Grateful Gretta - Gratitude (Foster Care)
Grateful Gretta is the seventh of the stories from Powerful You (grades 2-adult).
Gretta’s story demonstrates ability to delay immediate gratification for long-term rewards (ASCA Behavior - Self-Management Skill Standard 4). Gretta also encourages the development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being (ASCA Mindset 1) which is an important tool for school counselors and educators to foster social emotional learning (SEL).
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” —Zig Ziglar
“Learn to be thankful for what you already have, while you pursue all that you want.” —Jim Rohn
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” —Oprah Winfrey
“ ‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” —Alice Walker
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” —William Arthur Ward
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” —Willie Nelson
“Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.” —Alphonse Karr
Video: Grateful Gretta’s lesson on gratitude
Powerful You Instructions
Powerful You is a tool for educators that enables children to learn through 26 social skill lessons in the classroom or in the home. Use for 20-25 minutes per week to teach each of the 26 social skills lessons. Here is how you can incorporate Powerful You and stories like Gretta to help foster SEL in the classroom as a school counselor or teacher.
1. Breathe and Stretch before every lesson. Feel the benefits in YOUR body and mind. Kids love the breathing ball.
2. Read the true short story from the 8.5 x 11 Powerful You Educator Cards and watch connection radiate in your class.
3. Stand tall and practice positive self-talk.
4. Open the lines of communication by allowing children turn & talk time with each journaling question from the Powerful You Educator Card. (use transition chime to move through questions quickly)
5. Display the Classroom Social Skills Sign. Leave a classroom footprint of emotional wellness.
6. Use the Powerful You Book for positive quotes and additional activities that correspond to each A-Z lesson. Add your ideas to this resource book. You are more powerful than you know!
7. Purchase The Powerful You Educator Kit . (Includes all resources for grades 3 and up)
8. See more of our favorite resources below.
Powerful You Tools for Educators
Excellent Reading Counts book for independent reading. (4th grade level)
