In the amount of time teachers have with kids, theyre expected to help their students learn and prepare them for the coming years. But many go the extra mile to make sure their students also feel welcomed, accepted and heard.

Some teachers have done this with inspiring songs . Others have used messages of support to fight back against the recent spate of hate crimes and hateful political rhetoric targeted at marginalized communities. Inspired by these acts, HuffPost Parents reached out to teachers (both former and current) across the country to learn what theyre doing or what they have done to help their students.

Here are 14 teachers on how they spread love in the classroom:

1. When we see a kid being kind to others ... or being a helper we give them a pom pom and they get to drop it in the warm and fuzzy jar.