This afternoon, I read The Secret of Saying Thanks by Douglas Wood during our K/1 Buddy Time. If you haven't read this book, it is a beauty - gorgeous in both words and pictures. And what IS the secret promised by the title? Simply this: If you are feeling grateful, it is impossible to feel unhappy at the same time. Feeling grateful begets happiness and feeling happy begets more gratitude.
Afterward, all the children in both classes helped each other to make a "gratitude chain". Each link of chain contains something that we are grateful for. As I helped make the chain, I got to enjoy learning what our K-3 students wrote - they are thankful for parents, good friends, food to eat (chicken and pizza in particular), math, babies, little brothers, the color blue, their immune system, t.v., new inventions, air, their bodies, teeth, and on and on ...
I am indeed thankful to teach at Summers-Knoll, where children can take time to talk about deep, important things. Where teachers can hug their children. Where parents are true partners, and "it takes a village" is more than a platitude.
2 comments:
I loved this. The best thing about a gratitude chain is that each link strengthens and build on the other. :) thank you, Susan!
Oh, and how about a "thankful for the most supportive school board president" link in the chain? Oh yeah! Thank YOU, Fran.
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