A huge part of gratitude is understanding and empathizing with those around us. As teachers, we will encounter many students with cultures and backgrounds from around the world. We created the International Gratitude Project to connect with others across the world to gain a better understanding of gratitude practices across cultures. 

One portion of the International Gratitude Project is a postcard project started on the Postcrossing website. By sending out postcards to people from around the world, we receive postcards in return. Many kind strangers have already taken the time to write beautiful postcards about their personal and cultural gratitude practices and we have already gotten to learn so much about how other cultures practice gratitude. From acts of service to special dances, these gratitude practices are now integral pieces of our international project and learning about different cultures as teacher candidates. 

By learning about gratitude practices across cultures, we as teachers will be better able to connect with our students by both demonstrating and teaching gratitude in a way that is meaningful and personal to them.

The GRADitude Campaign! 

In June, The Gratitude Room Project team collected unused cosmetics, toiletry items and beauty supplies, make-up bags etc. to put together a bunch of gift bags for low income grads, so that they could feel pampered on their big day. 

We collected items such as:

Unused make-up for all skin types

Hair products

Soaps and face washes

Deodorants and perfumes/cologne

Hair accessories

Muds and Masks

Make- up bags, travel cosmetic and bath bags

Bath and shower bombs, etc.

The team delivered over 80 Toiletry and Beauty Goodie bags to the Banting HS Guidance office, which were distributed to low income Grads. The project was a major success and we look forward to carrying it on in the future!