How do you show gratitude?

[Karen C. Seddon]

For this Thanksgiving, I would love to start a conversation on how teachers show gratitude and thanksgiving. There are so many traditions both in the classroom and in our families. What do you do to show others that you are grateful?

[Lee Kolbert]

I agree with Louise that there is so much academic pressure and not enough concentration on the true meaning of things. Louise, your feast sounds terrific. If you invite me next year, I will join you (I promise not to eat too much). The last few years of my in-classroom experience, I started to move my students FROM the old, "What I'm Thankful For" writing prompt (or craft project, you know, the turkey hand), and towards a new spin on the same prompt. I asked my students to describe at least 5 people (you know, one for each finger) who are thankful for something the student does or has done. Here's why: I wanted to take a moment during the year to allow my students to explore those things they are doing right. Not to create students who are self-centered but to give them a chance to feel good about who they are. Happy Thanksgiving everyone and by the way, my kids thank me when I take them out for Sushi!

[Louise McGinnis]

At school I think we sometimes lose the meanng of Thanksgiving because of all the academic pressure. The two teachers that I am clustered with at my school, we have a Thanksgiving feast with our 3 classes. The parents come in and help fix the food and the kids eat together in the Media center. This helps them learn the sense of family and they are so cute when we go around the talbles asking them what they are grateful for. These are K-2 kids.

[Patricia Kurtz]

Things are so fast-paced that gratitude is not expressed very often...I try to make it a point of letting students, fellow teachers, friends that I appreciate even the littlest things. When a middle-schooler is honest and open in what they say or do, I let them know how much I appreciate it. I don't think they hear that very often.

[Karen C. Seddon]

In this age of email and electronic everything, I love to send personalized cards that I make with the computer in snail mail. It's funny how they seem so special these days. The important part is to let those you love know they are appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving,
K