No! The pros of using technology in the classroom are dependent on how well teachers and faculty acclimate themselves to said technology. Tell your students that they will have the opportunity to participate in a modern-day Seder in this session. Look at historical photos from the holiday and have students make up their own stories about what is taking place. She is upset when Edward, a student teacher, doesnt eat anything. Respecting the cultural diversity among the families you serve means recognizing that all have the right to their traditions. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Years ago, following a holiday concert I had just conducted at a small Vermont elementary school, a parent approached me with a complaint. 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. 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. Our Jewish ancestors in faith celebrate Passover to recall their redemption from slavery in Egypt. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { While we are more explicit about our recognition of various groups and ethnic differences, we have always been a diverse nation. 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. The American Indian Movement, among other groups, have gone as far as to state that the continuous celebration of this holiday is oppressive towards Native Americans. So what is a teacher to do? Check out 10 negative and positive things Halloween can teach your kids. Join NAEYCs team and help us advance the education of young children across the country. Video can help in explaining difficult subject matters. Esther, one of the Jewish children, states that she cannot eat leavened bread during the whole week of Passover. 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. While students look forward to those holidays as a break from their regular studies, there is a growing fear that American students are falling behind because of the lack of actual classroom time. --Putting people of different religions on the party-planning committee. The most important and common aspects are listed below. Encourage awareness, understanding, and inclusion, not the practice of or devotion toward any religion. Donate to help NAEYC advance a strong and dynamic early childhood profession and connect educators to cutting-edge resources. An educational opportunity. Even within groups that honor the same holiday, how individual families celebrate will reflect both similarities and differences. And dont schedule the event at a time (such as Friday night) that might conflict with someones religious observances. Many schools only acknowledge the diversity of holidays each December when they sing songs or try foods traditionally associated with Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. 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. Email your shopping cart to your school/district contacts to request purchasing approval. There are no exceptions to this rule. I went to the city with my family and cousins! --Making any party nondenominational, and including recognition of all kinds of holidays associated with December, Holder said. Soon, many of the children enrolled in our public schools had come from such faraway places as Italy, Poland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and China. 5 cons of having technology in the classroom Photo credit : Markus Spiske 1. Focus on the historical and cultural impacts, not the religious influence. For expats, holidays can mean liberation from pressures to celebrate with family in the usual ways . 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. Access accreditation data on early learning and higher education program characteristics and quality for research purposes. Don't attack me. The Supreme Court decided that schools could not receive public funding if they engaged in religious instruction. On Holy Thursday we recall that Jesus took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, This is my body that is for you. 1. Longer breaks such as the winter holidays allow families an opportunity to reconnect. Explain that a Seder celebrates the story of the Jewish Exodusthe freeing of the Jewish slaves in Egypt. Fewer tourists at Tet festival. Spread the tablecloth on the floor so students have ample room to work. If you want to learn about another culture but aren't sure where to start, a cultural festival can be a great springboard for your education. 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. Deepen your professional knowledge wherever you are with NAEYCs exciting webinar series and online and face-to-face training opportunities. Explore accreditationofearly childhood higher education programs, discover the accreditation system standards, and view a list ofaccredited programs. You have to be sensitive to peoples religions, said Louise Ann Fernandez, a labor and employment lawyer with the California-based firm Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell. If your favorite part of celebrating the holidays is spending time with family and friends, your holiday wedding will feel extraordinarily sentimental. Arguing that it is okay for a program to celebrate a dominant culture religious holiday, on the rationale that the props and activities connected to the holiday are not specifically religious, but just fun and therefore okay for everyone (e.g., Christmas trees, Santa Claus, cards, and gift giving, or Easter bunnies and egg hunts), does not respect cultural and religious diversity. Read about this initiative focused on equity in early childhood and find other equity-related content. Now the United Kingdom has launched the largest test of its kind to see if five days is too long . Students who can't afford them might feel embarrassed. 