Learning the Fine Art of Gratitude
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Increasingly schools are taking moreresponsibility to teach life skills to their students. Nowadays children spendmore time in front of computers and less time playing face to face with peers.And our fast-paced life style often makes having daily family meals and regulargatherings difficult. So outside of school, students spend less time developingtheir social skills. This year at NOVA we decided to focus on the valuable lifeskill of “gratitude” during our Thanksgiving celebration.
According to a recent article in theWashington Post: “We know that grateful kids are happier [and] more satisfiedwith their lives,” says Jeffrey Froh, an assistant professor of psychology atHofstra University. “They report better relationships with friends and family,higher GPAs (grade point averages), less materialism, less envy and lessdepression, along with a desire to connect to their community and to want togive back.”
During the week leading up to Thanksgivingteachers modeled and led discussions about gratitude. Each child took time tothink and write about what they are grateful for. The most mentioned things are: parents andtheir love, siblings, spending time with family, grandparents, going to NOVA,and having a good home and enough food.
Throughout the day on Wednesday Ms. Leavittand I read over the loudspeaker some of the messages our students wrote aboutwhy they are grateful. During our Thanksgiving turkey lunch children alsotalked about why they are so fortunate. There was a general feeling of contentment, and a strong communityspirit. Our hope is to continue this positive attitude throughout the year. Asparents we can continue this teaching process by setting an example, focusingon the positive, directing our children to see what they have - not just whatthey want, and giving them opportunities to help others who have less.
07 January 2012