These last few weeks I have been inspired by our students as they created our Gratitude Rock Garden. I watched students come to the basket full of rocks and write what they are grateful for, "Family", "Friends", "Love", "Life", "My Teacher" just to name a few. I have observed Vale, our amazing art teacher, weave social and emotional learning into art by helping students remember what they are grateful for as they decorate these rocks. I have watched as each student presented their rock in front of one another and told what they are grateful for, then carefully placing it in the new garden in our courtyard. I have heard students say, "When I am sad I can come to this garden to remind me of all I have", and "When I think my life isn't that great I can walk by this place and be reminded of all I am grateful for." I have heard students say, "Que lindo!" "I like that one!" "Oohs" and "Ahhs" about the gratitude shared by our learning community.
I also had the opportunity to work with all the PreK classrooms and saw them draw pictures of angels, birds, frogs, mommies, daddies, flowers, mountains, sisters, brothers, and toys on these rocks. Their gratitude completely blew me away. Even at 3 and 4 years old they could state all they were grateful for and were so eager to place them in the garden.
This gratitude garden started out as a project and now has become a place in our school for students to think about their feelings of sadness, anger, depression, and more. Most of all it is a place to remind them that there is so much to be grateful for and although it is okay to feel that way, we don't need to stay that way.
Research tells us that people who show more gratitude experience more happiness. Let's continue what was started these last few weeks and use this garden as a way to help our children reflect when they may be feeling a certain way or even be making poor choices. Maybe make your own gratitude rock basket or create another avenue for students to continue to express their gratitude throughout the year. By continuing to incorporate gratitude in our learning environments we will continue to grow children who are grateful, happier, and more successful in school and in life.
Thank you educators and for all you do to help our students be successful all around the world. I paint my rock now and say, "YOU". I am thankful for you and all you do!
I also had the opportunity to work with all the PreK classrooms and saw them draw pictures of angels, birds, frogs, mommies, daddies, flowers, mountains, sisters, brothers, and toys on these rocks. Their gratitude completely blew me away. Even at 3 and 4 years old they could state all they were grateful for and were so eager to place them in the garden.
This gratitude garden started out as a project and now has become a place in our school for students to think about their feelings of sadness, anger, depression, and more. Most of all it is a place to remind them that there is so much to be grateful for and although it is okay to feel that way, we don't need to stay that way.
Research tells us that people who show more gratitude experience more happiness. Let's continue what was started these last few weeks and use this garden as a way to help our children reflect when they may be feeling a certain way or even be making poor choices. Maybe make your own gratitude rock basket or create another avenue for students to continue to express their gratitude throughout the year. By continuing to incorporate gratitude in our learning environments we will continue to grow children who are grateful, happier, and more successful in school and in life.
Thank you educators and for all you do to help our students be successful all around the world. I paint my rock now and say, "YOU". I am thankful for you and all you do!
RSS Feed