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. Just because kids have time off from school doesn't mean parents do. celebrating cultural diversity in your classroom! This meal would be Jesus Last Supper, a celebration that has lasting significance for us today because it was during this meal that Jesus instituted the Eucharist. After all, schools used to have Coke machines on campus and allow students to. By most accounts, the United States educational system has fallen behind that of other countries. Check out some of these ideas for inspiration: Activities like these will help you balance fun and games with educational content to make your lessons both impactful and memorable. 2. Visit WETA's other education websites: Start with a Book| Reading Rockets|AdLit|LD OnLine, Web development by Boxcar Studio and Rapid Development Group, A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners. In pluralistic society, it's important to raise children with a greater awareness of others around them, especially those who are different. Students attend an average of 180 school days per year. She has been published in "Teaching Today" and "Burnside Writer's Collective." One of the benefits of school holidays is the time that families can spend together. They can return to our website and order the items you selected. Others point to the fact that some classrooms get carried away with four weeks spent crafting every possible variation on a turkey theme, while the . Now turn the clock forward a hundred years. With holidays becoming more commercial, Christmas and Chanukah have lost some of their value. School work, especially in junior high and high school, becomes a child's job. That extends to these areas of potential conflict:Days off. ), the goal is to expand your students' knowledge, interest, and respect for the group being featured. You may be surprised at the number of teachers or administrators who can give you a firsthand account of the holiday in question. These overarching themes and lessons will appear in holidays across the board, which can help bring greater meaning to your lessons. 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. So at the point we decide that we want to implement more culturally responsive instruction, where to do we start? With a global economy in place and our technology moving at a rate faster than we'd ever imagined, every teacher needs more help meeting the needs of and being culturally responsive to his/her students, many of whom now have roots in places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, Somalia, Croatia, and Jordan. If you plan on doing something simple, you need to give more thought than signing your name on a card. Here are our tips on what to cover, how to incorporate the holidays into your educational lesson plans, and more! 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. Elizabethtown, PA 17022 You may also want to take into account your own personal comfort level as well as what your particular class can handle. The purpose is to recall the Exodus story with our students and honor its part in our story of faith. Learn about NAEYCs informed positions on significant issues affecting young childrens education and development. As we've already established, there are many pros and cons for working on holidays. Join us at the members-only event and build your advocacy skills, expand your networks, and advance federal and state early childhood policy. * Arrange the following items on a large plate: a lamb shankbone; a hard-boiled egg (on a separate plate, place slices of hard-boiled eggs, enough for each student to have one slice); a bowl of chopped horseradish; a bowl of parsley sprigs; a bowl containing a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon, and grape juice (called charosesha-ROW-seez). Cons of visiting Vietnam at Tet Festival. Wilson did on this year's 4th of July holiday, then this should prove to be an exciting way to celebrate the new year. Explore jobs in theCareer Center and findhigher education and professional development opportunities. Yet, conflicting celebrations may also have common ground. Rich Barlow. Login to the Early Learning Accreditation Portal to take charge of your accreditation process. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Celebrating a particular holiday is appropriate in faith-based programs or in programs in which the holiday is truly lived by every family in the program. 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. Common sense is the rule when it comes to decorations put up by management and holiday items brought in by workers. Educational system has fallen behind that of other countries learning and higher education programs, discover the system... Any religion families you serve means recognizing that all have the right to their traditions your! Making any party nondenominational, and more their value the group being.. Online and face-to-face training opportunities we start and professional development opportunities during the whole week of Passover and higher programs! Goal is to recall their redemption from slavery in Egypt holiday wedding will feel extraordinarily sentimental from... S job room to work your favorite part of celebrating the holidays into educational... Because kids have time off from school does n't mean parents do higher program. Do we start the most important and common aspects are listed below floor so have. Data on early learning and higher education program characteristics and quality for research purposes the story the... Cover, how to incorporate the holidays into your educational lesson plans, respect... Thought than signing your name on a card of 180 school days per year early... To reconnect education of young children across the board, which can help bring greater meaning to lessons! 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