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. A student teacher, enjoying her cupcake, gives Esther a piece because she feels sorry about depriving Esther. The Good (Pros) Celebrating holidays can bring students together and help create a sense of community in the classroom. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. For expats, holidays can mean liberation from pressures to celebrate with family in the usual ways . When viewing video content or other materials at home, students have the option of learning at their own pace. Celebrating your students cultures is a great way to embrace diversity, but its also a chance to honor the commonalities that bring us together. In this blog, by the authors of the current as well as the upcoming second edition of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwardlay out some principles about how programs and teachers can think about holidays in their classrooms. Ensuring that all students understand the different types of celebrations that happen is a positive reinforcement of cultural awareness in the classroom. National Association for the Education of Young Children, Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education position statement, Finding a Place for the Religious and Spiritual Lives of Young Children and Their Families: An Anti-Bias Approach, Everyone is a Star: A New Way to Celebrate and Learn about Each Other, The Lunar New Year is a Global Celebration. Holidays give families an opportunity to spend time together and celebrate. Edutopia and Lucas Education Research are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. It's important to know what your purpose is in bringing up religion most often, teachers intend to foster tolerance for other beliefs and faiths, and one of the best ways for teachers to do this is to plan ahead and to consult with informed sources, colleagues, parents, and the community. At Spredfast, a social media management platform based in Austin, Texas, all kinds of occasions are celebrated, from birthdays to Cinco de Mayo to Hackweek, during which employees compete to come up with new products. Having taught about holidays for the better part of 15 years in four schools, I have rarely been questioned but know theres always the potential concerned parent. You may be considered cheap. There is, however, the potential for problems when you discuss religious themes in a public school, like a parent complaining that you are preaching. Acknowledging or celebrating holidays in early childhood programs can bring pleasure to many families, staff, and children and can be useful in building connections between school and families. Flipped classrooms have pros and cons. Discover practical tips and innovative ideas for preschool teachers in our award-winning magazine. 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. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. You may be surprised at the number of teachers or administrators who can give you a firsthand account of the holiday in question. Holidays give families an opportunity to spend time together and celebrate. Tell your students that they will have the opportunity to participate in a modern-day Seder in this session. Understanding the different ways people do and dont celebrate; learning accurate, respectful vocabulary about holidays; broadening childrens worldview of what a holiday isthese are all wonderful, powerful learning outcomes for children about holidays. Theyre not in church on Sunday., Passing on the Joyful Encounter: The role of the catechist. Regardless of how commercially advertised or widespread these secular approaches may be, they are grounded in specific religious and cultural assumptions. So what is a teacher to do? Contact us with your questions-- we're here to help! 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. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Chapters 1 and 2 examine the personal and social meanings of holidays, as well as current approaches and new ideas for celebrating, noting the benefits of a holiday curriculum. Focus is on meaningful ways to celebrate holidays without spending money. One benefit of participating in Halloween events and celebrations is that it could be used as a conversation starter, sparking discussion between you and your children. Connect with professionals in your community at conferences, networking events, advocacy efforts, leadership opportunities and more! We can't escape the eve of All Saints' Day but we can prevent our kids from getting into trouble. Celebrating is a great way to be an inclusive and culturally responsible teacher, especially if you have ELLs in your classroom or live in a diverse community. Halloween is fun, but it can be stressful. $(document).ready(function () { Makes a person remain with the family for enjoying and planning for the future. Our Jewish ancestors in faith celebrate Passover to recall their redemption from slavery in Egypt. Students use inquiry-based learning to gather information about Columbus's impact on the Americas. Benefit #2: You get cultural immersion for a few hours. The Tree . Celebration of Christmas is a staple in preschools and elementary education settings. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate, as long as you work to foster an inclusive and accepting classroom environment. There's long been an assertion that holidays are better celebrated at the family level and don't belong in a modern classroom. The highest amount is $38,804, while the lowest amount is $45,909. 2. Combat this with plenty of water, hand-held fans and shaded ceremonies. As there are three sides to holiday work, we will take a look at each of them individually: For the employees The holidays are a time to celebrate with loved ones. 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. In addition, some Muslims and members of other religions not only refrain from alcohol but can be offended by its very presence, and so may not want to attend a party where alcohol is served, Holder noted. You'll miss home. Page through Exodus chapters 7-15 with the class and have each group choose passages they will illustrate on the tablecloth. Families may find certain holidays stressful due to the amount of commercialization and the media pressure to buy. Pamela Rivers is a writer and English teacher who has been writing for over 20 years. For example, Mothers Day and Fathers Day, in the traditional narrative, recognize only one type of family. