Connecting Through Gratitude
CTC Newsletter
Gratitude is good for us, for so many reasons. Those who regularly practice gratitude experience benefits that include improved levels of happiness, higher levels of positive emotions, stress reduction, and increased resilience just to name a few. It also leads to improved relationships, or as we like to say- connection! So, in this season of gratitude, we want to share a few routines to help incorporate gratitude into your classroom and professional routines.
In the staff room or classroom, consider a gratitude bulletin board. Anyone can add a note of gratitude they have for someone else to the board. As Principal, Erika would read these celebrations to start staff meetings to set a tone of appreciation. In the classroom, perhaps there is a day per week that new gratitudes are shared aloud to the class. These gratitude statements are great to share in a school newsletter, staff bulletin, or over the morning announcements.
Having students keep a gratitude journal can also be a powerful tool. The habit of writing two or three things they are grateful for each day is a routine that they may carry with them throughout their lives. We do this as part of our closure routine at work each day. This is an excellent way to leave school focused on how lucky we are to do this incredibly rewarding work - instead of ruminating on the challenges we faced throughout the day.
If you have a group of educators or students who are motivated by a little competition, perhaps a gratitude challenge is just the thing! Who can write the most thank you notes in a week? Who can add the most gratitude to the school’s bulletin board? The sky’s the limit, and everyone wins.
Finally, we want to express our gratitude to each of you. Thank you, Connected Communicators, for being a part of our community and sharing the Connected Communicator Movement. Thank you for joining us on this journey of making a positive difference in the lives of our students. Thank you for doing your part to make the world a better and more connected place.
November PD Special
Are you interested in building a culture of connection in your school community? Yay! We'd love to help. For the month of November, Erika and Tiffany are offering a free, hour-long virtual professional development session with any bulk order of 30 books or more. Reach out here and mention our November PD Special to get the conversation going!
Check out some praise for Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students!
Connecting Through Conversation is a must read for Educators at all levels. What an encouraging resource for me as I support students in solving problems at school. An easy to read, well-organized play by play guidebook for success in building positive relationships with kids. The sentence stems and scenarios are invaluable. I plan to carry this book in my back pocket and have it at the ready!
Kate Sullivan
Student Advocate
