you can make a difference you can change the world those are the reasons I became
the world those are the reasons I became
the world those are the reasons I became a teacher from the time I was a little
a teacher from the time I was a little
a teacher from the time I was a little girl I knew I wanted to be a teacher I
girl I knew I wanted to be a teacher I
girl I knew I wanted to be a teacher I would lie my teddy bears up in my room
would lie my teddy bears up in my room
would lie my teddy bears up in my room and teach them lessons my mom taught
and teach them lessons my mom taught
and teach them lessons my mom taught elementary school for over 30 years and
elementary school for over 30 years and
elementary school for over 30 years and I loved it when she would take me to
I loved it when she would take me to
I loved it when she would take me to school with her my high school French
school with her my high school French
school with her my high school French teacher inspired me with her tales of
teacher inspired me with her tales of
teacher inspired me with her tales of adventures in France I always knew I
adventures in France I always knew I
adventures in France I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and teach French
wanted to be a teacher and teach French
wanted to be a teacher and teach French I believed I could make a difference and
I believed I could make a difference and
I believed I could make a difference and I believed I could change the world like
I believed I could change the world like
I believed I could change the world like my teachers had for me when I graduated
my teachers had for me when I graduated
my teachers had for me when I graduated from college my dream came true I was
from college my dream came true I was
from college my dream came true I was teaching French in a high school and I
teaching French in a high school and I
teaching French in a high school and I was taking students to France in the
was taking students to France in the
was taking students to France in the summers it was everything I thought it
summers it was everything I thought it
summers it was everything I thought it would be and more we move ahead 25 years
would be and more we move ahead 25 years
would be and more we move ahead 25 years negativity everywhere testing school
negativity everywhere testing school
negativity everywhere testing school grades teacher evaluations I was
grades teacher evaluations I was
grades teacher evaluations I was struggling I was at the lowest point of
struggling I was at the lowest point of
struggling I was at the lowest point of my career I didn’t know that I was
my career I didn’t know that I was
my career I didn’t know that I was making a difference anymore and I was
making a difference anymore and I was
making a difference anymore and I was ready to to give up and to drop out and
ready to to give up and to drop out and
ready to to give up and to drop out and to walk away from my dream the day after
to walk away from my dream the day after
to walk away from my dream the day after Thanksgiving in 2015 I found something
Thanksgiving in 2015 I found something
Thanksgiving in 2015 I found something very special in my bookcase and it was
very special in my bookcase and it was
very special in my bookcase and it was this note written to me by Kristen and
this note written to me by Kristen and
this note written to me by Kristen and Kristen had graduated 6 months before
Kristen had graduated 6 months before
Kristen had graduated 6 months before and gave it to me right before she
and gave it to me right before she
and gave it to me right before she graduated when I found this note I found
graduated when I found this note I found
graduated when I found this note I found hope I realized that I had made a
hope I realized that I had made a
hope I realized that I had made a difference for Kristen I realized that I
difference for Kristen I realized that I
difference for Kristen I realized that I had changed her world in that gave me a
had changed her world in that gave me a
had changed her world in that gave me a new sense of energy and enthusiasm and
new sense of energy and enthusiasm and
new sense of energy and enthusiasm and optimism and it got me thinking I turned
optimism and it got me thinking I turned
optimism and it got me thinking I turned to my husband and I said his five
to my husband and I said his five
to my husband and I said his five favorite words honey
favorite words honey
favorite words honey I have an idea
I have an idea
I have an idea his response oh boy what if we had
his response oh boy what if we had
his response oh boy what if we had everyone stopped at school and write
everyone stopped at school and write
everyone stopped at school and write thank-you notes maybe that could make a
thank-you notes maybe that could make a
thank-you notes maybe that could make a difference for everyone I wasn’t the
difference for everyone I wasn’t the
difference for everyone I wasn’t the only one struggling how many query write
only one struggling how many query write
only one struggling how many query write in a week a thousand the thousand thank
in a week a thousand the thousand thank
in a week a thousand the thousand thank you challenge began now I was so excited
you challenge began now I was so excited
you challenge began now I was so excited about my idea shared it with everyone
about my idea shared it with everyone
about my idea shared it with everyone and some people thought I was crazy and
and some people thought I was crazy and
and some people thought I was crazy and I am crazy but that’s beside the point
they said thank yous thank you so the
