Friends,

Thanksgiving is nigh! For many, the end of November prompts a strengthening of appetites as families gather to indulge in the traditional fare of turkey, corn, and potato. These products, all native to the Americas, are a reminder of the unique role of Thanksgiving in our culture. The storybook version of the “First Thanksgiving'' that many of us learned in grade school was partially described in the journals of Calvinist pilgrims in reference to a 1621 harvest in Plymouth, MA (Baker, 12). Consequently, this year would mark the 400th anniversary of Thanksgiving celebrations in America. In reality, the origins of Thanksgiving as we know it are obscure, controversial, and have evolved continually. In fact, a November version of the holiday we know today was not adopted nationally until 1863! Even today, the observance of Thanksgiving is diverse--every person and family seems to have their own unique traditions. So what does it mean to observe a holiday for which we do not share a common set of practices---or even a common understanding of origin?

[Image Description: Over a backdrop of branches, birds, and falling autumn leaves rest the words “It Seems Thanksgiving Day is Upon Us”]

Pictured: Thanksgiving is upon us!

The Soul of Thanksgiving

To me, the key to successfully observing Thanksgiving lies not in the food, traditions, or origin story, but in our expression of gratitude to one another. In her book Gratitude in Education: A Radical View, Dr. Kerry Howells of the University of Tasmania promotes the practice of gratitude from both teachers and students as a tool to facilitate the learning process. Dr. Howells offers the following definition of gratitude (Howells, 38):

Gratitude goes beyond an emotion or thought to be something that is actualised in one's daily life through the heartfelt active practice of giving thanks. Gratitude is usually expressed towards someone or something. It is also an inner attitude that can be understood as the opposite of resentment or complaint.

I like the definition above because it highlights an action-oriented approach to gratitude. Reducing gratitude to a feeling or emotion can be problematic. If we experience feelings of ungratefulness, we may think we have somehow failed to “have” gratitude. It is probably not best to view gratitude as something external, which can be captured, possessed, or owned. These verbs inflate one's own sense of personal control, but “having” gratitude necessarily puts one in a submissive position. If we are grateful to another person, we are tacitly admitting a debt to them. This unavoidable indebtedness is precisely the aspect of gratitude that brings us together and connects us to one another. Instead of owning gratitude, let us think in terms of expressing or practicing gratitude. As graduate students, we are uniquely positioned to develop a far-reaching practice of gratitude at our university as we continue with our transition to in-person instruction.

The Power of Gratitude in Education

If a receiver views what they receive as a gift, they are often motivated to give back. Similarly, when a giver recognizes the perception of a gift as such, they are often motivated to continue giving. Such is the power of gratitude to connect us to one another by drawing us into an environment of giving and receiving. In an educational context, I’m not talking about physical gifts. I’m saying that we should view our standard teaching and learning practice through the lens of giving. A professor's lecture is a gift to the students. The students' presence is a gift to the professor. This mentality is increasingly important; for many, the pandemic has gravely affected our interpersonal connections. As graduate students, we can practice gratitude from multiple angles. We're all students, but many of us are teachers as well. I believe that the projection of our gratitude onto the faculty, staff, and students at UCR has a profound effect on our community’s social health.

[Image Description: A pumpkin pie rests on a cartoonish representation of the word “grateful”. A diverse set of hands reach in and take three consecutive slides of the pie. ]

Pictured: Let us eat pie together!

So how can we practice gratitude?

Gratitude should be action-oriented. Sometimes, expressing gratitude is as simple as saying “please” and “thank you”. If your students show up on time for class, you might thank them for doing so. Learning students' names is an expression of gratitude and a demonstration of the value you place on your students' attendance. If your professor gives a good lecture, thank them for it. These are general suggestions. For readers who like 3-step plans, there is a useful procedure for expressing gratitude in Dr. Howells's book. The basic idea is as follows (Howells, 51):

1. Write down a list of things for which you feel grateful.
2. Write actions you might take to demonstrate this gratitude.
3. Turn this list into a list of “gratitude practices” that can be applied more generally.

Here’s an example:

1. I am grateful for the running water in my apartment.
2. I should be more aware of my water use and run my dishwasher less often to reduce the strain on water resources.
3. I should be more efficient with my use of dishes so that I do not need to wash as many at the end of each day. This will result in less dishwasher use. It will reduce my water usage regardless of how I decide to wash the dishes. It will also reduce wear and tear on the dishes.

I like this procedure because it is flexible and can be applied to virtually anything that prompts feelings of gratitude. Give it a try! See how it affects you and those around you.

Readers--this week, I encourage you to ponder the meaning of gratitude. What does it mean to you? Try to practice gratitude with those around you; incorporate it into your teaching and learning. If you aren't feeling grateful, do not worry. We cannot expect to feel grateful all the time. Remember that gratitude is not something to be owned but something to be practiced voluntarily. I hope you will join me in a thoughtful practice of gratitude as we close out the quarter and begin a new year.

Have a happy, safe Thanksgiving. Whatever you are eating this week, I hope you enjoy it!

[Image Description:  A spherical dog jumps repeatedly through a giant mound of traditional Thanksgiving food, becoming gradually closer, until it occupies the entire image]

Pictured: Food is to be enjoyed!

To learn more about the history of Thanksgiving in America, check out James Baker’s Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday.

For more information on the power of gratitude as it relates to education, check out Kerry Howells’s Gratitude in Education: A Radical View.

References

Baker, James W. Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday. University of New Hampshire Press, 2009, https://archive.org/details/thanksgivingbiog00bake/mode/2up.

Howells, Kerry. Gratitude in Education: A Radical View. BRILL, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ucr/detail.action?docID=3034709.