the staff grew a bit closer because we got to see a different side of each other than we were previously used to.
I noticed a lot of changes as a result of using Connect with Kindness Curricula. It became the most important part of all the schoolwork. It was wonderful.
Our environment became more welcoming and positive because of the Pocket Guide.
These curricula elevated a culture of kindness in our society. Now students share with each other more readily.
Surprised that students could show kindness in so many simple ways as a result of using these curricula. Now students are focused on making someone happy.
The parents and grandparents were very pleased with these curricula and they noticed changes in their students at home.
The project represented an opportunity for children to grow with greater emotional awareness, learning to be more attentive and caring towards others. This type of education not only strengthens relationships within the school, but lays the foundation for a future in which respect and kindness are fundamental values creating more beauty around us.
Meet Our Founders
Amy N Spangler, M.Ed, MN, USA
Founder and Co-Executive Director
As a lifelong public-school leader, Amy has had a significant impact on countless learning communities for more than 30 years. A “trailing spouse”, Amy has been afforded the opportunity to serve schools in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, and Minnesota as well as in the international school community of Tokyo, Japan. She actively holds administrator’s license in Oregon.
Tatyana V Tsyrlina-Spady, PhD, WA, USA
Founder and Co-Executive Director
Tatyana Tsyrlina-Spady, PhD, is a distinguished academic with an extensive background in education. Formerly an Adjunct Professor at Seattle Pacific University (USA) and Professor Emerita at Kursk State University (Russia), she also holds the title of Vice-Provost Emerita at the Regional Open Social Institute (Russia). Tatyana is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Russian-American Education Forum, an online journal.
Our Partners
International Korczak Association
Warsaw, Poland
Secondary School “August Cesarec”
Ivankovo, Croatia
The Janusz Korczak Association of Canada
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Alizawa Secondary School
Kupiskos region, Lithuania
Education and English For You
Cote d’Ivoire
Children – Artificial Intelligence RƐlationship
University of Turin, Italy
Ludoteca La casa sull’albero – Savigliano
Toy Library, Italy
IKR’s Mission & Vision
IKR’s mission is to provide high-impact, kindness-based educational services and customized materials to professionals, organizations, and communities that assist children and vulnerable adults.
IKR’s vision is to reset all organizations we serve by fostering kindness, empathy, and compassion, triggering a ripple effect, and thus transforming prevailing behavioral norms in society.
Furthermore, IKR is actively engaged in organizing international and national projects aimed at fostering kindness as a universally embraced value. Through these initiatives, IKR seeks to create a positive and inclusive impact on individuals, communities, and societies at large, with the goal of building a world where kindness is not only taught but widely practiced and celebrated.
Join us and our partners on this journey of kindness as we strive to make a meaningful impact on individuals and communities worldwide. Together, let’s embark on a collective effort to reset the world with the universal language of kindness!
News Corner
🛒💙 Attention, IKR Walmart Shoppers! 💙🛒
Did you know that your everyday shopping can help spread kindness? Now it’s easier than ever to support International Kindness Reset (IKR) while checking out at Walmart!
Simply tell the cashier you’d like to “round up” your bill and, when asked for the organization’s name, say International Kindness Reset. That’s it! Those small change donations add up, and each month Walmart sends IKR a check with the total collected.
Your spare change helps fuel kindness education, student voices, and compassionate communities around the world. 🌍✨
Thank you for turning everyday moments into acts of kindness — one checkout at a time!
💛 Together, we reset the world with kindness.
In Loving Memory of Dawn Schrader
The IKR community is mourning the profound loss of our dear friend, colleague, and steadfast supporter, Cornell University Professor Dawn Schrader.
Dawn passed away on January 6, 2026, at the age of 67. Just two days earlier, Tatyana spoke with her on the phone—she was warm, thoughtful, and fully present. Her passing is still difficult to comprehend.
A longtime leader in the Association for Moral Education, including serving as its President, Dawn shaped AME through her scholarship, mentorship, and memorable conference presentations. Her work on moral reasoning, ethical action, and reflective judgment deeply influenced our thinking at IKR and helped ground our kindness-centered work in strong moral and scholarly foundations. The close ties between IKR and AME reflect values Dawn embodied so naturally: care, integrity, and responsibility for one another.
Beyond her academic life, Dawn was a devoted mother to her daughters, Katherine and Lauren, and a dear friend to so many. She lived what she taught—with grace, generosity, and quiet strength. We will miss her beyond words.
We are thrilled to share some wonderful news!
Exciting News from IKR cofounders, Amy and Tatyana
Today, on World Kindness Day, we successfully hosted four launch meetings for Connect with Kindness at Home — and what a meaningful day it was for our entire community. With over 80 participants joining us throughout the day, the energy and support were truly heartwarming. (Meeting #3 is shown on the right.)
The mastermind behind the scenes, Amy Spangler, brought this idea to life with her signature dedication and heart. Our wonderful facilitator, Senior Advisory Council member Suz Hahn, guided each meeting with warmth, clarity, and professionalism. And none of this would have gone as smoothly without Weldon Spangler, whose thoughtful insights enriched every single session. We extend our deepest gratitude to the testing families whose real-life experiences with the activities helped us refine the book and make it truly practical and loving for all households.
One of the sweetest moments of the day was a touching video message from Nathan C., our 13-year-old illustrator, whose creativity and talent shine throughout the book.
To all who attended today — thank you! Your encouragement means the world to us. We look forward to hearing from families who begin using these activities at home and bringing more everyday kindness into their lives.
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State of Minnesota KINDNESS DAY Proclamation!
In celebration of World Kindness Day and Kindness Week, and our collaboration with the partners at Kindness Worldwide, IKR co-founder and co-executive director Amy Spangler submitted and was granted a Kindness Day Proclamation from Governor Tim Walz of the State of Minnesota. In appreciation, she provided Governor Walz a copy of IKR’s most recent publication, Connect with Kindness at Home. These efforts contribute to the incredible ripple effect of kindness that is being spread throughout our nation, one neighborhood, one city, one state at a time, by IKR and Kindness Worldwide.
Learn More
Our Curricula
Child-Generated Teacher-Friendly Supplementary SEL Curricula
Our Projects
Meet our Kindness School pilot teams!
Kindness School Concept
A Kindness School is an educational institution that fosters a distinctive culture centered around the daily acknowledgment and promotion of acts of kindness as the fundamental norm of behavior.