Connecting Through Gratitude
Gratitude is good for us, for so many reasons. Those who regularly practice gratitude experience benefits that include improved levels of happiness, higher levels of positive emotions, stress reduction, and increased resilience just to name a few. It also leads to improved relationships, or as we like to say- connection! So, in this season of gratitude, we want to share a few routines to help incorporate gratitude into your classroom and professional routines.
Sharing gratitude statements
In the staff room or classroom, consider a gratitude bulletin board. Anyone can add a note of gratitude they have for someone else to the board. As Principal, Erika would read these celebrations to start staff meetings to set a tone of appreciation. In the classroom, perhaps there is a day per week that new gratitudes are shared aloud to the class. These gratitude statements are great to share in a school newsletter, staff bulletin, or over the morning announcements.
Students keeping a gratitude journal
Having students keep a gratitude journal can also be a powerful tool. The habit of writing two or three things they are grateful for each day is a routine that they may carry with them throughout their lives. We do this as part of our closure routine at work each day. This is a powerful way to leave school focused on how lucky we are to do this incredibly rewarding work - instead of ruminating on the challenges we faced throughout the day.
Gratitude Challenge
If you have a group of educators or students who are motivated by a little competition, perhaps a gratitude challenge is just the thing! Who can write the most thank you notes in a week? Who can add the most gratitude to the school’s bulletin board? The sky’s the limit, and everyone wins.
Finally, we want to express our gratitude to each of you. Thank you, Connected Communicators, for being a part of our community and sharing the Connected Communicator movement. Thank you for joining us on this journey of making a positive difference in the lives of our students. Thank you for doing your part to make the world a better and more connected place.