A huge “Thank you” from Julia for all the things you do everyday:

Family for your unconditional support

Friends for your long term support and laughs

Readers of this blog for your encouragement and support

Connections from around the world – Thanks for sharing and growing with me

 

A peer wrote this:

An activity I always enjoyed facilitating in my classrooms as a teacher was the “Thank You” Circle. As a principal, I also led these circles with teachers and staff at staff meetings. The activity comes to mind in this season of Thanksgiving.

We often appreciate what others do for us, but in our busy lives we have few opportunities to recognize or experience the accumulated power of small kindnesses.

This is what the Thank You Circle makes possible.

He said, “I see my fifth grade class gathering for Morning Meeting on the rug. It’s Friday morning and it’s been a week with a mix of preadolescent drama and solid academic accomplishments. I wonder what they’ve noticed and felt about each other as they’ve worked together over the week. Thanksgiving is coming”.

“This morning, after our greeting, we’re going to have a Thank You Circle,” he said. Eyes dart around the Morning Meeting circle. “Let’s begin with a silent greeting,” he whisper. The children concentrate and silently mouth “Good Morning” to someone across the circle until all have been greeted. Sometimes it’s hard to hold back a giggle, and there are lots of smiles.

“Remember with our thank you’s, “he says, breaking the delicious silence, “that this is not a time for the great big ones, like “Thank you for being the best teacher in the world” (they all laugh), or thanks for being my best friend. Remember to be specific. And we know from other thank you circles that maybe not everyone will get a thank you today, but we do appreciate everyone for their contributions in this class, and everyone who wants to gets to participate in the Thank You circle”.

And so it goes as small, specific thank you’s pile up in the center of our circle…in our collective short-term memory…and we recognize the strength of our community, and sometimes places where we need to grow as we notice those who have not spoken or been spoken to.

I would like to see Thank You Circles around the world.

I think they would be powerful. It might feel awkward for grownups at first.  But don’t you think they should give it a try?

Your professional learning community could be so much more than data teams.

Your work place meetings could be so much more.

Your extended family gatherings could be so much more.

Your friendly get togethers could be so much more.

Perhaps in some families the thank you exercise around the Thanksgiving table, or any meal, could be a ‘rich dessert topping’ of simple appreciations. Enjoy!

 

Notes:  The ways of saying Thank you from http://robinhoodpmfl.wordpress.com/