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Happy Thanksgiving to All You Montessori Teachers!

Happy Thanksgiving to All You Montessori Teachers!

Hello from San Diego!

This is my favorite blog to write each year because it gives me a chance to pause, count my blessings, and give thanks for all the things I’m most grateful for in 2019.

As teachers, we have a responsibility for raising and teaching our students the meaning of gratitude, including being mindful of world peace. And I know at times it can be truly difficult since there’s so many negative things going on across the globe. But, as Mark Frost put it, “there is no light without darkness;” that means, in spite of the darkness, there is still so much to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to All You Montessori Teachers!, Spramani Elaun

So this season, pause with me. In fact, I’d encourage you to grab a piece of paper or notebook and jot down a few of the things you’re grateful for this year. As for me…

I’m grateful for so much this year—my children, my work, my dearest friends (coaching me daily), my mother’s recovery from a heart surgery, traveling and meeting beautiful friendly people in different parts of the world—but I have to say, this year, my gratitude focus is on being a teacher and being able to share my passions with all my young students.

I’m also grateful for and want to acknowledge the amazing teachers that get up every day to teach young minds. I work with children almost every week, but it’s been a while since I’ve had to teach a class daily like most of you do.

Happy Thanksgiving to All You Montessori Teachers!

When I am teaching a class, one of my favorite things is listening to my art students share stories of things they’ve learned in their classrooms and all the fun they’ve had at school; you might not realize it in your day-to-day, but you are truly appreciated!

This year, I’ve also heard some very tragic stories from teachers I work with, about young students dying and having to help their whole classroom cope with such loss, or learning some students only get to eat at school and realizing those children are going home to poverty or broken homes every night. I’ve also talked to so many teachers that are battling it out with students who have behavioral problems—even some physical altercations or violent outbursts—and if you’re experiencing anything like that, my heart goes out to you!

I am very grateful for all you beautiful teachers who head into class every morning. Our children need their teachers!

A teacher recently told me that he had a student track him down on Facebook this year to thank him for his support and encouragement in the classroom. It had been more than 25 years since the student was in his class, but he clearly had left a great impact on this young person’s life.

Happy Thanksgiving to All You Montessori Teachers!, Gracias

I can relate to this story, and I’m sure if you’re a teacher, you can too. I remember my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Martinez. She gave me the desire to be adventurous and want to travel and she supported my creative spirit.

So while you are off and out of the classroom this week, spending time with your loved ones, just know that I—and so many others—are grateful for all you do.

Thank you for touching the lives of your students, and thank you for showing up here and sharing my art teaching adventures with me!

Wishing you and your family a very warm, happy holiday in this season of Thanksgiving!


谢谢, gracias, cảm ơn bạn, teşekkür ederim,

Warmly,

Spramani

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Making Gratitude Cards to Celebrate Thanksgiving, Montessori Activities

The holiday and Thanksgiving season are a time of reflection for most people—most adults, anyway. It’s a time we think about everything we’re grateful for, and it’s a practice we should be sharing with our children and students.

Expressing gratitude has the power to reduce stress, foster a sense of belonging, and yield a host of emotional and mental health advantages. Fundamentally, gratitude involves feeling thankful and appreciative of the positive aspects in your life. As educators, we have the opportunity to lead our students toward recognizing and appreciating the multitude of “gifts” they encounter daily, spanning from the wonders of nature to the joys of delicious food and the warmth of cherished friendships.

Every year, around our Thanksgiving holiday here in North America, for as far as I can remember, I would have my children make gratitude cards for all our guests. We would place them around the dinner table for each guest to read when they sat down. Each card would be something simple, the guest’s name and a sweet sentiment of appreciation for who they are.

I would also surprise my own kids with tiny gratitude gifts as well, telling them how thankful I was to have them in my life. I still do this every year, even though they are all grown up! 🙂

 

I think it is so important to write and document these thoughts and feelings. I know this activity has always grounded my children and given them a heart of giving, rather than receiving. I still journal myself about what I’m grateful for, and give thanks all year long for the big and little things in my life—like the free lemons that grow in my garden.

Making Gratitude Cards to Celebrate Thanksgiving, Montessori Activities

Teaching Gratitude to Your Students

Preschool students should be taught to say thank you when they receive a gift or a kindness from another person. Remember to teach them that the size of the generosity doesn’t matter. They can be grateful for a big gift, but also for a sunny day or hug from a friend.

Students in lower elementary can think a little more in depth and should be encouraged to reflect on their day. They can even create and keep a gratitude list of good things that happened.

Upper elementary students can also focus on keeping gratitude lists or journals. But introduce the concept of good coming from bad, and teach them they can be grateful in negative situations too.

Making Gratitude Cards to Celebrate Thanksgiving, Montessori Activities

Gratitude Card Making Project Idea:

Here’s a great way to combine a writing and drawing lesson that helps students express their gratitude.

Gather your students, talk about what gratitude means. Give examples of things you are grateful for, or suggest things they might feel grateful for. Then pass out index cards and have each child write, “I am grateful for…” Be sure to write prompts out to copy as an example.

Once they’re done, have them draw a picture about what the thing(s) they were thankful for. Students can make a booklet or paste their card to their picture. Be sure to check out the video below for supplies and simple instructions.

Supplies:

  • Paper or card stock—any size, color, weight
  • Stickers—any theme
  • Stamps and ink pads—any colors
  • Pencils
  • Crayons
  • Color pencils
  • Glue
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Washi decorative tape

Gratitude Cards from Spramani Elaun on Vimeo.

For more project ideas, make sure you sign up for my newsletter or check out my sample art calendar.

Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.

The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.