Teaching Thankfulness
The month of November has always been a time that all I have to be thankful for becomes apparent. I especially become aware of my amazing kiddos that make my job so much fun! As I reflected on this, I wanted to make sure I taught my students the importance of being thankful. No matter what your age, two words are so important. Thank you! Teaching thankfulness in the classroom through words and actions have benefits for our students from character development to overall well-being. When kids can show gratitude for what they have and for those around them, they'll feel happier.
"This is life people...you got air coming up through your nose... you got a heartbeat. It's time to do something!" -Kid President
How do we build the skill of gratitude in our students? Will teaching kids how to be thankful help to create a positive classroom atmosphere? I believe it does. I have included some ideas and activities below for you to consider, and they will empower your students to appreciate their school days. You’ll see them become more grateful and joyful in general. Give these strategies a try!
We write a happiness list...
As a class, we sit and think of all the people and things in their lives that make them happy. Together, we create a happiness circle map. Be sure also to jot down what makes you smile. My students light up when they realize how much joy they bring me. Then I have my students create their own happiness circle map (words and pictures) in their writing notebooks. They then turn their circle maps into a paragraph about what makes them happy and why. It's a topic kids love writing about.
We write and send a thank you note...
I then ask my students to choose a person that they want to thank for positively influencing them or making a difference in their lives. I think it's important to teach kids to write thank you notes to show appreciation. I explain how special thank you notes are when they are not expected. We plan and write thank you notes using words and pictures. It's incredible to see letters written to the custodian for keeping the school clean, the nurse for helping them when they are sick or their teacher for helping them learn☺️. When I ask my students what they liked most about this activity they usually say "I liked making others feel good." Now, my are students writing thank you notes to others for just about everything.
We practice random acts of kindness...
Doing nice things for others "just because" is an excellent way to demonstrate gratitude. There are many things students can do to show kindness without expecting recognition. Sharing your supplies with someone, helping a classmate clean up their materials or find a page in their book. I teach them the importance of a smile or paying a kind compliment. I explain to them that these simple tasks help others feel appreciated and happy. I make sure to model random acts of kindness throughout the year because kids learn from seeing and then doing.
Practicing thankfulness and kindness in school not only helps students maintain a positive mindset but also aides in bullying prevention. When kids are kind and show appreciation, the effects are magical. So are you ready to teach thankfulness in your classroom? I hope you are feeling inspired to take action. I think you will love the character building and positive classroom community these activities can bring to your room. I hope I have offered some ideas to help you instill a thankful attitude in your students. I am grateful for you! Please email me with any questions.
As a class, we sit and think of all the people and things in their lives that make them happy. Together, we create a happiness circle map. Be sure also to jot down what makes you smile. My students light up when they realize how much joy they bring me. Then I have my students create their own happiness circle map (words and pictures) in their writing notebooks. They then turn their circle maps into a paragraph about what makes them happy and why. It's a topic kids love writing about.
We write and send a thank you note...
I then ask my students to choose a person that they want to thank for positively influencing them or making a difference in their lives. I think it's important to teach kids to write thank you notes to show appreciation. I explain how special thank you notes are when they are not expected. We plan and write thank you notes using words and pictures. It's incredible to see letters written to the custodian for keeping the school clean, the nurse for helping them when they are sick or their teacher for helping them learn☺️. When I ask my students what they liked most about this activity they usually say "I liked making others feel good." Now, my are students writing thank you notes to others for just about everything.
We practice random acts of kindness...
Doing nice things for others "just because" is an excellent way to demonstrate gratitude. There are many things students can do to show kindness without expecting recognition. Sharing your supplies with someone, helping a classmate clean up their materials or find a page in their book. I teach them the importance of a smile or paying a kind compliment. I explain to them that these simple tasks help others feel appreciated and happy. I make sure to model random acts of kindness throughout the year because kids learn from seeing and then doing.
Practicing thankfulness and kindness in school not only helps students maintain a positive mindset but also aides in bullying prevention. When kids are kind and show appreciation, the effects are magical. So are you ready to teach thankfulness in your classroom? I hope you are feeling inspired to take action. I think you will love the character building and positive classroom community these activities can bring to your room. I hope I have offered some ideas to help you instill a thankful attitude in your students. I am grateful for you! Please email me with any questions.
Positively Teaching,
Randi Muehlen
Randi Muehlen
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