Thirty days ago, my vice principal, Kristi, challenged all of us to 30 Days of #Gratitude.
I was one of many people that decided to take this challenge. I did so for many reasons:
- Being positive is one of my personal goals for this year, and Kristi’s challenge coincided with that.
- I find this to be a stressful time of the year. The staffing process starts in schools, and it’s easy to get immersed in the negative. I didn’t want this to be the case.
- I love my job! Teaching makes me happy, and working with students ALWAYS makes me smile! I thought that this 30 Day Challenge would be the perfect reminder of why it’s always worth being positive!
And now that the challenge is officially over, what did I learn?
- There are lots of things to be positive about! Most days, I used the #gratitude hashtag multiple times, and probably could have used it multiple more.
- Attitude matters. I know it sounds silly, but I actually found myself dreaming about what #gratitude tweet I would send out each morning, and starting the day with a smile, tended to help me end with one too.
- We all need a support system. I really felt as though this #gratitude challenge was a “team affair,” and it was great to know that there were other people there being positive with you. After a hard day or a sad moment, I’d find myself checking out the #gratitude tweets just to help bring about a smile. This always worked!
- A home/school connection is essential! A wonderful parent at our school also contributed to this #gratitude challenge, and it was great to see teaching and learning through her eyes. I’ve always believed strongly in supporting this home/school connection, but this challenge made me realize this even more!
A Look At Some Of These Parent #Gratitude Tweets!
This challenge was the perfect reminder that I’m one of the luckiest people in the world: I work in a wonderful school, with amazing educators and administrators, terrific parents, and outstanding kids, doing a job that I absolutely adore! As our principal, Paul, says every day on the announcements, “Make it a great day or not … the choice is yours!” I plan on continuing to make it a great day, everyday, as there’s much to be grateful for in education. Who’s with me?
Aviva