This is the English version of the interview published in Educacion 3.0 this week.
Interview with Owen M. Griffith, educator, consultant, mentor and blogger.
Book: Gratitude: a way of Teaching. (Publisher in Spain: Narcea)
· In your book you state that gratitude can change the classroom. What are the elements that make up this feeling of esteem and can transform a class?
Gratitude is more than a pleasant feeling for us and our students. Gratitude is a verb; it is an action. Our gratitude will grow as we practice it consciously and make it part of our lives. As educators, we can bring gratitude into our classrooms by encouraging students to take part regularly in gratitude activities, such as writing in a gratitude journal, verbally expressing gratitude, creating artwork that helps gratitude grow, and also exploring creative new ways to practice gratitude outside the classroom in our families and lives. As we make conscious gratitude part of the lives and ourselves and our students, gratitude elevates the culture of our classrooms. Initially, I was interested in bringing gratitude into the classroom because I read the research that students who practiced gratitude achieved better academically and also had less discipline problems and reported enjoying school more. For teachers, when they utilized gratitude, they experienced less stress, felt more satisfaction in their work, and also felt more willing to help their students and colleagues. After using gratitude in my classroom for over a decade, I can overwhelmingly report that I have found all that to be true. Gratitude is not a panacea that will cure all challenges in education, but it a powerful tool that can improve the culture and climate in any classroom.
· The current situation has forced distance education, how can this gratitude be extended when students from the same centre are separated?
With our current situation with forced distance learning, we can still practice conscious gratitude. In fact, it seems even more important to integrate gratitude into our distance learning to help balance out the difficulties that our students experience. We should first admit that this situation is challenging, but then we can look at the opportunities to bring gratitude into distance learning. I know teachers who will start virtual conferences with students, asking how everyone is, checking in, sharing challenges, and then also asking all students to share at least one thing they are grateful for. This helps balance out all the negatives going on and gives students the opportunity to find the positive things still going on in their lives and with distance learning. Attitudes are contagious, even remotely, and gratitude can help us all survive and even possibly thrive through these challenging times. Also, students and educators should look for empowering stories to share about how people are using creative ways to get through the isolation of social distancing.
· What are the three ingredients you would use to keep gratitude active in the classroom?
The three ingredients a teacher should use to keep gratitude alive and growing in the classroom are:
1. Practice Gratitude Personally
As with any action or change, we need to model the behavior before we ask our students to try it. You can start with a gratitude journal, writing each day: “Thank you for ___ because___.” Apps and websites such as Greater Good Science Center (www.thnx4.org) can send gentle reminders and prompts to help you practice this new gratitude exercise daily.
2. Spread Gratitude to Students
We can introduce the concept of gratitude to our students by starting with a gratitude list or another activity. Embedding gratitude into existing classroom activities makes the process spread more successfully into classroom culture, as well as saving precious instruction time. In social studies class, for example, students might research a historical figure who had a positive impact on the world and write about why they are grateful for that person. In English class, a teacher may have students compose a gratitude letter to someone they are grateful for, either in the school or in their family, and then, if possible, deliver the letter to the recipient.
3. Keep Applying Gratitude
Cultivating gratitude can bring transformative changes, but it often happens incrementally, so be patient and persistent. Encourage students to lead the initiative, changing it, and making it their own. Let their interests, strengths, and passions guide the process. Change gratitude routines to avoid “gratitude fatigue.” Keep activities fun and novel, allowing students and colleagues to create their own gratitude activities, and incorporating gratitude into art, music, science, or technology projects. One creative high school class used henna tattoos to display character traits they were grateful for in each other. When an educator and their class embrace gratitude, it can be a powerful tool to improve and energize school culture.
o What about teenagers?
Teenagers may pose a special challenge to the implementation of gratitude in our classrooms and families. Adolescent brains are still developing, and the last area to fully develop is the pre-frontal cortex, where executive decisions are made.
Gratitude activities can be successful with teens, but we need to be patient and flexible. Giving teens choices and independence helps. Even if we are not successful initially, don’t give up. Some teens will respond after a little time. Include them in researching new gratitude activities and let them lead us in new directions. Remember that teens may not express gratitude the way younger children do, but they still feel it and need it.
· In one of the chapters of your book you show some of the myths related to gratitude, such as that it leads to complacency or that it is only a positive thought, what is true in those myths?
Misconceptions and myths about gratitude prevent some people from trying gratitude. In the book, I present compelling research that shows in detail how those
myths are not true, but are also easy for some people to buy into. By investigating and presenting the latest scientific research, misconceptions may be dispelled. Educators may be resistant to the implementation of gratitude for a number of reasons, but by trying to create school-wide support, the application will be more successful. In addition, students may feel that gratitude is merely an obligation, but by introducing a gratitude curriculum a deeper level of practicing gratitude may be achieved. Also, to overcome the myths and resistors, we can show teachers what gratitude in the classroom may look like. Fantastic articles, blogs, and videos are available on-line, showing gratitude being implemented successfully in the classroom with a variety of activities. After these obstacles are overcome, gratitude will help shape classes and an entire school in a new and positive manner.