they said thank yous thank you so the solution to our problems we’re focused
solution to our problems we’re focused
solution to our problems we’re focused on graduation rates they thought my idea
on graduation rates they thought my idea
on graduation rates they thought my idea was fluffy New Mexico is number one in
was fluffy New Mexico is number one in
was fluffy New Mexico is number one in the nation for student dropouts is that
the nation for student dropouts is that
the nation for student dropouts is that fluffy New Mexico is number two in the
fluffy New Mexico is number two in the
fluffy New Mexico is number two in the nation for teacher dropouts is that
nation for teacher dropouts is that
nation for teacher dropouts is that fluffy seven thousand students a day
fluffy seven thousand students a day
fluffy seven thousand students a day across the nation drop out of school and
across the nation drop out of school and
across the nation drop out of school and that means that 7,000 students a day
that means that 7,000 students a day
that means that 7,000 students a day walk away from their dreams and this is
walk away from their dreams and this is
walk away from their dreams and this is not okay
not okay
not okay I am done messing around with negativity
I am done messing around with negativity
I am done messing around with negativity in our schools it’s invading and it’s
in our schools it’s invading and it’s
in our schools it’s invading and it’s spreading is your school dealing with
spreading is your school dealing with
spreading is your school dealing with negativity or a lack of engagement what
negativity or a lack of engagement what
negativity or a lack of engagement what if there were a simple solution I have a
if there were a simple solution I have a
if there were a simple solution I have a radical remedy for you
radical remedy for you
radical remedy for you gratitude take the challenge to write a
gratitude take the challenge to write a
gratitude take the challenge to write a thousand thank yous at your school in
thousand thank yous at your school in
thousand thank yous at your school in ten days or less now this may sound hard
ten days or less now this may sound hard
ten days or less now this may sound hard but a school in Edgewood wrote three
but a school in Edgewood wrote three
but a school in Edgewood wrote three thousand two hundred and eighty two the
thousand two hundred and eighty two the
thousand two hundred and eighty two the first time they took the challenge it’s
first time they took the challenge it’s
first time they took the challenge it’s simple better yet it’s free and the last
simple better yet it’s free and the last
simple better yet it’s free and the last time I checked we can afford free
well there are three steps to pass your
well there are three steps to pass your gratitude on step 1 stop you might say
gratitude on step 1 stop you might say
gratitude on step 1 stop you might say when you can stop any day but how about
when you can stop any day but how about
when you can stop any day but how about this Thursday take just 10 minutes to
this Thursday take just 10 minutes to
this Thursday take just 10 minutes to make it a thankful Thursday step 2
make it a thankful Thursday step 2
make it a thankful Thursday step 2 right give everyone at school time so
right give everyone at school time so
right give everyone at school time so they can write a note to someone who is
they can write a note to someone who is
they can write a note to someone who is special to them the note can be for
special to them the note can be for
special to them the note can be for anyone some write notes to friends or
anyone some write notes to friends or
anyone some write notes to friends or teachers some write notes to family or
teachers some write notes to family or
teachers some write notes to family or others outside of school even as gifts
others outside of school even as gifts
others outside of school even as gifts so why is this so radical everyone must
so why is this so radical everyone must
so why is this so radical everyone must explain why they are thankful saying
explain why they are thankful saying
explain why they are thankful saying thank you is one thing saying thank you
thank you is one thing saying thank you
thank you is one thing saying thank you for helping me find my voice is
for helping me find my voice is
for helping me find my voice is something different the Y touches the
something different the Y touches the
something different the Y touches the heart in her age of technology hand
heart in her age of technology hand
heart in her age of technology hand writing a note is powerful it’s personal
writing a note is powerful it’s personal
writing a note is powerful it’s personal students put parts of themselves into
students put parts of themselves into
students put parts of themselves into each note that they create and those
each note that they create and those
each note that they create and those notes hold their energy the love that
notes hold their energy the love that
notes hold their energy the love that Kristin put into writing this note for
Kristin put into writing this note for
Kristin put into writing this note for me it’s still here it’s lasting and it’s
me it’s still here it’s lasting and it’s
me it’s still here it’s lasting and it’s tangible and something that I can keep
tangible and something that I can keep
tangible and something that I can keep forever step 3
forever step 3
forever step 3 share a 75 years study at Harvard shows
share a 75 years study at Harvard shows
share a 75 years study at Harvard shows that relationships are the key to a
