The biggest challenges facing education today can’t be solved by one teacher, one school, or one organization alone. Building kinder classrooms, and ultimately kinder communities, requires people who are willing to share ideas, learn from one another, and work toward a common goal. At LearnKind, we’ve always believed that collaboration is one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting impact. Every partnership expands what’s possible, helping more educators, families, and students discover that kindness isn’t just something we hope children practice; it’s something we can intentionally teach.

That belief is exactly what made our partnership with educator and creator Katie Plunkett feel so natural. As a third-grade teacher and the founder of KidTalk Co., Katie has spent years helping educators and families weave social-emotional learning into everyday moments. Through her online community, classroom experience, and podcast conversations, she has become a trusted voice for teachers looking for practical, research-informed ways to support the whole child. While our organizations came to this work from different places, we quickly discovered we shared the same vision: helping children develop the skills they’ll need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

When Katie first explored LearnKind, what stood out wasn’t simply another kindness curriculum, it was the way the lessons invite students to investigate kindness through curiosity and scientific inquiry. “I love that the inquiry framework of LearnKind really stokes and nurtures that curiosity,” she shared. “They understand that kindness is important… but really understanding the why – it’s more than just being nice.” As an educator, Katie also appreciated the curriculum’s flexibility, describing it as a resource that allows teachers to meet students where they are, even if they only have a few minutes in the school day. Most importantly, she saw the difference it made in her own classroom, explaining, “A huge part of that is because of LearnKind and these consistent lessons… it’s had a hugely positive effect on my classroom culture.”

“Kindness is one of the most transformative things that exists in this world.”

Katie Plunkett, KidTalk co.

For us, that’s the true value of partnership. It’s not simply reaching a larger audience, it’s learning alongside educators who challenge us, inspire us, and help us continue building better resources for schools. During our conversations together, Katie reminded us that “kindness is one of the most transformative things that exists in this world,” while our team shared the belief that every child deserves opportunities to explore empathy, emotional regulation, creativity, and connection through meaningful learning experiences. When organizations listen to one another and combine their strengths, kindness travels farther than any one of us could take it alone.

We’re incredibly grateful for partners like Katie who continue to champion kindness in classrooms and beyond. Whether you’re an educator, district leader, nonprofit, content creator, or organization with a shared mission, we’d love to connect. Create a free LearnKind account to explore our K–8 curriculum, or reach out to our team to learn how a partnership can help bring the science of kindness to even more students. Together, we can build something none of us could build on our own.

Interested in hearing more about our partnership with Katie? Take a listen to the podcast episodes below or consider exploring some of Katie’s favorite LearnKind lessons.