Happy Thanks and Giving! Today I’m grateful for this treasure from one of the 8th-grade boys in our Spanish 1 class family:
He knows what I’ve always suspected, that FUN is our ticket to engagement and that PLAY is our brain’s favorite way to learn. It makes my soul sing that he would share this gratitude with me, a keeper for my Smile File, for sure.
This week I’m on a much-needed Thanksgiving respite; the two weeks prior have been busy with author visits, our #TXCharacterWeek celebration and a Family Engagement Night.
I love this joyful memory of the moment the Bay Area Alliance For Youth and Families gave away three signed copies of the book.
Mrs. Hayes Tweeted this lovely shoutout after our Mystery Zoom with her 2nd-grade authors in OH.
I shared that I grew up on my family’s dairy farm in WI but told them I no longer live there. They were able to guess where I am now after narrowing it down with their Yes/No geography questions. Then I showed them my book and we learned some ASL. Finally, we sang this song together, which I love because music unites us. We can’t all talk at the same time but we CAN all sing at the same time! As a bonus, who doesn’t love the magical and soothing power of the ukulele?
Not too long afterward, I had the blessing of connecting with a group of 4th-grade writers up in Wisconsin who wanted to share their KEY Principle reflections with me. Is this WOW work or what?
Our future is bright with these superheroes sharpening their SEL skills; I’m always so grateful for the opportunity to connect with our youngest leaders.
And speaking of thankful, what’s your favorite benefit of making gratitude a verb?
I really connect with the enhanced empathy and reduced aggression. Signing off with my favorite new commercial; have you seen this Hershey’s sweetness?
Savor every second; happy Thanksgiving 2022.
Barbara Gruener 