Playing Video Games is Actually Good for The Brain, The Importance of Teaching Cultural Diversity In Schools, From Fear to Confidence: Effective Techniques to Boost Your Public Speaking Skills, 5 Activities That Can Help Boost Your Creativity, Natural Stress Relievers: How Plants Enhance Studying and Working Environments, Higher Education is Not a Lost Cause: How it Builds the Entrepreneurial Mindset. Focus on raising awareness from a dispassionate perspective and to neither disparage nor evangelize any one particular belief system, philosophy or culture. Because the Monday is a holiday, many businesses have three-day-weekend sales. 13. Why do we mark it? It is a time of gift giving and was originally conceived as an alternative tradition to Christmas. When the Potato Famine struck in the 19th century, it paved the way for Irish immigrants to bring "St Paddy's Day" to the Americas. Generally, most Labor Day equivalents throughout the world have been the brainchild of the Labor Union movement in the 19th century as a response to worker exploitation in the Industrial Revolution, and this is certainly true in the USA too. Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers. The importance of celebrating different holiday traditions in the classroom Learning about a holiday means teaching children about what the holiday means to different people and about the many different ways those families who honor the holiday celebrate it. 4th July celebrations are usually marked with barbecues, fireworks, music and parties all over the country. The Mardi Gras we see in cities like New Orleans are direct assimilation of French and Italian carnival celebrations and are colorful and extravagant affairs. Develop grassroots efforts advancing early childhood in your community with these tools and resources. A modern secular teacher should incorporate elements of other faiths and beliefs in the classroom where relevant - this is as true for teaching religious minorities about American holidays and culture as it is the other way around in encouraging American children tolerance of others.In many cases, you should be able to relate observances with which those children might be more familiar - the Muslim Eid-al-Fitrwould be considered a close equivalent to Christian Easter but there are many differences so caution will certainly be required. Since then, we have gone through two World Wars, Vietnam, Korea and many other modern operations in the last few decades that Memorial Day has evolved to become a way to remember those who have given their lives to preserve the freedom of all Americans in all conflicts. Additionally, parents who take their children on regular vacations during school breaks report higher family cohesion and communication. Are We Supporting Special Needs Students Enough? It is a 30-day period of fasting beginning with Hill (the first crescent moon) and ending with Eid al-Fitr (the breaking of the fast) at the first day of the following month known as Shawwal. What is it? What is it? The lesson here is not to encourage people with different backgrounds or beliefs to your point of view or to persuade them to the general consensus, but to present that there are multiple points of view on most subjects.Cultural bias can sometimes get in the way of one person's point of view no matter the social background, religion or other cultural perspective. Though the school holidays are ironically meant for students to rest, many students use them to propel themselves further in their academics because no doubt, it helps them to not be as stressed when the school term comes back around. celebrating cultural diversity in your classroom! Why do we mark it? The US is no different and in over 500 years of history - historic moments before, during and after independence - they . The more we know about a belief system or philosophy, or of a culture's practices, we are moved to accepting the rights of others to hold those differing beliefs - one of the founding principles of both The Constitution and The Bill of Rights. This means that though the majority of children most teachers will interact with are likely to be Christian, there is an increasing likelihood that they will encounter children of many other belief systems, traditions and faiths. Why do we celebrate it? Be aware of your own as well as that of others. Check out our blog on, Empty cart. It coincides with the beginning of spring and falls close to Easter. "-Doctor Patrick Coggins. Other symbolic acts of freeing animals may also take place. Source: Shutterstock. Some schools may place no limit on holiday discussion while others may ask teachers to skip lessons on holidays entirely. The founding principles of the United States was to avoid the religious segregation "sectarianism" that had plagued Europe since the dawn of the Reformation in the 16th century and to create a country founded on secular principles. It is crucial that students get to relax and recharge and accomplish things that they normally, Teaching Methods for Students with Different Learning Styles, Smart Saving Strategies: How to Save Money While Being a Student, How to Minimise the Negative Effects of Screen Time on Your Child, Tech Integration: Why Students Should Have Smartphones in Class, The Power of Words: Exploring the Benefits of Studying Literature, 5 Engaging Ways to Spark a Love for Learning in Your Child. This also means . This does not mean that you must teach about every holiday your families practice. Keene, New Hampshire, where I teach music today, is a relatively secular community. To some, these are symbols of Christmas without being a direct holiday reference and therefore do not "celebrate" it. 12. The Supreme Court has ruled that public schools may not sponsor religious practices (Engel v. Vitale, 1962; Abington v. It began as a celebration in California, arguably bigger there throughout its earlier year than it was in Mexico where it was all but ignored. Either way, the Federal Holiday marks the contribution to the country of these two men and many others in making the USA the country that it is. The parental view is paramount in what may or may not be acceptable education-wise. Dates vary, and when compared to the Gregorian calendar it can fall at any time of the year. Its actual date is movable, and will always be an odd numbered day during the last ten days of Ramadan. Why do we celebrate it? Create a Living Wax Museum in Your Classroom, Homework for Beginning ESL Students: 8 Tips for