My routine practice in ending a class, any class including those of language and lecture, is to have students express gratitude to their partner of the day and the whole class. Nothing special, nothing interesting, and nothing fun. I say, “Now, thank your partner and all!” Students smile and say something like, “Thank you for working with me today.” Or “You were a great partner today. Thank you!” In Friday afternoon classes, I add, “And wish them a nice weekend!” And they say, “Have a nice weekend!” to each other and leave the classroom, chatting and/or smiling to each other. Probably, that’s the happiest moment during the class period for me, in every single class, I should say. It doesn’t matter much, at that moment at least, how well or how badly the class went.

My routine practice in ending the last class before Christmas is giving out two pieces of chocolate to each student. The late Marc Helgesen shared this activity in his presentation at JALT International Conference more than 20 years ago, and after that, I’ve been doing this every year, with great joy. I say, “Here you are. One is for you, and the other is for somebody you are grateful to. Give it to that somebody and thank them. You must share it and show gratitude with words.” Usually, students give away a second one to their family member, boy/girlfriend, friend, or neighbor: somebody who is close to them, related or not. However, once a boy student gave it to a bus driver. Not a local bus driver, but a school shuttle bus driver. The student held it out to a driver without saying anything. The bus driver looked bewildered. No wonder. Then, the student said, “Our English teacher told me to give it to you.” When I took the bus later, the driver talked to me. He said, “The other day, one of your students gave a piece of chocolate to me. It was like a Christmas present. Thank you!” I did not tell the student to give it to that driver and it WAS indeed a Christmas present. Well, I explained our activity to the driver. I said, “I gave each of my students two pieces of chocolate and told them to give one of them to somebody you are thankful to.” The driver gave me a big smile. Somehow, every time I do this activity, I remember the obedient and shy student and the happy driver. And the memory makes me happy.

The Christmas season is coming. I’ll do the activity soon as always, but this season I’ll do the same two-decade-old activity, remembering Marc.