The teaching of gratitude to a group of adults at the local senior center is on my agenda for next week. The class consists of four sessions, each one and one-half hours, Tuesday mornings. I have taught memoir and journaling previously. This is a new class for a new year. I turned in my short blip about the class on the spur of the moment to be included in the catalog. So far four folks have signed up for the class. An article in the newspaper mentioned the class so perhaps, the class size will increase.
Today I am outlining my self-made curriculum. Each Tuesday I would like to have a theme under the gratitude umbrella. Out come the books and my challenge to keep the class interesting.
My addiction to books gives me plenty of ammunition, so to speak. I pile the books into my cart on the Thriftbooks site. When the sum is $15 or more, I click submit. Yep, it’s that easy. Is that an addiction or just my trendy spend?. I usually check with the local library first and reserve or download an ebook if available.
I have five books piled next to me to peruse for gratitude ideas. Probably the best known one is Wake Up Grateful by Kristi Nelson. I have read it thoroughly and will base my classes on my favorite chapters.
I also will use:
Brother David Steindle-Rast’ Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer
The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan
To Bless the Space Between Us, John O’Donohue’s masterpiece of blessings.
I infuse poetry in my classes beginning with a chair poem. I literally place a poem on each chair for the participants to read as they enter. We then read the poem in community and write to a line or prompt within the poem that speaks to the individual. Sharing is always optional. I enjoy selecting the poems and always write with the class.
Let me begin at the beginning now and go through poems that I have set aside for just this purpose.
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