Reaction to "Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude"

 "Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude"

I really enjoyed reading this entry from Edutopia blogger Maurice Elias. In his post, Elias explains the benefits of expressing gratitude and ways to foster this attitude in the classroom setting. Elias provides 5 activities that students can engage in that encourage an attitude of gratitude.

I think that it is important for students of any age to be reminded of the importance of having an attitude of gratitude. I also believe that educators should embody this mindset. In healthcare fields such as dental hygiene I think this involves appreciating everyone on the dental team including the front desk staff. In our clinic at the community college I take the time to say hi to the custodians every time that I see them and as a faculty member I hope that my students notice and follow suit. Each person should be recognized for the work that they do and the role that they play in making an office or a school run smoothly.

I especially liked Elias' idea of writing thank you cards. I feel that people do not do this as often as they should. I also liked Elias' idea of having students write reflective journal entries where they think about their actions and the actions of others and how they are connected. This is something that I may consider incorporating into the Patient Management course that I teach.

Reference: Elias, M. (2013, November 14). Habits of Heart: Helping Students Reflect and Act on Gratitude. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/heart-habits-gratitude-students-reflect-act-on-maurice-elias