How can gratitude be applied among students to try to disprove them?
As we use gratitude, we can relate our experience to students to counter any obstacles. Also, an educator can present gratitude and the latest scientific research to help students to overcome any resistance to using gratitude. Not only does the research confirm that gratitude works in the classroom, it also offers activities and tools. Also, readers should feel free to share stories from my book about the benefits gratitude brings to educators, students, and their families. Students are often excited about the idea of spreading gratitude to their families and communities. As I said earlier, gratitude is contagious and soon after I was successfully implementing gratitude in my class, many other teachers in my school started doing the same thing, In fact, one teacher started a “Gratitude Chain” hanging from the ceiling in the hallway. On each link, students had written something they were grateful for. Every day different teachers and students added to the gratitude chain until it went all the way down the hallway. Students were so excited seeing this every time they walked in the hallway that they kept asking if they could add their gratitude to this chain. This kind of enthusiasm powerfully dispels many of the myths and misconceptions students and teachers may hold about gratitude.
· In his book you show that gratitude is not compatible with materialism or with believing oneself to be 'entitled to everything'. A question that is very much related to today's materialistic society. In this scenario, how can a child learn to be grateful if he believes he doesn’t need anything?
Embracing and practicing gratitude has been shown to remedy some of the pernicious effects of materialism and entitlement. Gratitude gives us a new way of seeing the world and connecting to other people, instead of negatively tying ourselves to “things” that make us happy. In what regards are materialism and gratitude diametrically opposing forces? Gratitude focuses on the positive aspects of life and the people that make those good things possible. Conversely, materialism focuses on the “things” we think we need that will bring us happiness. Applying gratitude in our classrooms and families is
another powerful step to displace entitlement. Coming from a foundation of gratitude, families can undertake acts of altruism and compassion to foster gratitude and overtake feelings of entitlement. Moreover, by demonstrating gratitude as a family, we are helping to recalibrate our priorities and to eliminate those overpowering feelings of privilege. Finding an organization to contribute to or to become volunteers as a class or as a family are steps that help gratitude eclipse feelings of privilege. Even volunteering a few hours a month can bring about the desired change. Nevertheless, this change doesn’t always happen quickly. We need to be patient and realize we are trying to supersede some entrenched habits of thinking and acting.
· You also link gratitude to responsible use of technology, what is the common ground between the two?
As we navigate our digital world, simple guidelines and interjecting some gratitude will help keep us centered and grounded. This will also enable us to lead our students and children to a balanced life with regard to technology. Encouraging students’ balanced use of technology and limiting screen time helps students and adults lead a more integrated life. Gratitude may be interjected into our technological lives, helping us stay grounded. We need to realize that gratitude is its own kind of technology. Unplugging from technology periodically may allow us time to reflect and become truly grateful. When we take even a few minutes away from digital distractions to focus on gratitude, we are recalibrating ourselves and becoming grounded again. Furthermore, we can think of the positive ways technology impacts our lives, such as making many aspects of our lives easier and more efficient. Finally, in a positive use of technology, we can use a gratitude app on our smart phone to remind us to be grateful and make it a habit.
Can gratitude redirect students' relationship with technology?
When we take even a few minutes away from digital distractions to focus on gratitude, we are centering ourselves and becoming grounded again. This is even more imperative when life gets hectic and our stress levels rise. One gratitude activity we can do personally and with our students is to close our eyes, take a deep breath, and think of whom we are really grateful for, why they are important to us, as well as the things they do for us. Taking just a minute and delving deeply into gratitude can refresh us and restore some sanity to our frantic day. Some of our screen time may be replaced with a gratitude activity. Could we also integrate a gratitude activity with screen time? Sure, we can have students write a text or email to someone, telling them how grateful they are for them. Also, gratitude lists on smart phones, tablets or computers are wonderful ways to count our blessings. Personally, I still keep a gratitude list I started over 20 years ago on my computer and enjoy going back and reading over the things I have been grateful for at different times in my life.
· Although mindfulness and emotional education are becoming more widespread in schools, they are not considered compulsory subjects. What do you think about this? How can gratitude be introduced so that students recognize their emotions?
Currently, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), including gratitude, is growing strength and traction in education. I now work at university where we train teachers in every area of education, and in every program we include the area of Social Emotional Learning. Our training and curriculum cover Social Emotional Learning and how to implement it personally and in the classroom. I see this trend and I am very encouraged by this. Research shows that Social Emotional Learning empowers academic success, as well as giving effective life skills like emotional awareness and tools to help deal with the entire range of emotions. Also, it is encouraging to see new funding to help this movement spread, but we need more. We can all help by using these ideas to start implementing gratitude in education in whatever role we play and then encourage colleagues to do the same. Feel free to contact me by email at griffitho@hotmail.com if I can help. We can all make a ripple effect that can turn into a tidal wave that can reshape the future of education and the world in a positive way.
· What do the following words suggest to you? (This question can be answered with 2 or 3 synonyms)
Appreciation-recognition, awareness
Positive discipline-cultivation, affirmation
Complaint-criticism, protest, grievance
Family-powerful, love, teachers
Teacher-guide, mentor, advisor
