Do you have a terrific idea on how to teach gratitude or practice it with your trainees? We hope you will share it in the comments listed below!.

In our class, even simple acts of thankfulness and gratitude can change classroom relationships and enhance student self-worth. Jeanie Iberlin, author of Cultivating Mindfulness in the Classroom, motivates instructors to make gratitude activities a part of their weekly regimens: “frequently practicing thankfulness increases ones happiness and general complete satisfaction with life. During the holiday season, classroom activities that focus on gratitude and appreciation can have additional benefits for our most vulnerable students. Gratitude Paper Chain/ Gratitude Jar. Have students write what theyre thankful for on strips of paper and utilize the strips to make a gratitude chain to hang up in the class or fill a container with “thankfulness notes” that can be shared throughout the year.

Iberlin, J. (2017 ). Cultivating Mindfulness in the Classroom. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research..
Zakrzewski, V. (2015, October 15). Obtained from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu. .

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Gratitude Surprise Sticky Notes. Give each student several sticky notes to compose something theyre grateful for about another person in the school community. Then have the trainees “provide” the sticky notes by positioning them where the person will see it, e.g., a locker, a phone, a cleansing cart.
Appreciation Quilt. Provide each kid a 5″ x5″ blank paper on which to draw something he or she is grateful for. Mount each square on a 6″ x6″ colored paper and after that piece the squares together to create a classroom gratitude quilt.
Appreciation Photos. Have each student write what she or he is glad for on a big piece of paper and after that take an image of the kid holding up his/her paper. Frame the photo and send it home as a holiday present.
Gratitude Paper Chain/ Gratitude Jar. Create a visual reminder of your students gratitude! Have trainees write what theyre glad for on strips of paper and use the strips to make a gratitude chain to hang up in the classroom or fill a jar with “gratitude notes” that can be shared throughout the year.

November starts the holiday with high expectations for a cozy and joyful time of year. It is a time to share customs, link with liked ones, and appreciate. Now is the ideal time to celebrate appreciation with your students and begin some classroom customs to last the entire year!.
Why Gratitude?.
Appreciation is the thankful appreciation for what we have in our lives, both the tangible and intangible. With appreciation, we acknowledge the goodness all around us. In our classrooms, even easy acts of thankfulness and appreciation can change class relationships and improve trainee self-worth. There are even higher benefits when we make the effort every week to acknowledge and share our thankfulness with others. Jeanie Iberlin, author of Cultivating Mindfulness in the Classroom, encourages instructors to make thankfulness activities a part of their weekly regimens: “frequently practicing appreciation increases ones happiness and basic satisfaction with life. It likewise tends to make people more positive about the future and even helps them sleep better.”.
When we practice appreciation with our trainees, we help them grow socially and mentally. Encouraging trainees to reveal their gratitude for others can really shift the environment of a whole school and strengthen the bonds in between teachers, trainees, and the community. Throughout the holiday season, class activities that focus on gratitude and gratitude can have additional benefits for our most susceptible trainees.
Starting.
So how can you practice thankfulness with your trainees? Take a look at a few of these easy-to-implement ideas from the “Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” site to start!.

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