Dear Families,
On Monday, we started a month-long community Gratitude Practice. Rather than share the goings-on of our lives in Monday morning Opening, I asked students to reflect on things they were grateful for. This week, the responses ranged from “My puppy” to “My Sister” to “The Pilot School” to “Playing on a team.” As we learned what our community was grateful for, we talked with the students about the impact of gratitude on their thoughts and feelings.
UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center has identified ten building blocks of individual and community well-being — “the behaviors that research suggests will support your health and happiness, and foster positive connections with other people” and gratitude is one of those building blocks. Up for a heavy deep dive? Check out this 72-page white paper on the science of gratitude. Looking for something a little more digestible? Here’s a short overview from the GGSC on the topic.
As the Pilot community commits to a month of gratitude leading up to Thanksgiving, I’ve included some resources for adults and families to join us.
Books for Adults:
The Thank You Project by Nancy Davis Kho
The Little Book of Gratitude by Robert Emmons
Thanks a Thousand by A.J. Jacobs
Books for Kids:
Gracias/Thanks by Pat Mora
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena
Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes
Grateful Ninja by Mary Nhin
Warmly,
Alli
Video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I4VRIWppTiIsimhe3piGGsaroueqZT7n/view?usp=share_link
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