In Montessori classrooms, gratitude isn’t just a holiday theme - it’s a foundational part of the culture, woven into the fabric of daily life. While Thanksgiving provides a beautiful opportunity to pause and reflect on what we’re thankful for, the practice of gratitude in a Montessori classroom is something that takes place year-round. Let’s delve a little deeper into how we practice gratitude on a daily basis at HMS!
The first and most important is Modeling Gratitude. Children learn through observation, so the way adults express gratitude has a profound impact.
One of the cornerstones of Montessori education is the “grace and courtesy” curriculum, which teaches children the social skills of respectful communication, kindness, and empathy. A key component of this curriculum is expressing gratitude. Children are taught to say “please” and “thank you,” and they learn to acknowledge the efforts of others with genuine appreciation. This daily practice of verbal gratitude helps children internalize the value of thankfulness in both big and small moments.
Practical Life lessons are an integral part of a Montessori classroom. These activities, such as caring for the environment, maintaining the classroom, or helping younger peers encourages children to appreciate the contributions of others and the value in their own efforts. For example, teaching children to clean and organize their workspaces or properly care for classroom materials develops respect for shared resources and an understanding of their responsibility to the community. By engaging in these tasks, students recognize how their actions contribute to a harmonious environment. These consistent, hands-on experiences help instill gratitude as a natural and integral part of their worldview.
Thanksgiving Activities that Practice Gratitude
Thankful for you cards
Use practical life skills like cutting, gluing, and writing/drawing to craft unique thank you cards for anyone they are grateful for such as a teacher, peer, or family member.
Preparing food
Involve your child in preparation of a meal, walk them through all the steps taken throughout the cooking process, as you’re sharing the food as a family, emphasize gratitude for the ingredients and the shared experience.
Nature craft
Collect natural materials like leaves, acorns, and pinecones to create a Thanksgiving wreath or centerpiece. Each family member can contribute items and share why they are meaningful or symbolic of gratitude.
Alternatively your child can make a ‘Thankful Tree” where they can draw or paint the stem of a tree and then create leaves to write out various things that they are grateful for. While attaching these leaves to the branches they can watch the tree grow with gratitude.
Thankful For You!
Lastly, we want to say a special thanks to our HMS families, we are deeply thankful for all of you. Your unwavering support, trust, and partnership mean the world to us as we work together to nurture and inspire your children. Your dedication to their growth and development creates a vibrant and loving community that truly sets our school apart. As we celebrate the season of gratitude, we reflect on how fortunate we are to have such wonderful families at HMS. Thank you for being such an important part of what makes our community so special—Happy Thanksgiving!
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