that relationships are the key to a
that relationships are the key to a happy life are we teaching our students
happy life are we teaching our students
happy life are we teaching our students how to build relationships do they know
how to build relationships do they know
how to build relationships do they know how to reach out to one another in a
how to reach out to one another in a
how to reach out to one another in a matter of moments we can show students
matter of moments we can show students
matter of moments we can show students how they can make a difference with a
how they can make a difference with a
how they can make a difference with a simple thank you note and when they
simple thank you note and when they
simple thank you note and when they share that note they see that they can
share that note they see that they can
share that note they see that they can change someone’s world and positivity is
change someone’s world and positivity is
change someone’s world and positivity is contagious our schools can be
contagious our schools can be
contagious our schools can be inspiration stations where everyone
inspiration stations where everyone
inspiration stations where everyone thrives
thrives
thrives you might say can one person really
you might say can one person really
you might say can one person really shift a school culture yes and I happen
shift a school culture yes and I happen
shift a school culture yes and I happen to know one a principal named Teresa and
to know one a principal named Teresa and
to know one a principal named Teresa and Michigan bought into my crazy idea to
Michigan bought into my crazy idea to
Michigan bought into my crazy idea to write a thousand thank yous and she sat
write a thousand thank yous and she sat
write a thousand thank yous and she sat down and wrote notes to her staff then
down and wrote notes to her staff then
down and wrote notes to her staff then she gave her staff time during a meeting
she gave her staff time during a meeting
she gave her staff time during a meeting to write notes to their students and
to write notes to their students and
to write notes to their students and then students wrote notes as part of a
then students wrote notes as part of a
then students wrote notes as part of a writing lesson they created 600 they
writing lesson they created 600 they
writing lesson they created 600 they shared 600 and when they did there were
shared 600 and when they did there were
shared 600 and when they did there were 1,200 exchanges of gratitude and that’s
1,200 exchanges of gratitude and that’s
1,200 exchanges of gratitude and that’s how you can pass your gratitude on this
how you can pass your gratitude on this
how you can pass your gratitude on this is just one example schools around the
is just one example schools around the
is just one example schools around the world are stopping and sharing gratitude
world are stopping and sharing gratitude
world are stopping and sharing gratitude in Canada Australia Bulgaria Lebanon
in Canada Australia Bulgaria Lebanon
in Canada Australia Bulgaria Lebanon Germany New Zealand and the United
Germany New Zealand and the United
Germany New Zealand and the United States they’re making their schools
States they’re making their schools
States they’re making their schools happier places gratitude is a radical
happier places gratitude is a radical
happier places gratitude is a radical remedy for negativity gratitude is for
remedy for negativity gratitude is for
remedy for negativity gratitude is for everyone it doesn’t matter what language
everyone it doesn’t matter what language
everyone it doesn’t matter what language you speak it doesn’t matter what grade
you speak it doesn’t matter what grade
you speak it doesn’t matter what grade you teach it doesn’t matter where in the
you teach it doesn’t matter where in the
you teach it doesn’t matter where in the world you live gratitude is for everyone
world you live gratitude is for everyone
world you live gratitude is for everyone this note is the reason why I’m here
this note is the reason why I’m here
this note is the reason why I’m here today
today
today confident that we can chase negativity
confident that we can chase negativity
confident that we can chase negativity out of our schools this note is why I
out of our schools this note is why I
out of our schools this note is why I didn’t drop out and I am so excited for
didn’t drop out and I am so excited for
didn’t drop out and I am so excited for you and a new opportunity that you have
you and a new opportunity that you have
you and a new opportunity that you have to stop write and share gratitude so you
to stop write and share gratitude so you
to stop write and share gratitude so you can make a difference and so you can
can make a difference and so you can
can make a difference and so you can change the world
change the world
change the world so this Thursday ok let’s start a global
so this Thursday ok let’s start a global
so this Thursday ok let’s start a global revolution of positivity ok let’s all
revolution of positivity ok let’s all
revolution of positivity ok let’s all take the challenge to stop and write a
take the challenge to stop and write a
take the challenge to stop and write a sow
sow
sow and thank yous so we can make our
and thank yous so we can make our
and thank yous so we can make our schools happier places it’s time for you
schools happier places it’s time for you
schools happier places it’s time for you to pass your gratitude on thank you
to pass your gratitude on thank you
to pass your gratitude on thank you [Applause]
”
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