Diversity, a Greenwich, Conn.based firm that promotes diversity in the workplace. Contact us with your questions-- we're here to help! Diversity, whether it involves religion or the gender of the partner someone brings to a workplace party, should be celebrated along with the holidays so that everyone feels welcome, experts advise. Regardless of how commercially advertised or widespread these secular approaches may be, they are grounded in specific religious and cultural assumptions. 1. Celebration of Christmas is a staple in preschools and elementary education settings. In the beginning, our nation was primarily the home of Native Americans and other indigenous groups representing more than 400 languages, Africans from a wide range of different regions, and Europeans of mostly British heritage. And all dominant culture holidays reflect a particular perspective about historic events and particular groups of people who are admired and those who are erased. Yet, conflicting celebrations may also have common ground. Pros and Cons Preschool Theme Days Are Fun! Every year I ask myself, what do these children understand about their relationship to their holidays? We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. She is upset when Edward, a student teacher, doesnt eat anything. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){
Even some Christian families see these as pagan appropriations that trivialize one of their two most important holy days of the year. Homepage illustrations 2009 by Rafael Lpez originally appeared in "Book Fiesta" by Pat Mora and used with permission from HarperCollins. The pros of using technology in the classroom are dependent on how well teachers and faculty acclimate themselves to said technology. They can return to our website and order the items you selected. The Drawbacks of Class Pets. Now playing. Each community, under the supervision of the rabbi, developed its own Haggadah, which means guide or script. What do seem to be fairly consistent are the four questions that are at the heart of the ritual. Some of the reasons have to do with cultural sensitivity. Field trips to a neighborhood market or library firm up real life applications of classroom learning. Grades: 6-8, 9-12. Browse pros and cons of halloween resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. For instance, an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department sued because he was required, he said, to attend a Christmas celebration and training session at a Christian church. Everyone points out the advantages of homeschooling, but before you jump in, what are the drawbacks? Likewise, if students need to excuse themselves for prayer during the school day, it'd be best to plan a schedule and accommodate them in such a way that it does not interfere with their educational time in the classroom or with other students. All of these recommendations are in line with the standard that officially guides states and schools on this issue the "Lemon Test," named after the 1971 court case of Lemon v. Kurtzman. Below, find out how Elf on the Shelf works and explore the possible pros and cons of bringing home a scout elf for your family this holiday season. One example would be using it as a time to talk about different beliefs of life, death, and what happens after death. If you are dating or married to someone that wants a large Valentine's day celebration, it may not be the time to make it small. Now the United Kingdom has launched the largest test of its kind to see if five days is too long . Teacher materials produced for February's celebration of black history are often limited to the most-celebrated black Americans Martin Luther King, Jr., George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks. Read about this initiative focused on equity in early childhood and find other equity-related content. The most important and common aspects are listed below. Other kinds of designated holidays often included in early childhood program activities may be based on beliefs or practices that negate some families. The holidays can be used to explore how people of diverse backgrounds practice similar values. It does mean that you make choices that do not disrespect or leave out any family. Makes a person remain with the family for enjoying and planning for the future. Less visible are the different ways in which our cultures influence our understanding of the world and how we interact with others. This article shows teachers how to bring rich cultural content into their teaching in a way that expands students' knowledge, interest, and respect for the group being featured. Access accreditation data on early learning and higher education program characteristics and quality for research purposes. Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Video reduces the time of reading and allows you to "instruct" asynchronously. As we've already established, there are many pros and cons for working on holidays. It would be disrespectful to Jews for us to Christianize the Seder in order to focus on what happened at the Last Supper and the Eucharist. It is no mistake that winter was chosen to celebrate important events -- in a season of darkness, a savior, optimism, and knowledge are all symbolized by light amid the darkness. Published October 9, 2017. A student teacher, enjoying her cupcake, gives Esther a piece because she feels sorry about depriving Esther. Read about NAEYCs leadership, mission, values and beliefs, and strategic governance. They all depend on factors like age, social, marital and parental status, company position or carreer choices. The article offers suggestions that teachers can use throughout the school year, as well as when observing cultural and religious holidays and celebrations. There are pros and cons to this as well, since it really can go either way. The Music Okay, look. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. * Cover a large table with a cloth. That extends to these areas of potential conflict:Days off. Fill each cup with grape juice. Now turn the clock forward a hundred years. * Also on the table place the following: two unlit candles; a plate on which you have placed a piece of matzoh for each student (you may need more than one plate depending on the size of the group); one or more glasses half-filled with salted water; place setting of one plate and one cup for each participant. Listen to music related to the holiday between lessons. The heat. Page through Exodus chapters 7-15 with the class and have each group choose passages they will illustrate on the tablecloth. Video Program Guide. Pros And Cons Of Celebrating Columbus Day. One can teach about the holidays from October all the way through May, beginning with the harvest and the holidays of Halloween and Diwali and ending with the rituals of Passover, Easter, and May Day. Focus is on meaningful ways to celebrate holidays without spending money. This blog is a part of Equity in Action, a blog series exploring the many ways early childhood educators and administrators, higher education faculty members, policymakers, advocates, and other ECE allies can bring the new Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education position statement to life in practice and policy. We may earn a commission from links on this page. However, holidays also pose a range of challenges to ensuring that all children, families, and staff feel respected and to children learning about diversity of families. Sponsor study about religion, not the practice of religion. And dont schedule the event at a time (such as Friday night) that might conflict with someones religious observances. During the Passover celebration, Jews retell the story of the Exodus, when the Israelites were led out of Egypt to freedom. She does not realize it is Ramadan, when observant adult Muslims fast between dawn and dusk. When I answered, "Cooking with my flatmate and going for Turkish!" they longed to join us. 5 Tips for Incorporating Holidays in Your Lessons, Homework for Beginning ESL Students: 8 Tips for Success, Vocabulary, Writing, Listening, and Speaking Activities for ELLs, How to Integrate Higher-Order Thinking Skills Into Your ELL Lesson Plans. Youll likely find that there are ways to celebrate diversity all year long. More school time could increase student learning. I avoid sacred topics but honor the stories, characters, and rituals of holidays as symbols of positive values. Students get the same amount of instructional time. For example, for many Jewish people, Passover is a more significant holiday than Hanukkah, but Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday that teachers often cover since it occurs near Christmas. We currently live in a world where our knowledge about other cultures, languages, and traditions is extremely important to foster understanding and mutual respect, and we are now expecting teachers to be our first responders on the front line in this complex task. Celebrating a holiday engages children in holiday activities as full-fledged participants, on the assumption that their families believe in the holidays purpose and meaning. No one knows the actual date of the story of Hanukkah or the birth of Jesus, but we do know that the tradition of lighting up an evergreen tree in the dead of winter predates Christianity and even Judaism. See Review the Story of Exodus at the end of this article for an activity that will help you and your students review the story of the Exodus in preparation for your classroom Seder meal. Even within groups that honor the same holiday, how individual families celebrate will reflect both similarities and differences. 00:48. ), the goal is to expand your students' knowledge, interest, and respect for the group being featured. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. The holidays are a time to celebrate with loved ones. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Check out 10 negative and positive things Halloween can teach your kids. Don't attack me. Just because public schools in Texas have celebrated Halloween for generations is no reason to mindlessly continue it. Along with these we also observe and recognize Martin Luther King Day, St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Kwanzaa, Labor Day, the Jewish holidays, and many others. This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience. Plus, not everyone celebrates Halloween. In honor of St. Paddy's Day, Jimmy weighs the good and bad of joining the festivities.Subscribe NOW to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: http://bit.ly/. There are countless Christian Seders available online if you choose to go that route. Lets freeze your piece and you can eat it after the holiday. Esther relaxes, gives her cake to the teacher, and goes off to play. This is especially necessary in publicly funded programs where religious teaching is not allowed by law. Check out our five tips for celebrating holidays in the classroom in an impactful and appropriate way. These differ from each other. Sparklers also add to this display as children young and old rush to write words in the sky before the light goes out. Some believe it encourages children and adults to embrace spiritual darkness, while others see it as a bit of harmless fun for the kids. History of Elf on the Shelf The scout elf tradition . How Are You Approaching Holidays with Sensitivity in the Classroom? First, here are some of the good lessons. For any reprint requests, please contact the author or publisher listed. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Some platforms make many pedagogy processes simpler. Since the decision does not speak to holidays specifically, most schools have continued to celebrate holidays in the classroom, but some have employed stricter guidelines to ensure the lesson content is appropriate and does not jeopardize their funding. 5 cons of having technology in the classroom Photo credit : Markus Spiske 1. Some students, especially those in early elementary grades, may not be mature enough to care for a class pet. Learn about the rich Vietnamese culture. The three sections of the guide discuss rethinking the holidays, planning for change in teaching approaches, and aspects to consider when using holidays in the classroom. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Many educators have fought to continue celebrating holidays in the classroom because they see firsthand the value these lessons bring to their students. Explore accreditationofearly childhood higher education programs, discover the accreditation system standards, and view a list ofaccredited programs. In October, I draw a large circular calendar and mark October 31. Remind them that Jesus was a devout Jew. Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. The key, employment lawyers and workplace experts say, is to make sure no one feels excluded or forced to participate in workplace festivities. At my school, this lines up with our four pillars: knowledge, community, effort, and kindness. This does not mean that you must teach about every holiday your families practice. One of the benefits of school holidays is the time that families can spend together. Explore key early childhood topics such Developmentally Appropriate Practice, play, and math. Here are our tips on what to cover, how to incorporate the holidays into your educational lesson plans, and more! This article was written by the Catechist Staff and appeared in Catechist magazine, May 2014. Winter is the least busy month for movers because not many people want to move when it is extremely cold outside. PROS: Video is engaging and fun, it triggers more senses and can enhance learning. Support our efforts to secure a bright future for young children, educators, and families. Please add products before saving :). And most of us are probably guilty of paying a little less attention to our December friends' big days than we do to birthdays that fall in other months of the year. CONS 3. She has a bachelor's degree from Ball State University and a master's degree from Pepperdine University. Another point to consider when exploring the effects that Christmas can have is the distraction that the celebrations have on the set academic activities. Here are some resources to help you teach your children about different holidays: PBS Parents: Search for "holiday diversity" or "cultural diversity" for a great list of resources. Pros and Cons PROS Students have more control over their learning. While students may not need the amount of time off they currently receive, some breaks encourage rest and give students the boost they need to do their best when they are back in class. Put a copy at each place setting. Look for the and see details. Growing in popularity are American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month and Asian Pacific Heritage Month. It teaches them to be more social These overarching themes and lessons will appear in holidays across the board, which can help bring greater meaning to your lessons. Your job is to make students aware of the many cultures around them and to help them find commonalities among themselves and those they may view as different from themselves. Creating a common theme for the classroom fosters creativity, friendly competition, and teamwork. The challenge is to choose words that focus on the history of the special day and that also make clear the diversity of beliefs. See this interview with Dr. Cynthia Lundgren for more great tips on culturally responsive instruction! Find research-based resources, tips and ideas for familiesfrom child development to reading, writing, music, math, and more! Celebrate a national holiday as a class and discuss its meaning Have scholars share their personal experiences of holidays Classroom Considerations Instructors are encouraged to supplement or substitute resources to meet the needs of their students Pros Lesson provides a sample key of the celebration matrix to assist learners This leveled collection of readers covers a range of weather- and season-related topics, from frigid snow to warm sun rays. They also can build schoolfamily connections and community within a program. You'll miss home. It is hurtful to children and families to impose celebrating of the holidays of one group on all the children and staff, or to make the holiday traditions of some groups visible while others are invisible. Some schools may place no limit on holiday discussion while others may ask teachers to skip lessons on holidays entirely. When the students have finished decorating their portion of the tablecloth with the part of the story they are illustrating, have them explain their drawing to the class and tell how it relates to the Exodus story. There are other differences but, hopefully, the integrity and spirit of the celebration have been maintained and will enable your students to enter respectfully into the experience. So as Thanksgiving 2021 the 400th anniversary of the supposed first Thanksgiving approaches, you may be wondering exactly why Thanksgiving is bad. Longer breaks such as the winter holidays allow families an opportunity to reconnect. During the Jewish Passover celebration, our Jewish brothers and sisters drink wine and eat unleavened bread. Given that research, test data, and anecdotal evidence repeatedly confirm that culture plays a significant role in teaching and learning, student diversity challenges us to explore ways to bridge cultural differences and develop culturally sensitive teaching practices that recognize and accept these differences. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. In December, said Sam Baber, the companys director of talent and development, Spredfast goes whole-hog: It hosts 12 days of holiday movies, a traditional Hanukkah meal and a very intense game of White Elephant. Both the NAEYC Code of Ethics and the anti-bias education approach make respecting family diversity a cornerstone of quality early childhood programs. var temp_style = document.createElement('style');
Fewer tourists at Tet festival. There is, however, the potential for problems when you discuss religious themes in a public school, like a parent complaining that you are preaching. Login to the Early Learning Accreditation Portal to take charge of your accreditation process. Encourage awareness, understanding, and inclusion, not the practice of or devotion toward any religion. The . This year, Spredfast has planned a holiday gift drive where teams can sign up to receive $300 from Spredfast to purchase gifts for nonprofit organizations or charities of their choosing.Susan Milligan is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. For example, Mothers Day and Fathers Day, in the traditional narrative, recognize only one type of family. Join your professional membership association, explore local Affiliates, and access unbeatable member benefits. Some of the most prominent are African-American History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Women's History Month. Celebrating your students cultures is a great way to embrace diversity, but its also a chance to honor the commonalities that bring us together. To curb the spread of the virus, school districts around the country offered a variety of educational possibilities, from in-person school with masks to full online school to a delayed start to the academic year to a hybrid model that offered some days in a physical classroom and other days virtually. