“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer

November…the month most notably known for a very special holiday… Thanksgiving!  Usually, there is a lot of buzz around what to cook…Turkey of course…SMILE! And then there is the most important part of it all… spending time with family. When November rolls around, people start to change their focus and think on the things they are grateful for.  An “attitude of gratitude” is the key phrase during this time of year.  So let’s look at what those three words mean for the educator and ultimately the students!

Albert Schweitzer reminds us that we are ignited by each other’s passions.  Watching someone else do amazing things can sometimes give us the push we need to be great ourselves especially when we feel at our lowest or we think we cannot accomplish the goals and tasks set before us,  and when our hope is almost gone.  Our flames can be rekindled by the encouragement of someone who comes along the way to spark our interest and curiosity to something bigger and greater than we ever imagined.  It is the investment of others who took the time to see our light diming and “fan our flame” before it totally went out and/or someone who saw the light completely gone and exposed us to something that sparked a desire for more that got us to the point where we are today.  I don’t know about you, but I have a DEEP GRATITUDE for all of my life investors!  I thank them for seeing something in me that I didn’t see in myself and being patient enough with me to ignite my passion and fan the flame long enough to lead me down a path of great success.

As educators, our job is the spark the flame in our student’s lives. We need to be there to ensure that their light never goes out…but in the chance that it does…we need to invest our time into lighting the way. One of the biggest ways we can spark our students is by showing them that who they are is a major contribution to all those apart of the community.  Showing students a sense of worth in their gifts, talents, etc. and how it impacts the lives of others can start to ignite a passion in them and give them a purpose for being. When we express gratitude toward our students, we show them a piece of themselves that they may or may not be fully aware of.  By telling them “Thanks!” we encourage them to keep on trying, to keep on believing, to keep hope alive in their hearts.  Our students’ light should be the brightest when they step into the classroom because there is an atmosphere of safety, support, understanding,  and most importantly…GRATITUDE!

So what are some things we could be thankful for about our students?

• Their personality
• Their determination to get the right answer
• Their curiosity
• Their smart-alecky, class clowning, roughhousing ways
• Their challenging questions that can stump us
• Their incessant talking…especially during the mini-lesson…
• Their Failures
• The list goes on and on…even the things about our students that really get on our nerves can be something to be thankful for because it keeps us striving for something better. Bottom line, WE ARE who WE ARE because of THEM…therefore…let us be thankful!

Now…THE CHALLENGE…For EVERY student on your roster, express to them what you are grateful for concerning them as your student.  This could be in the form of a note or you can tell them verbally in person but find a way to make each person feel uniquely special by sharing how grateful you are because you are their teacher.  You can do them all at one time in one day, or you can spread out your gratitude giving for the rest on the month.  It’s up to you, the important thing is that you are shining your light on them so that their light doesn’t go out!

Remember…ALL of your students should get a memento of your gratitude…even the most challenging of the challenging…even the ones that make you cry at night….actually…START WITH THEM FIRST!  You have until NOVEMBER 30, 2018.  Share your experience with others by commenting below!