December Dilemma

December Dilemma 

December can be a stressful and challenging time for students and staff, personally and professionally. Every December public school teachers and administrators face the difficult task of acknowledging the various religious and secular holiday traditions celebrated during this time of year while balancing the need for sustained high quality teaching and learning.  In an effort to help create a school environment that celebrates diversity by respecting differing points of view concerning religions, the following suggestions are offered.

·      Public schools must never appear to endorse religion over non-religion or one particular religious faith over another.

·       Public schools must be careful not to cross the line between teaching about religious holidays (which is permitted) and celebrating religious holidays (which is not).

·       Religious music, literature, art or other religious activities should not dominate school activities.  School events, assemblies, concerts and programs must be designed to further a secular and objective program of education and must not focus on any one religion or religious observance.

·       Religious symbols are not appropriate seasonal decorations in public schools. At the same time, students should not be restricted from choosing to express their religious views in course assignments (e.g., artwork, personal narrative).

My goal is to provide an inclusive learning environment for all students.  Every student should feel welcome and represented at a public school and should be able to participate in every activity we have.

High quality standards-based instruction and student learning is the expectation in December as it is throughout the school year. Holiday activities, parties and showing of videos should be a minimal part of the school day.  Maintaining routines are important to increase student learning and minimize behavioral difficulties.

Great Reads on this topic!

Religious Holidays in Public Schools

How-handle-religious-holidays-public-schools

Video Use Policy #6181

“Video presentations are primary for instructional use. However limited use of video presentations for entertainment purposes (e.g. holiday, long bus trips, behavior rewards, movie theater visits, etc.) is permitted with principal approval .”

Please remember to discuss with me entertainment videos you are thinking about showing and the purpose. Videos shown for holiday purposes should be shown on the day before a holiday break. Students do best when their learning routines are intact, right up breaks like vacations. Again thank you for your work, you’ve done a wonderful job in past years focusing on learning during the holiday season.

Here is another interesting read. Keeping Kids Motivated During the Holidays

If you have any questions, please contact me.