I (M30) have decided to have a rule change to help my students (10-11 year olds) become better people. I want to know if it’s a catch 22 and how I should handle it.

So here’s the rule. My students have to use a nice word or phrase at least once a day with a classmate. For example, they would say something like “you’re a great artist” or “I love your shoes.” I’ve given them a list of one hundred phrases to use. I have them hand me a slip of paper at the end of the day to say what they said and to whom. If they haven’t given me a slip, I don’t let them get their stuff to leave.<br><br>Of course, some students aren’t excited. Some groan or complain when I remind them. I’m worried that my rule might have the opposite effect. They might say nice words but not mean it. Is that still useful or is it making them lie and be hypocritical? My thought was if they say a nice word at least once a day they’re more likely to do it without me asking. Or am I just making them be robots? I feel like this would be a great way to teach empathy but I’m not sure how to execute properly without it feeling forced. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.