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
New Partnership!
IKR is proud to announce a new partnership with the distinguished Pre-12 charter school Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy in Lakewood Ranch, Florida! This is an important first for IKR—an entire PreK-12 school! We will begin our project with nearly 2,000 students in late summer when we train the entire staff and faculty. Our Senior Advisory Council Member and Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy teacher, Sanders Gwin, JD, introduced us to the school’s incredible CEO and Co-founder, Mr. Bradley Warren, M.Ed. Thank you, Sanders, for facilitating this important milestone for IKR. More news to follow!
IKR Celebrates Senior Advisory Council Member Prof. Hyemin Han
We are pleased to recognize the recent accomplishments of Professor Hyemin Han, whose work is helping shape international conversations about artificial intelligence, ethics, and education. He recently served as Guest Editor of a Special Section on Artificial Intelligence and Moral Education for the Journal of Moral Education. The special section brings together leading scholars from multiple disciplines to examine both the opportunities and challenges that AI presents for moral and character education. As part of this project, he authored the introduction article, “AI and Moral Education: Opportunities and Challenges Examined from Multidisciplinary Perspectives.” The issue is scheduled for publication in early 2027, but preprints are already available here.
In addition, Professor Han received the 2026 Editorial Contribution Award from AI & Society in recognition of his outstanding service and contributions to the field.
We are honored to have Hyemin serving on IKR’s Senior Advisory Council. His expertise helps ensure that discussions about emerging technologies remain grounded in the values of ethics, empathy, character, and human flourishing. Congratulations!
Thank you!
Our incredibly dedicated and active Board Member, Janice Darias, M.Ed., spent countless hours translating our recently published family guidebook, Connect with Kindness at Home, into Spanish. The Spanish version, along with the English and Italian versions, are now all available for purchase on Amazon.com. We are so grateful for Janice’s enthusiastic dedication to IKR. Thank you, Janice!
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.