"December used to be very difficult for me. For many years, I fought the transition to the new year, was generally exhausted at the end of the year, and just wanted to hide. I described myself as a 'cranky Jewish kid who felt left out by Christmas."
-- Brad Feld
December used to be
very difficult for me. For many years, I fought the transition to the
new year, was generally exhausted at the end of the year, and just
wanted to hide. I described myself as a 'cranky Jewish kid who felt left
out by Christmas.'
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bradfeld796982.html?src=t_december
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bradfeld796982.html?src=t_december
I have a love-hate relationship with December. On the one hand, November is over and all the attendant craziness of Election Day (a day off for students in my former district but devoted to professional development for teachers), Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, report cards (at least if your district operates on a quarter system), and parent conferences is done. But on the other hand, winter vacation is imminent and it's not just the kids who are excited. The last week of the calendar year is, for many students and teachers in the US, the first long vacation they have since the start of school and, naturally, people are not as focused on schoolwork as they are at other times of the year.
Unlike November, the holidays in December are religious in origin and this can be problematic for public schools. How should educators handle displays of Christmas trees or Chanukah menorahs in classrooms or offices? What is acceptable and what is not? How can teachers be sensitive to students who are not Christian yet still acknowledge Christmas for the majority of students who celebrate it?
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Being inclusive is the key; source: The ESL Nexus |
It always bothered me as a student when my teachers made us do Christmas-themed activities in class. Didn't they know that not everyone was Christian? But as a kid, I didn't speak up. Decades later, the same thoughts went through my head whenever I saw my teaching colleagues do lessons that included symbols of Christmas but not other religions or when I saw them put Christmas trees in their classroom without also displaying objects exemplifying Chanukah or Diwali or other religious holidays. But as a fellow teacher, I did speak up, depending on how well I knew the other teacher. In one case, I even gave a large dreidel and cloth menorah to a teacher friend to put next to his Christmas tree.
As long as instructional materials contain images of more than just one religious tradition, then according to the ADL they are acceptable in public schools. Here's an example of a resource I created that includes both Christmas and Chanukah symbols:
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Click HERE for more info; source: The ESL Nexus |
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Click HERE for more info; source: The ESL Nexus |
And here's a link to a compilation from MiddleWeb of resources for teaching about religious holidays -- it has a wealth of good information.
Happy Holidays!