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Many in the education community believe that this is due to an outdated school schedule still based on a harvest schedule that gives students summers off and extensive holidays throughout the year. Pro: Appreciate the money, time, and effort spent in decorating the tree as much as you can prior to Christmas Day, because after that, they are just a sad reminder that the holiday is over. How we teach about holidays is a reflection of how our community values expanding our knowledge about ourselves and our neighbors. Fewer tourists at Tet festival. Recognizing these holidays in the classroom can help these students celebrate and share a part of their cultures while they are in school. Procedure: A few weeks before your classroom Seder, have students work in small groups to decorate the tablecloth (bed sheet) you will use for the ritual meal. Adding technology to the classroom increases the overall amount of exposure to electronic devices. Explain that a Seder celebrates the story of the Jewish Exodusthe freeing of the Jewish slaves in Egypt. Deepen your professional knowledge wherever you are with NAEYCs exciting webinar series and online and face-to-face training opportunities. Place a small pillow on each chair. Jaimie Douaihy, a junior, spent her winter break catching up with her family. --Making any party nondenominational, and including recognition of all kinds of holidays associated with December, Holder said. Find research-based resources, tips and ideas for familiesfrom child development to reading, writing, music, math, and more! Remind them that Jesus was a devout Jew. How do teachers approach such issues as textbook content, values education, controversial issues, and religious holidays? Children's social behavior and emotions are still . Pros And Cons Of Celebrating Columbus Day. Louise Derman-Sparks Julie Olsen Edwards. They use this information to answer the question of whether a fictitious community should continue to recognize Columbus Day. Check out our five tips for celebrating holidays in the classroom in an impactful and appropriate way. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. Breaks give students time to bond with family and friends. Text 1: A magazine article about the pros and cons of celebrating Valentine's Day in general. According to Gallup, employee recognition can boost productivity by 14 percent, increase profit by 18 percent, and grow customer satisfaction by 10 percent. You get to do what you like in the weather you like, and all at the low price of 'off season' (as they say in tourist industry jargon). When Henry Ford gave his workers a five-day week in 1926, having Saturdays off was seen as a revolutionary shift to the typical workweek. Julie Olsen Edwards,coauthor of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, was on the faculty of Cabrillo Colleges early childhood education department for 45 years. Students who can't afford them might feel embarrassed. Luckily, the teacher notices the conflicted expression on Esthers face and intervenes: Esther, do you know that cake is made with leavened flour and that you cant eat it during Passover? Esther nods her head. If she had, she might have planned with themfor example, asking if the the birthday childs family might check with Esthers family about bringing a non-leaven cookie or pastry for Esther. One of the benefits of school holidays is the time that families can spend together. Here is an incident where a student teacher allows her personal feelings to undercut a basic practice of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Instead, it lifts up one groups holidays above others. Place a small pillow on each chair. Image Credit: Brian A Jackson/Shutter Stock 145450387. 8. An Anti-Bias Guide to Including Holidays in Early Childhood Programs, have contributed to the authors thinking.--Editors. On the other hand, they can increase prep time for teachers and can present challenges to students. Join your professional membership association, explore local Affiliates, and access unbeatable member benefits. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. The rest of that time is spent on weekends, holidays and vacations. Con: If it's real pine, you'll be vacuuming needles all month and opening gifts under a glorified stick. } The focus of Passover celebrations in Jewish homes is a ritual meal called a Seder. Some [employers] give major Christian and Jewish holidays off and are moving to include major Muslim holidays as well. 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/. Sparklers also add to this display as children young and old rush to write words in the sky before the light goes out. 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. There's no doubt about it; at some point in your experience, you're going to miss something about where you come from, whether it be the people you love, your pet, the food, or just being able to speak your own language more often. They all depend on factors like age, social, marital and parental status, company position or carreer choices. "I was able to sleep in, but also go out. Copyright 2023 WETA Public Broadcasting. Respecting the cultural diversity among the families you serve means recognizing that all have the right to their traditions. Search an ECE degree directory, explore professional standards, and join our community of practice. 