Gratitude

1/27/2019

As we continue reading let's consider how we incorporate gratitude into our personal or professional lives. Are there any practices that you already find helpful or might want to try, for yourself and/or with your students? Please share these thoughts or any other connections that you are making as you read Practicing Presence.

10 Comments

Rita Sorrentino

1/27/2019 11:29:06 am

I have always been a fan of ABC formats for brainstorming, book creation, exit tickets, etc. I also find it useful when practicing presence through gratitude. Another new day, being retired, my cat, my dentist (somewhat reluctantly), enjoyment of ... etc. Throughout the day I try to make it through the alphabet or sometimes I begin at another starting point. As Lisa reminds us, grateful thoughts transmit positive energy. Practicing presence through gratitude provides us with the opportunity to savor and appreciate the small moments.

Janice Ewing

1/27/2019 01:01:02 pm

I really enjoyed Chapter 2. These lines on page 42 particularly stood out to me: "Gratitude is in the present. Gratitude allows us to appreciate the moment at hand. It shifts our attention away from what is missing to what is here now. We learn to be grateful for the little things that were right there all along."
I think that that mindset can really alter the way we see the world. The problems -- big, small, personal, global, are still there, but gratitude helps us to keep a balanced perspective. I'm also interested in the idea of gratitude journals. It's something I would like to try out myself. I would be interested in sharing ideas with others who are also trying this, or are using them with their students. This is one of the topics that we're going to explore during our Spring Literacy Conference with Lisa Lucas on May 4th.
What ideas or practices stood out to others?

Jacqueline Meyers

1/30/2019 10:48:23 pm

For me gratitude is something I try to practice daily ,but this chapter reminds me that when I am on task overload, it's not possible to practice gratitude. The study referred to on pg 43 about the effect of gratitude on water is a powerful reminder of how important grateful vibes are. The 10 signs of mindlessness on pg 44 are very common, so using the breathing exercises helps control the overloading. I use deep breathing techniques that work very well in my classes when we transition and also when students become noisy and distracted. I hope to make this a habit in my personal life too. I think I will start with #2 from the 14 habits of gratitude, choose a focus for the day and #10 something to repeat through the day.

Janice Ewing

2/2/2019 07:31:17 pm

Jacqueline, these sound like great practices to implement. I hope you'll let us know how they're working out!

Ann Martinelli

1/31/2019 12:03:12 pm

Chapter 2 confirmed my thinking that positive thoughts support self preservation. Keeping a positive mindset really can be altering. Breathing and taking a break in order to make progress with a daunting task is helpful. I try to bring this into my classes by segmenting class discussion and providing brain breaks.

Does anyone have other suggestions that could be used in the college setting? Hoping to grow my craft. My thought is that if we model this for teacher candidates then they will view it as best practice when they begin their teaching.

Lisa Lucas link

2/3/2019 03:48:07 pm

A wonderful resource is Contemplative Practices in Higher Education by Daniel Barbezat and Mirabai Bush. I've talked with Mirabai, and she's the real deal when it comes to Contemplative Practices http://www.contemplativemind.org/book

Also, I did a study using Learning to Breathe, a mindfulness curriculum with my student teachers. Great results, easy to use and practical.

Carol Shiffrin

1/31/2019 09:37:16 pm

Lisa Lucas reminded me to search for the "happy file" I started many years ago which consisted of thank you notes from friends, relatives, parents, and students. I hadn't looked at it in years, but when I finally found it, I spent a good hour reading and rereading the lovely sentiments. I recalled how much these notes comforted me after coming home angry or in tears after a particularly difficult day at work.

As Lucas mentions in her list of gratitude habits, it is a great idea to express to others what they have done to make you feel grateful. From my own experience, I know that it lifts the spirits of both the receiver and the giver. I think that practicing gratitude in this way with both students and teachers can generate positive attitudes.

Rita Sorrentino

2/3/2019 06:25:09 pm

Carol, I also resonated with the idea of a "happy file.” Even in my attempts to reduce stuff, these special notes, projects, pictures, etc. remain as precious memories to lift the spirit and to remind me of the people (especially students) who graced my life through the years.

Marie Reynolds

2/4/2019 02:10:10 pm

Hello friends, I’ve just purchased the book and finished chapter 2. It reminded me that gratitude is essential in our lives. So many people only see what they don’t have and it leaves them empty. This chapter reminded me to “count my blessings.” One of which is the wonderful group of educators that I have been surrounded by over my years in educational settings.

Janice Ewing

2/4/2019 04:39:21 pm

Marie, I agree! We learn so much from each other, at all stages of our careers. I'm grateful to be able to give back to others through teacher education and mentoring, as well. I continue to be a co-learner in all of these settings. I hope you'll keep sharing your thoughts as you continue reading the book!

Winter Book Club

Gratitude

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