{"id":18068,"date":"2019-01-23T17:07:02","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T21:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/?p=18068"},"modified":"2019-01-24T17:07:59","modified_gmt":"2019-01-24T21:07:59","slug":"how-to-keep-the-holiday-spirit-all-year-long","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/how-to-keep-the-holiday-spirit-all-year-long\/","title":{"rendered":"How to keep the holiday spirit all year long"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A holiday post in January?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this may not seem on-theme, I\u2019m motivated to write about teaching inclusive holidays after Christmas has passed. That is actually my point &#8211; we need to teach and celebrate holidays with equality if we\u2019re going to do it at all. And let\u2019s be honest, any teacher knows it is near impossible to avoid Santa art, cookie exchanges and gift swaps completely. And maybe we don\u2019t need to. Maybe, the answer is more parties. I like this idea.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-18068 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-300x224.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"keeping the holiday spirit all year long at Burke Town School\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-768x574.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-370x277.jpg 370w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-270x202.jpg 270w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-740x553.jpg 740w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke4-1.jpg 772w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke1-226x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"keeping the holiday spirit all year long at Burke Town School\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke1-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke1-370x490.jpg 370w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke1-270x358.jpg 270w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke1.jpg 496w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke2-226x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"keeping the holiday spirit all year long at Burke Town School\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke2-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke2-370x492.jpg 370w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke2-270x359.jpg 270w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke2.jpg 561w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke3-229x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"keeping the holiday spirit all year long at Burke Town School\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke3-229x300.jpg 229w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke3-370x485.jpg 370w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke3-270x354.jpg 270w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke3.jpg 517w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke6-231x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"keeping the holiday spirit all year long at Burke Town School\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke6-231x300.jpg 231w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke6-370x480.jpg 370w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke6-270x350.jpg 270w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke6.jpg 735w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"keeping the holiday spirit all year long at Burke Town School\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5-370x278.jpg 370w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5-270x203.jpg 270w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5-740x555.jpg 740w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/burke5.jpg 741w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This year I had been dodging the Secret Santa question for weeks, struggling (like usual) over how to respond to student interest <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> make sure I was creating an inclusive space for all. If anyone loves cookies, themed costumes and parties it\u2019s me &#8211; but what about the students who don\u2019t celebrate Christmas? How does it feel to be in an inescapable Christmas bubble at school? And what message does it send to others if I ignore that nagging uncomfort?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I struggled with this dilemma, Teaching Tolerance posted <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tolerance.org\/professional-development\/the-december-dilemma\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this guide to the holidays<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I find it invaluable to read justice-focused education publications regularly &#8211; they give me the courage, reminders and ideas to teach for equity. Teaching Tolerance\u2019s guide did just that, but I didn\u2019t have enough time to act on all my ideas. And that\u2019s why I\u2019m writing a holiday post in January. Because, as teachers, we need more time to discuss, mull and prepare &#8211; and because I plan to keep celebrating holidays (all of them) throughout 2019. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s what I did, and what I hope to do. <\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I hope it helps students spread inclusivity in your school and spurs new ideas. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please share them!<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I started by teaching the respect curriculum from Teaching Tolerance.<\/strong> Though this was meant for younger grades, my 7th &amp; 8th graders had a lot to say about respect and creating a contract was definitely important as we began to discuss diversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I printed out photographs from winter holidays around the world and taped them on to large pieces of white paper.<\/strong> Students did a gallery walk and discussed what they saw in each photo. They wrote key words and noticings down on the papers. After everyone had seen the pictures I added in captions that explained the holidays. We did another gallery walk and students added to their noticings.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Next, students brainstormed similarities between all the pictures holidays.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>We then created decorations that represented these similarities.<\/strong> My big idea was to have students plan a party and decorations using the similar words. However, we ended up not having much time to plan activities, food, etc. Instead, students crafted beautiful decorations from the similarities that we hung around the room and they brought in snacks to share.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>My next step idea is for students to revisit this by researching holidays around the world and creating a calendar for the remainder of the school year.<\/strong> (I also think this would be a great time to bring in some maps\/geography work!) Then, small committees can plan parties for each holiday as they occur on the calendar. I also want to integrate holidays into my curriculum as appropriate. For example, when I\u2019m teaching about the Civil Rights Movement in March I hope students can revisit Kwanzaa and research its fascinating history as part of this movement.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The possibilities are endless and my hope is that we can have student-driven parties all year long that celebrate holidays from many different cultures, religions and people. In this way all students can celebrate holidays that are important to them, while learning more about those that are different than their own traditions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May we party all year, for equality.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How do you keep the holiday spirit throughout the year?<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A holiday post in January? While this may not seem on-theme, I\u2019m motivated to write about teaching inclusive holidays after Christmas has passed. That is actually my point &#8211; we need to teach and celebrate holidays with equality if we\u2019re going to do it at all. And let\u2019s be honest, any teacher knows it is &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/how-to-keep-the-holiday-spirit-all-year-long\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to keep the holiday spirit all year long&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":18050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[493],"tags":[768],"class_list":["post-18068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-transferable-skills","tag-burke-town-school"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18068"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18069,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18068\/revisions\/18069"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}