The return to school after job action has been fraught with complexity and things to do. This week we hit a moment of pause and celebration. It is one of those moments that become one of “the moments” that make all the difference in a life. Canadians, whether by nature or training, are good at manners. The workweek is filled with please and thank you. However what made this week a little different was the decision of a staff to say a collective thank you, not at the end of something but in the midst of it. On a Thursday after school, our staff took the opportunity to breathe and express gratitude for the things they have appreciated most from their school administrators. The demands don’t dissolve but they continue with a lightness of heart and a smile.
The Facebook phenomenon of public expressions of gratitude can be dismissed as the latest fad. However when you look at the research pointing to the higher degree of happiness in developing countries, compared to developed, consumer-based cultures, the concept becomes worthy of another look. This year as part of my teaching assignment, I am teaching a Grade 3/4 class on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students have started their “Thinking Books” to draw, web, observe and scrapbook ideas to write about. Everyday at the back of the book, students record one thing they are grateful for. I set out thinking it would provide students with a positive frame to contribute to good mental health and perhaps serve as another source of ideas to develop in their writing. What I am discovering is that they want to share what they are grateful for and it is taking on a life of its own. I’m curious as to the impact that it will have in the culture of the classroom, student writing and other possibilities.
It’s a rainy Saturday morning in Vancouver and our little two-bedroom condo is filled to the brim with relatives poised to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. I have stolen to the local Starbucks to let everyone sleep and ponder the week. And yes…I am feeling so very grateful.
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