McIntosh students get grateful

McIntosh High English teacher Jane Edwards helps her students start class from a grateful perspective. 

Each day when they arrive, they write something they’re thankful for on a paper banner at the doorway. 

“At first they said, ‘We did this yesterday,’ or ‘I don’t know what to write,’ but as they continue to record items, they are getting more specific,” said Edwards. “If they don’t have an idea, I ask, ‘What do you have that you would miss if it were taken away?’” 

The sophomores are reading Paulo Coelho’s novel, “The Alchemist” where the main character learns to be thankful for even his hardships when he realizes that, without them, he would not have received the blessings. 

“My students are making a connection between their daily activity and what they are reading.” 

Edwards was inspired to launch the initiative by reading Ann Voskamp’s book “A Thousand Gifts.” She started her own thankful journal that now has over 4,000 items. 

“I experienced firsthand the transformative power of intentional gratitude,” she said. “The habit of gratitude is a life shaper. Students are surrounded by negativity, so having a ‘thankful forcefield’ helps them to see with fresh perspectives.”