Nurture Gratitude

NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Nurture a Meaning Learning Community Course

Gratitude is a powerful tool for teachers—both for personal and classroom applications. It can be used to help establish a healthy classroom culture as it increases feelings of optimism and joy, decreases anxiety and depression, and helps students feel more connected to their community. Grateful people have been found to experience less envy, resentment, and frustration as well.

Bright Spots

Gain inspiration from authentic examples of this strategy shared by teachers who have used them with their learners.

Creating your own Bright Spots? Let’s get them out into the world! Share yours here.

Gratitude Jar

Source: TCEA blog post

Students can write about what they are grateful for and place a note in the gratitude jar, or write a message of gratitude for a peer. Consider a classroom job of someone who reminds students to submit to the gratitude jar each week and then chooses some to read aloud on Fridays.

Surprise Sticky Notes

Source: Positively Learning Blog

Affirmation Station

At VIDA middle school in Vista Unified School District, students in an English class give each other affirmations and gratitudes throughout the year.

Resources

Inspired? Use the resources below to bring this learner-centered strategy to your learning community.

📖 Mindful.org: How to practice gratitude
📖 Affirmation Stations

Associated Learner-Centered Competencies:

Plan & Design for Equitable SEL:
I design learning experiences that develop social and emotional skills and model my own social-emotional learning for learners.