Building a Culture of Gratitude
There are many questions that we ask ourselves when we plan and prepare lessons. Are we taking into consideration the diverse needs of our students? Are their cultural identities being represented? Are we differentiating instruction to meet all students where they are? Are we providing inquiry and student-led learning opportunities? Are we teaching them to give thanks?
Okay, giving thanks might not be on the top of our mental checklist of good teaching practices when planning; however, practicing gratitude has been proven to support academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. It is a simple practice with powerful implications.
Here are some of the benefits I have found with cultivating a culture of gratitude from my experiences as a teacher and as a parent:
A happier and more positive outlook
Improved resiliency
Calmed energy
Increased self-esteem
Strengthened social behaviours and friendships
My 3 favourite strategies for building a culture of gratitude in the classroom
Focus on the good
When we shift our focus from the negative to the positive, we create more positive experiences and feel happier.
Check out Edwin’s Social Emotional Learning Skills Toolkit for practical strategies and activities that you can use with your students. You will find ideas that will help students focus on the things that are going well (e.g., Optimism Bulletin Board, Gratitude Journaling Resource). Be sure to open the Educator Tools to find activities associated with the following:
Reframing negative thoughts and experiences
Practising perseverance
Embracing mistakes as a necessary and helpful part of learning
Reflecting on things to be grateful for and expressing gratitude
Practising optimism
*Note: This is not to say that we should minimize or ignore how our students feel about negative experiences. These strategies help students cope and remind them that there is always something to be grateful for, even when facing challenges.
Gardener vs. Carpenter
Be the Gardener: This refers to the Gardener vs Carpenter metaphor that Dr. Tranter speaks about in The Third Path. The basis of this metaphor is that the Carpenter follows a blueprint to achieve an end goal or chisels away at a block of wood to create a chair. The Gardener knows that they must focus on creating conditions that encourage plants to flourish. To cultivate gratitude, we, as educators, first need to create classroom foundations and environments that allow our students to feel safe.
Check out The Third Path, Edwin’s Social Emotional Learning Resources. This Introduction to the Third Path Framework includes short videos of Dr. David Tranter discussing the needed conditions for students to undertake academic achievement while also developing well-being.
Embed Well-Being into the Every Day
Cultivating a culture of gratitude cannot be achieved by only discussing it on September 21st, World Gratitude Day (yes, gratitude really has its own day!). We need to sprinkle the conversations, teach the strategies, and model gratitude throughout the year. One way to do this is by weaving resources throughout all subjects that speak to resiliency, well-being, and positivity. Perhaps use examples of prominent STEM innovators, scientists, artists, or authors who faced setbacks and difficulties in their life circumstances. Teach students about Indigenous Peoples' cultural values of expressing gratitude daily and being thankful for the elements of the Earth and community.
Check out some of these Edwin resources to embed well-being and a culture of gratitude across all subjects.