Have I mentioned that I love Christmas?
If you know me for any length of time, you will soon discover that Christmas is by far one of my most favorite times of the year. I deck out my classroom, my apartment, blast Christmas music as soon as typically normal--and play it quietly before then, watch Christmas movies (Elf and The Grinch is tradition--all others are wholly bonus.), make Monster Cookies, enjoy the insane pace of the CS Mall area, and drool over fabulous wrapping paper, ideas of presents for my family and all other things Christmas. (Side Note: I realize that all of this is the "commercial" version of Christmas and that all of what i just listed is truly not the most important part of why we celebrate this special time of year...Please don't judge that this is all based off primarily the worldly view of Christmas....)
We started our discussion on holidays around the world at school today. We spent today's lesson discussing how different traditions we have here in America got started and I planted the thought in their head that not all countries--even people here in America--celebrate Christmas the way we do...they were okay with that until I told them not everyone celebrates Santa the way we do...much less calls "Santa", Santa. They looked completely bewildered by that...can't wait until we study La Befana...they won't know what to do with a witch-esque looking Santa. Last year these lessons brought about some interesting conversations that, I, as a public school teacher, would never be able to bring out into the open myself...I'm excited to see what kind of discussions happen amongst my class this year. The best thing about these lessons is they typically have some kind of craft that goes along with them....which means while they are working, discussion starts, and I listen. Sometimes they are funny...sometimes they make me groan because I wish I could stop what's running through their heads...sometimes they make me really proud because they are sharing their faith and their beliefs in a way that I am not completely free to do...
should be an interesting next few days.
If you know me for any length of time, you will soon discover that Christmas is by far one of my most favorite times of the year. I deck out my classroom, my apartment, blast Christmas music as soon as typically normal--and play it quietly before then, watch Christmas movies (Elf and The Grinch is tradition--all others are wholly bonus.), make Monster Cookies, enjoy the insane pace of the CS Mall area, and drool over fabulous wrapping paper, ideas of presents for my family and all other things Christmas. (Side Note: I realize that all of this is the "commercial" version of Christmas and that all of what i just listed is truly not the most important part of why we celebrate this special time of year...Please don't judge that this is all based off primarily the worldly view of Christmas....)
We started our discussion on holidays around the world at school today. We spent today's lesson discussing how different traditions we have here in America got started and I planted the thought in their head that not all countries--even people here in America--celebrate Christmas the way we do...they were okay with that until I told them not everyone celebrates Santa the way we do...much less calls "Santa", Santa. They looked completely bewildered by that...can't wait until we study La Befana...they won't know what to do with a witch-esque looking Santa. Last year these lessons brought about some interesting conversations that, I, as a public school teacher, would never be able to bring out into the open myself...I'm excited to see what kind of discussions happen amongst my class this year. The best thing about these lessons is they typically have some kind of craft that goes along with them....which means while they are working, discussion starts, and I listen. Sometimes they are funny...sometimes they make me groan because I wish I could stop what's running through their heads...sometimes they make me really proud because they are sharing their faith and their beliefs in a way that I am not completely free to do...
should be an interesting next few days.
No comments:
Post a Comment