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. For example, one group might draw Moses before Pharaoh; another group might depict one or more of the plagues. Impossible to celebrate every culture. Personal decorations are fine as long as the decorations are kept to a minimum and are not in any way treading on the rights of othersand that includes ensuring that decorations dont create an unnavigable workspace, said Natalie Holder, an employment lawyer and founder and CEO of Quest Okay, not everything, but most businesses, including museums and other tourist attractions, are closed. Many parents and kids alike enjoy the fun and games of including this yearly ritual in their Christmas celebrations. We recognize the obvious cultural differences such as foods, heroes, holidays, arts, and clothing differences that, much like the tip of the iceberg, are clearly visible above the water. Most importantly, teaching children about the holidays guides them into lifelong learning and into thoughtfully and reflectively celebrating their own holidays within our diverse society. Text 1: A magazine article about the pros and cons of celebrating Valentine's Day in general. You can avoid controversial topics and still honor a diversity of holiday stories, characters, and rituals as symbols of positive values. The focus for students moves away from school and onto family and culture. Please complete the form below. Explore jobs in theCareer Center and findhigher education and professional development opportunities. The article offers suggestions that teachers can use throughout the school year, as well as when observing cultural and religious holidays and celebrations. Our nation is rich in many cultural and religious traditions, and celebrations focusing on specific groups have grown and become more popular in the last twenty years. Included: 1. Your shopping cart will be sent with product images, information, and subtotal. Objectives. Perform a science experiment: test which fruits and vegetables dye Easter eggs best or. A lifetime activist for children and families, she continues to write, teach, and consult on issues of equity, diversity, and anti-bias. At least 32 people were killed and 85 injured in northern Greece when a passenger train collided head-on with a high-speed freight train late Tuesday night, just before midnight. Taking days off here and there can provide students with the mental break they need to be engaged when they go back to school. Leaked Footage Shows People Inexplicably Walking Into Building That Has No Food. Stay up-to-date on issues in early childhood education and hear perspectives from a wide range of educators. However, this can be a huge advantage if you are on a tight moving budget. How we teach about holidays is a reflection of how our community values expanding our knowledge about ourselves and our neighbors. This can be done in a few simple ways: When it comes time to highlight specific cultural holidays, how do you pick the right culturally responsive materials? No matter what you choose to shed light on the subject (a lesson plan, ongoing unit study, field trip, cultural fair, special performance presentation, etc. SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference, Celebrating the Holidays and Diversity in the Workplace, New OSHA Guidance Clarifies Return-to-Work Expectations, Trump Suspends New H-1B Visas Through 2020, Faking COVID-19 Illness Can Have Serious Consequences, Antisemitism Fears, Incidents Are Rising in the US, Former CNN Anchor Speaks on Being Canceled, Overcoming Biases, How to Balance Religious Accommodations with Company Vaccination Requirements. Text 2: A magazine article about the pros and cons of children celebrating Valentine's Day. Some platforms are complicated, depend on other software programs to work, or just don't fit a teacher's instruction style. Have an approach that is academic and not devotional. Copyright 2014, Bayard, Inc. All rights reserved. Complete-A-Project Bible Search: Following Jesus, Complete-A-Project Bible Search: Jesus Teaches about the Law, Catechist: Im discouraged. Become an organizational or corporate partner to inspire early childhood education at the local and national level. It gets quiet around five days before Tet . Since there is no official ruling on celebrating holidays in the classroom, check with your administration or fellow teachers before planning your lessons. 520 East Bainbridge Street These hidden aspects of culture can cause misunderstandings and cross-group conflicts; they can impact teacher-student and student-student relationships, and create hard-to-identify barriers to academic content matter. While we suggest reviewing their recommendations in full, here are some general rules: Many educators have fought to continue celebrating holidays in the classroom because they see firsthand the value these lessons bring to their students. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. Parents seem to understand that teaching about the commonalities in holiday stories reinforces cultural understanding. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Popular Searches:DAP;Coping with COVID-19;E-books;Anti-Bias Education;Online Store. Many holidays include the motif of light, which you can use to begin to discuss what they have in common: Teachers sometimes focus on the winter holidays just to provide cover for discussing Christmas. Holidays can be a fun and exciting way to open doors to talking about different cultures and languages. Note: This article was originally written for the American Federation of Teachers. The best reason to move during the holidays - you will save money. But meaningful multicultural education must go beyond saying that we're a "melting pot," having an ethnic food celebration a couple of times a year, and acknowledging a few well-known historical figures. Here is an incident where a student teacher allows her personal feelings to undercut a basic practice of the Jewish holiday of Passover. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
pros and cons of celebrating holidays in the classroom