Building gratitude in the classroom is a great strategy when dealing with a challenging class. We all know that some teaching years are more challenging than others. It’s during these years that I change up my curriculum and attempt to help my students gain a new perspective on their lives and build gratitude in the classroom. It’s important that I tell you that I teach 6th grade at a middle school.
I’ll preface my next statement with this: I love middle school. However, as a 6-8 grade teacher it became apparent early in my teaching career that one of the traits associated with this age range is their very narrow world view.
A feeling of gratitude can elude many of us (regardless of age) when we lack perspective on our own lives and the lives of others. During tough teaching years, my goal is for my students to gain perspective on their lives and an appreciation for all that they have. Here’s how I increase gratitude and decrease attitude in middle school students.
Gain perspective and build gratitude in the classroom with reading selections
About 5-years ago, I came across a novel titled Iqbal. It’s about a boy in Pakistan who was sold into child slavery at a carpet factory. It may seem a bit harsh to offer this slice of reality, but I’ll tell you that it humbles even the most serious complaining.
First, the fact that a family might be put into the position to sell their children into slavery is shocking. The constant question kids return to again and again throughout the novel is this:
What would cause a parent to do this?
This ties into economics, class, history, and so much more. There’s no way to escape this conversation because shocked curiosity takes over.
Reading strategies can help students gain perspective and build gratitude
I start off with an old article in my dated literature text that’s an excerpt from the show 60 Minutes. A boy named Craig Keilberger started a group called Save the Children when he heard about the story of Iqbal Masih. You can search up Craig Kielburger or Iqbal Masih for more information and photos. (Craig still runs the organization today).
After reading the article and looking at photos of Craig and Iqbal, I introduce the novel Iqbal, by Francesco D’Adamo. I can honestly tell you that during my most difficult teaching years, this novel humbles even the most challenging students. Engagement is high. Attitude is minimal.
Reduce frustrations for struggling readers
I strategically partner up students so that struggling readers are paired with fluent readers. I’ve already taught Close Reading Skills (find a freebie and see more tips below) to set them up for success. Since we’re reading a novel, we set up pages in our composition books to respond to the text instead of writing in the book.
You’ll want to have an abundance of thinly sliced sticky notes on hand. (I slice up sticky notes so they’re about 3/4 of an inch wide and pass around small stacks to kiddos. I also have a basket of them ready at all times so students can easily grab more.)
Before we read each day, we draw a line down the middle of the notebook page. On the left side, we write the page and paragraph numbers we’re responding to. On the right side, we stick our sticky notes we’ve written on about the particular section of the novel. After a few days, kids really don’t need the sticky notes because they get used to writing in their notebooks.
Students must discuss the reading selection with each other and be ready to participate in a whole-class discussion. The notes and questions in their notebooks will help them do so. I do a modified book club. Find more information about reading and book clubs here at this blog post.
I begin reading the novel aloud. After a chapter or two, I assign a page number that partners must get to by the end of the period. When the time is up, we come back together as a group and use our notes to discuss the novel and our insights and questions.
Engage the class and support struggling readers
Each day I’ll read a chapter or part of a chapter aloud and then send students off to meet their page goal. In this manner, we complete the novel in about 7-8 days.
As we begin each day, I’ll set a goal for students. I may mention an event from the part they’ll be reading and ask for their predictions beforehand. As always, I remind them to use context to help with challenging words, phrases, and parts.
When it’s class discussion time, I note the speakers, topics brought up, and I call on students directly and ask them what they think or if they have a question to bring up. (Note that you want to be supportive to those students you know shy away from speaking out…I try to check in with them before our discussion time begins.)
In this way, I grade speaking and listening, reading comprehension, and the effort made to engage that day.
Using reading skills students have learned is just a bonus because our main focus is on the lives of other kids on this planet and how we all have something to be grateful for, regardless of our situation.The novel gets intense at times. Students are shocked that the lives of others can be so different from their own.
It’s a humbling experience. Keeping our lives and struggles in perspective is a valuable lesson, and to have an experience with this in early middle school is gold.
Gain perspective and build gratitude with a common experience
As a teacher, I refer back to Iqbal’s situation, and the lives of many children around the planet, all year long. When complaining starts, I mention Iqbal and the characters in the carpet factory. This generally quiets those who whine about a classroom assignment.
Keep gratitude in the forefront by continuing to investigate
This month we were fortunate that our Scholastic Magazine had an article about child labor in the United States in the early 1900s. Pictures of children as young as 4 standing at machines where they worked day in and day out in the USA was almost as shocking to students as the idea of selling children into slavery.
A new perspective on where money is spent
Additionally, I brought in the cocoa industry, where child slavery is key in the harvesting of cocoa pods in west African countries. There’s new information about chocolate companies who promised 10 years ago to phase out purchasing cocoa from countries where child labor is used. Many have not made changes… Hershey’s being a main culprit.
We watched clips from the film “The Dark Side of Chocolate”, which documents child labor at cocoa plantations and confronts large companies who buy their cocoa from these plantations knowing full well what goes on and that their profit is made off the backs of children.
(One year I dug into the clothing industry, especially jeans, and we discovered that indeed child labor is alive and well in popular companies because the cheap labor costs outweigh doing the right thing.) Sometimes I introduce Iqbal after our discussion of the chocolate and clothing industries; sometimes I do this after reading Iqbal.
When students learn about the lives of others, perspective begins to filter in to their own slice of reality. I’ve found no more powerful impact than when students learn that their lives (and some of their lives are not pleasant) might not be a terrible as they think. And, the knowledge that people go through terrible things and still persevere broadens their perspectives.
This is where students recognize the opportunities in their own lives, and they actually reflect on their attitudes and actions. And I continually refer back to the lives of the kids we’ve read about as a reminder of the need for perspective and gratitude.
To implement successful partner reading, you’ll want students to have knowledge of close reading skills. Check out my favorite way to teach Close Reading.
Here’s a great way to introduce Close Reading:
When teaching close reading, begin with the Oreo Lesson. You’ll find a more detailed blog post on Close Reading here.
Pass around a mini-Oreo
Tell students to eat it as quickly as possible
On chart paper titled “Oreo First Read”, record observations of the first Oreo.
What did it look like?
What did it feel like?
What did it smell like?
What did it taste like?
Pass around a second Oreo but direct student not to eat it.
On chart paper titled “Oreo Second Read”, record observations after a step-by-step analysis of the Oreo. Direct students to analyze the look of the Oreo. Give them a minute to simply look at it. Then record their observations on the chart. Do this with all the senses.
Finally, tell students to close their eyes and put the Oreo in their mouths but not chew it. Let it melt. Record observations.
Compare the two charts. Keep them up around the room as you now introduce close reading. Note that reading something quickly without analysis is like cramming an Oreo into your mouth and swallowing it. Close reading is like observing the Oreo with intention.
I use this analogy all year long. Use this FREE RESOURCE: Close Reading Strategies to teach close reading and text analysis in your upper elementary and middle school classroom.
One activity I’m using a lot right now in class is my Engaging Close Reading Passages. I love these because they’re high-interest and differentiated, and they’re the perfect test prep activity. Find the Close Reading Passages here.
Marcy
I’m teaming up with some great bloggers this month. Click the links below for more amazing posts.
Deann Marin says
Sounds like a great book, just what those Middle Schoolers can use to get some perspective on other cultures and the difficulties they face. This of course helps build empathy and kindness. Thanks so much for sharing these helpful ideas. I love your Oreo activity, I bet your students do too.