Eucharist means "Thanksgiving."
This is the season that we prepare our students for First Communion. Please take a moment to read Chorbishop Seely Beggiani's article on the Eucharist from www.stmaron.org:
Try this presentation on the Eucharist based on Bishop Gregory Mansour's Pastoral Letter:
Here is a great article about gratitude and how to teach it in a classroom:
10 Classroom Activities About Gratitude
http://www.teachhub.com/10-classroom-activities-about-gratitude
Gratitude
is a powerful practice that has received quite a lot of attention lately. There
are some real benefits to being a person that cultivates gratitude. Some of the
many benefits of gratitude that research has found include overall happiness,
stronger relationships, higher self-esteem, a better outlook on school and life
in general, just to name a few. Here are ten classroom activities to help you start practicing gratitude.
Have
students keep their own gratitude journal. Challenge them to write down three
things that they are grateful for each day. You can do this as part of your
morning routine or as a quick activity for those fast finishers. If you want to
make it a little more challenging for students, then ask them to expand upon
what they are grateful for, and tell you why they are grateful. Allow students
to share their thoughts whenever possible.
2. Create a Gratitude
Jar
A
gratitude jar is a great way for your shy students to be able to have a voice.
As part of your morning routine, as soon as students walk into the door, have
them write down one thing that they are grateful for that day. Then, when you
have time, pass the jar around the classroom and have students take turns
closing their eyes and picking random notes from the jar to read aloud.
3. Make Gratitude
Artwork
This
activity is a fun one -- the sky is the limit. There are all kinds of creative
ways that students can artistically show their gratitude. The most popular way
is to create a gratitude tree. This is where students trace their hands and
write one thing they are grateful for on each finger of the hand they traced.
Then, the hand is pinned to a fake tree called the “Gratitude Tree.” An
alternative to this is to challenge students to think of one specific thing
they are grateful for and draw a picture of it, then place it on the tree..
4. Model What
Gratitude Looks Like
Research
shows that people are more likely to value gratitude when they can see it
firsthand. The best way to do this is to model it yourself. Let the students
see you be grateful to others and they will know that it is a meaningful
practice to you. Tell them stories about what you are grateful for, and make
sure that they always hear (and see you say) thank you.
5. Implement a
Gratitude Group
Gratitude
groups are a great way for students to get to know one another on higher level.
It helps build a strong classroom community, and students will find that the
more they get to know one another, the more they will appreciate each other.
Each week, change up the gratitude groups to include different students. When
students are in the groups, encourage them to talk about what they are grateful
for personally, as well as one thing they are grateful for, for each person in
the group.
6. Show Gratitude to
Others
There
are many people right in your school that do so much for others. Each week,
have students choose one person that they are all collectively grateful for in
the school. Then have them do something nice for that person, like write a
thank-you note, bake them food (if allowed at your school), or draw them a
picture. Showing gratitude in a meaningful way can really make a huge impact on
the overall school community.
7. Expand Upon Your
Gratitude Words
Sometimes
just saying the words “Thank you” is enough to make someone’s day. However, if
you want to really make an impact not only on the person you are grateful for,
but for yourself, you can expand upon those words. For example, the next time a
student does something nice for you, instead of just saying thank you, try
saying, “Thank you, Jenny, for picking up the floor around your desk without
being asked, that was really thoughtful of you.” By expanding your thank you
into a reason why you were so grateful, it will make it that much more
powerful.
8. Learn
Self-Gratitude
Self-gratitude
is often the hardest to practice, but most of us learn at young age to think of
others before ourselves. While putting others first is a great quality to have,
it can also hinder you from being self-aware. Teach your students self-gratitude
by having them think of a few things about themselves that they are grateful
for. If they feel so inclined, allow them to share their thoughts with their
classmates.
9. Form a Circle of
Gratitude
Instruct
students to sit down in a circle on the floor and invite each student to say
one thing they are grateful for. Once each participant has had a turn, then
invite them to say one thing they are grateful for about the person to their
right, then their left. Each day, switch up where the students sit, so new students
will get a chance to talk about each other.
10. Plan a Gratitude
Party
At
the end of your gratitude series of activities, plan a party to give thanks for
all that you have accomplished. Invite all of the people that you showed
gratitude towards in your school, as well as the students’ parents.
Teaching
students about gratitude, as well as having them partake in daily gratitude
practices, can and will change their lives.
