Thankful...

As the leaves fall and the air becomes crisp, it seems like the natural time to reflect and be more aware of all of the daily blessings that life has to give.  I think that it is especially important to have gratitude and be thankful for the little things that make each day shine a bit brighter.

At this time of year the end to our first quarter in our school year is just around the bend, and the routines for our classroom and school days have seemed to settle in a bit.  The little humans that we began our school year journey with about seven weeks ago as strangers, are now a part of our every day life and have become some of the people that we know best of all.

I think that by writing a "thankful" letter to my students is one way to put it all into perspective.  I have done this for many years and I feel as though it not only lets my students know what makes them such a special part of our classroom, but it also helps me to really think about what I love about each and every student.  I will be honest, it is easier to come up with attributes for some...but even for this part of the process, I am thankful and it helps me to consistently look for the positives and remind myself of those positives as the year progresses. 

I share these letters (usually tucked in with the first quarter report cards) with my students and their families, thanking the students for sharing their childhood days with me, and the parents and guardians for allowing me to be a part of their child's life and memories. 

It is just as important for kids to know how much we learn from them, and to thank them for that special, special privilege. 

Many thanks.