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. CONS: Creating a good quality educational video can be time consuming. Colorn Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, and receives major funding from the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association. All cultures commemorate beliefs, historical events, and people significant to the culture through special celebrations and holidays from daily work. The holiday season is the most common time to have time off work and school. Okay, not everything, but most businesses, including museums and other tourist attractions, are closed. The United States officially codified the five-day week for all workers in 1932. From Lunar New Year celebrations to Holi celebrations, a vibrant range of festivities and holiday traditions happen all over the world. Here are our tips on what to cover, how to incorporate the holidays into your educational lesson plans, and more! Less visible are the different ways in which our cultures influence our understanding of the world and how we interact with others. Sign up today for free resources, activities, lessons plans, special promotions, and much more! 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. The holidays can be used to explore how people of diverse backgrounds practice similar values. History of Elf on the Shelf The scout elf tradition . Activities that foster these objectives prepare children to live in a diverse society with respect while cherishing their own beliefs. Catherine Goins, who worked with Louise and Julie on the second edition, and Julie Bissons book Celebrate! When Catholics gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we acknowledge that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. This court decision has three important parts to it: [*such as classroom instruction in a public school]. So why cant you sing about Jesus? Public school teachers know that the answer is tied up in the U.S. Constitution, but the question did prompt me to ask myself a question that I still ponder today. 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. 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. Avoiding Academic Work. More employee appreciation supports your company culture and your business. Celebrating the Holidays and Diversity in the Workplace The winter holidays can also be a source of conflict for HR managers, who must ensure the season doesn't lead to hurt feelings,. Discoverthe latest research and best practices, and engage with our diverse community of professionals! 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. Spending all day in a classroom actively learning is tiring, and there is a limited amount that students can learn. Some schools also have graduation ceremonies or Youre Off to Kindergarten parties for children transitioning out of the programs. Second, specific reasons to celebrate, like Administrative Professionals Week or Admin Day, keep holidays top of . 4. Do your research, keep an open mind, and speak with your students. The . However, it does not prohibit students from worshipping on their own. When elementary-age children have holidays and parents do not, parents can be left scrambling for day care options. If your favorite part of celebrating the holidays is spending time with family and friends, your holiday wedding will feel extraordinarily sentimental. Learn about the collaborative initiative to advance a unified early childhood education profession. Inform students about various beliefs, rather than conform students to any particular belief. More school time could increase student learning. The Gospels of Matthew (26:17-19), Mark (14:12-16), and Luke (22:7-13) all report that after arriving in Jerusalem on the day Christians now celebrate Palm Sunday of the Lords Passion, Jesus instructed the disciples to make preparations for the Passover meal they would share together. The ritual on these pages is intended to help students understand what happens at a Seder and to participate in an important tradition in the lives of our Jewish brothers and sisters. Not having to take extra time off work could also make some guests available who might otherwise not be able to come. One of the benefits of school holidays is the time that families can spend together. Just because public schools in Texas have celebrated Halloween for generations is no reason to mindlessly continue it. Explore jobs in theCareer Center and findhigher education and professional development opportunities. Pros and Cons PROS Students have more control over their learning. It gets quiet around five days before Tet . This is an important element in children learning about, rather than celebrating, a holiday grounded in a specific faith or celebrating a historic event. Reasons to avoid Vietnam during Tet (lunar new year) Everything closes down. There are definitely pros and cons of celebrating this spooky day. School work, especially in junior high and high school, becomes a child's job. The purpose is to recall the Exodus story with our students and honor its part in our story of faith. 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. 00:48. But having a culturally-aware, inclusive classroom means recognizing that for many cultures, there are significant holidays year-round. Winter is the least busy month for movers because not many people want to move when it is extremely cold outside. Fax: 888.834.1303, Found the perfect materials for your classroom? 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. Major support provided by our founding partner, the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. Celebrations can be respectfulfor example, Honoring Our Families get-togethers; Thanking the People Who Make Our School Work (cook, janitor, bus driver, etc.) A bunch of snowflakes or garlands on the walls, for example, is perfectly OK, but a manger scene is such a religious symbol that it could offend non-Christian workers, lawyers and experts say. Brief Description. Cons of teaching abroad 1. Due to the amount of commercialization and the media pressure to buy and professional development opportunities might not... Secular approaches may be surprised at the number of teachers or administrators can... Create a sense of community in the classroom can help these students celebrate and share a part of celebrating spooky! 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Religious holidays foster these objectives prepare children to live in a diverse society respect... And best practices, and more secular approaches may pros and cons of celebrating holidays in the classroom surprised at the number of teachers AFL-CIO!, music, math, and religious holidays of teachers or administrators who can give you firsthand.