Success, Vocabulary, Writing, Listening, and Speaking Activities for ELLs. Should You Celebrate Holidays in the Classroom? Why do we celebrate it? Celebrations can also be whimsical and playfulfor example, Bring Books Alive Day (making and wearing costumes from books, eating foods from favorite books, acting out favorite stories); Pajama Day (wearing pjs and slippers to school, telling bedtime stories, sharing family bedtime rituals); or Backwards Day (wearing clothes backwards, doing things in reverse order of an ordinary day). Classrooms and schools that have flexibility on what they teach in their curriculum may like to introduce literature - classic or contemporary - from those different cultures, assuming there is an English translation available of the text, of course, and that it is authorized by a relevant body as being authoritative or useful for educational purposes. It is commonly believed that the July 4 date was when the document was compiled or signed - but neither is the case; nor is it the day that the American Revolution began. Teaching Students About Holidays & History | Teacher.org It is partly to honor those killed by the Nazi Regime and partly to vow that it should never happen again. Such self-evaluation helps them identify areas where they need improvement and come up with an actionable strategy to achieve their objectives. It is no coincidence, I tell students, that holidays like Easter and Passover, representing life and freedom, happen around the same time as more ancient springtime holidays.. For example, when talking about Christmas, focus on giving and kindness rather than Santa or the religious implications of the special day. You may use some of the methods above - cultural books and awareness days of festivals, and combine them in an overall theme of what different cultures have in common while celebrating the differences. Popular Searches:DAP;Coping with COVID-19;E-books;Anti-Bias Education;Online Store. 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. Note: Your password generation link will be sent to your email address automatically. Explore accreditationofearly childhood higher education programs, discover the accreditation system standards, and view a list ofaccredited programs. Why Should Students Learn About Holidays? Many schools only acknowledge the diversity of holidays each December when they sing songs or try foods traditionally associated with Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Explore jobs in theCareer Center and findhigher education and professional development opportunities. "It was once assumed that immigrant children could adapt to their new environment with relative ease, but in reality, educators have long struggled to meet their needs. Support access to high-quality early childhood education programs and opportunities and resources for educators. He explains why he hadnt eaten and assures the child that he is happy for her birthday. The meal eaten today would have had very little in common with the meal that those Pilgrim Fathers and natives would have shared. These labels do not define us, but they are part of who we are and respecting these individual identities is part of the freedoms that we as Americans enjoy. Students should take the opportunity during breaks to sort, organise, and review their lessons in preparation . Long school vacations can also be justified by stating how, in recent years, schools have become extremely academic and exam-focused, necessitating a far longer holiday break from such a'marathon . 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. Connect with professionals in your community at conferences, networking events, advocacy efforts, leadership opportunities and more! The modern Federal Holiday of Memorial Day began life as "Decoration Day" following the end of The US Civil War. The most important day is Laylat al-Qadr, which is believed to be the day that the revelation began. A colorful, happy and joyous time, it has both religious and secular meaning and people take from it what they like. Both the NAEYC Code of Ethics and the anti-bias education approach make respecting family diversity a cornerstone of quality early childhood programs. She also tells Edward that the child was puzzled by his not eating the special lunch. New Year's Day has different meanings for different people. By explaining holidays to preschoolers, teachers and parents can help children to understand and respect the sacrifices of people in history. The celebration of Hanukkah began following the success of the rebellion but it never became a popular in public until the 1970s. A closer comparison may be drawn between Lent and Ramadan as both require fasting and extra observance leading up to the most important date in the religious year - the former for Christians, the latter for Muslims. Celebrated by Hindu, Sikhs and Jains, When is it? The secular meaning is a general celebration of the end of the year in the darkest, coldest days and nights in the northern hemisphere. Why do we celebrate it? It is not a public holiday in Mexico but schools and other public places will close. Step #1: Save My Cart Rum Tan | 26 April 2022 When you think about school in Singapore, you would often think of the stressful education system. Please see details below on how Easter is calculated. Why do so many teachers find it hard to teach academically and meaningfully about all the holidays in a public school setting? I think we require long vocations because students get tired with exams, study and homework. With thorough knowledge and understanding of how our country has come to be the way it is, students will go out into the world with a better understanding of the country and the wider world. Jehovah's Witnesses are just one religion, but you may experience issues with Orthodox Jews, fundamentalist Muslims, fundamentalist Christians and others. Phone: 800.233.0759 What is it? Why do we celebrate it? Kids are constantly learning and need more than just an academic education. Varies between mid-September and mid-November. Years ago, following a holiday concert I had just conducted at a small Vermont elementary school, a parent approached me with a complaint. Orthodox variation: As with Easter, the Orthodox churches have a different date for Christmas Day than with Catholic and Protestant traditions because of the calendar, but also because of when it is celebrated. Some go away for short breaks, spending the night in a hotel for some private time.