The Paramita of Dana/Generosity
Sharing stories that inspire giving
Teacher Experience
A contemplative invitation for educators to reflect on before teaching.Teaching can be a great expression of generosity. Consider the many dimensions of experience we can offer our students, from sharing academic and life skills, a special snack, offering availability when it’s not expected, kind words of timely encouragement, safety from all sorts of harm, inspiring the confidence and fearlessness that will guard them beyond the classroom walls, and our own aspirations for their success and wellbeing. What are each student’s needs and what would really benefit each of them most that is within our capacity to offer? When might not giving what is expected actually be a greater generosity? Is it easy to notice our own edge of growth and where we feel stuck around giving?
Student Experience
A contemplative invitation for students to connect with this learning goal.Listen to a story about someone being generous and notice how it makes you feel inside. Think about a time when someone shared something special with you.
Understanding
Students will understand...Generosity makes everyone happy—both the person who gives and the person who receives. When we share what we have, our hearts feel warm and full.
Action
Students are able to...Listen to and act out simple stories about generous animals or children, draw pictures of their favorite generosity story character, and create a class book illustrating times when sharing made everyone happy.
Content Knowledge
Students will know...Giving and sharing are special ways we can help others feel happy. In Buddhist stories, characters who share their toys, food, or hugs make everyone smile—including themselves! When we give something to someone, it’s like planting seeds of happiness that grow in our hearts and theirs.
The Buddha taught his friends that sharing is one of the most important things we can learn. Even small acts of kindness, like sharing crayons or helping a friend, are practicing generosity. This special kind of sharing is called dana.
Guiding Questions
Implementation Possibilities
Begin with classic tales like “The Rainbow Fish” or Buddhist Jataka tales adapted for young children, using props and puppets to make stories come alive. Children can take turns acting out different characters, experiencing both giving and receiving roles. Create a collaborative class book where each child contributes a page showing a time when sharing brought joy—such as sharing toys, helping a friend, or giving a hug. Set up a story corner with books about generosity from various cultures. Use circle time to share personal stories of giving and receiving, building vocabulary around feelings and generosity.
Assessment Ideas
Observe children during story dramatizations, noting how they express generous actions and emotions. Document their drawings and explanations of generosity stories, looking for understanding of how giving affects others. Listen to their personal sharing stories during circle time. Create simple rubrics using smiley faces for self-assessment of sharing behaviors.
