Now a K5 teacher at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, New Hampshire, Siegel is motivated to highlight the cultural history behind a variety of holidays, which he teaches as a means to emphasize commonalities between different cultures. The debate that December consistently reignites is between those who believe that public schools should be allowed to teach religion, as long as all major religions are covered, and those who argue that public schools should refrain from any discussion of religion whatsoever. Vouchers for Special Education: Are They a Good Idea? The Evolution of American Voting Rights in 242 Years Shows How Far Weve Come -- and How Far We Still Have to Go, businessinsider.com, Sep. 24, 2019, University of Houston Digital History, "Agriculture, digitalhistory.uh.edu (accessed Sep. 24, 2019), USDA, "Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy, ers.usda.gov, Sep. 20, 2019, Legal Information Institute, "5 U.S. Code 6103. 2. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? If visitors post comments and photos about their experiences on Facebook or other social media, so much the better. 5. Two examples from Minnesota illustrate the point. Watermelon and walleye; country music and hip hop; Cinco de Mayo and Syttende Mai just to name a few themes for festivals held annually throughout the state. As a former student in Rockville, Maryland, Zia Hassan recalls February as the time when students were encouraged, or sometimes even mandated, to read the work of black authors, which he found meaningful. Can Public Schools Legally Charge for Fees and Uniforms? Peter Siegel remembers that when he was growing up in New Yorkin the early 1980s, school holiday parties often seemed commercially drivencentered around eating rather than the history of the traditions being celebrated. Cultural festivals are a great way to immerse yourself in a new cultural without needing to invest in a plane ticket, time off, visas, and pre-trip doctors appointments. Please note that all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organizations culture, industry, and practices. Why or why not? Should Teacher Salaries be Public Information? Already a member? Data from the National Association of Year-Round Education . She also teaches them about other holidays from around the world, in order to expose them to cultures and beliefs outside of their own. While its fun to open and exchange presents with loved ones, we often forget the true meaning of holidays. $ + tax Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. The Drama of Teacher Ratings: From a Suicide to Lawsuits, Failure to Read Now Grounds for Lawsuit? [1], Over time, voting rights expanded from only white, male landowners age 21 and older to include women and people of color, as well as citizens age 18 and up, resulting in a dramatic increase in the voting-eligible population and a shift in voter demographics. Paiges school, Maple Elementary, doesnt have Christmas or Hanukkah parties. Employee resource groups will help host virtual meetings that support their community members and efforts, Young said. What are the Biggest Problems Facing the Public School System? Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. What are Common Core Standards and Why Do We Need Them? Experts agree that hometown pride is a critical factor in the development and improvement of any community. Second, specific reasons to celebrate, like Administrative Professionals Week or Admin Day, keep holidays top of . [26] Caravanas are joyful, noisy parades of cars festooned with flags and other decorations that stream through Puerto Ricos streets ahead of an election and are credited with the islands over 80% voter turnout. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. However, this Christmas-centric view does not align well with the actual makeup of todays public schools. Contact us on Facebook. According to Gallup, employee recognition can boost productivity by 14 percent, increase profit by 18 percent, and grow customer satisfaction by 10 percent. Learn how your comment data is processed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There will be an informal, voluntary get-together during the day in an outdoor setting, and masks will be provided and encouraged. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Rather, it helps us have an understanding of the world and the people around us.. Siegel connects the themes he covers to other aspects of instruction, sharing lessons on geography and social studies that connect to different cultures around the world. Possible options. @publicschoolreview, Public Schools Struggle to Accommodate Unaccompanied Migrant Children. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); Attendees at the 2011 Irish Fair of Minnesota, for example, spent an average of $50 at the festival site. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. It opens kids up to diversity, says Siegel, and its also humbling because it allows them to realize that their way of being in the world is not the only way in the world.. The Benefits of Attending a Cultural Festival Benefit #1: It's cheap or free. After all, material items are not worth nearly as much as human affection. Students should describe in detail a minimum of three options to resolve the conflict within the town. $(document).ready(function () { That heritage is on display throughout the year in the form of statues, museums, historic sites, and shops selling Swedish-inspired products and foods. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); A star performer might not show up, or the stage might collapse. Festivals promote community pride by celebrating things that make a town special and evoke good feelings. Each year, the community of Lindstrom hosts Karl Oskar Days to celebrate its Swedish heritage. What does the word holiday mean to you? Do Expulsion and Suspension Work in Public Schools? Why Public Schools Across the Country are Closing Their Campuses, A Relevant History of Public Education in the United States, Do Lotteries Really Benefit Public Schools? Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Teaching elementary students about religious and cultural holidays is tough, but in schools across the nation culturally responsive teaching is opening up new possibilities. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. The pastry is kolacky (also spelled kolache), a concoction consisting of sweet bread and different fillings, especially fruit such as prune, apricot, and poppy seed. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. Siegel acknowledges holidays year-round through stories, songs, and games, connecting them by their common themes. Celebrating holidays in the classroom is fun and exciting, but it can also be very educational and culturally valuable for students. Celebrating the Holidays and Diversity in the Workplace The winter holidays can also be a source of conflict for HR managers, who must ensure the season doesn't lead to hurt feelings,. "Tourism has the opportunity to bring communities together and instill a sense of community pride and knowledge of their history," she says. Planning and conducting festivals involves many members of the community, which yields a number of social benefits. As a parent, you have ample opportunities to help your child and his or her classmates adopt a multicultural worldview -- around the year. More people would vote if they had more time to cast their ballots Furthermore, celebrating our democracy publicly would send the message that we value each others citizenship as much as we value honoring past presidents. [13], Donald Green, PhD, Burgess Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, found that nonpartisan community parties celebrating Election Day in 2005, 2006, and 2016 increased voter participation between 2.6 percentage points and about 4 percentage points. Preschool theme days have a better chance of being a smashing success if you allow plenty of time for planning and thinking through all of the aspects of the events. Now a well-entrenched, nationally recognized observance, Black History Month is a commemoration that might be short in days but is increasingly long on controversy. She notes that some traditional Thanksgiving activities, like making Native Americanstyle headdresses with construction-paper feathers, may be offensive to Indigenous peoples. But having a discussion that casts such good-intended events in a negative manner can be difficult to undertake. You may change your billing preferences at any time in the Customer Center or call However, these times of gratitude have turned into times of consumerism. Residents with community pride are more likely to speak positively about their town to others and to volunteer with organizations and activities that support the common good. Edutopia and Lucas Education Research are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. The holiday season is here, and with Christmas music playing and stores decked out in festive decor, its hard not to tell. CSCOPE: Innovative Curriculum or Threat to Americas Youth? After gathering information, they created presentations for their peers on the religious beliefs, traditions, and history behind a holiday. Experts call this glue social capital, so viewed through this lens festival sponsorship increases thesocial capitalthat makes for healthy communities. Dec. 16, 2015. Recently, there has been an increasing emphasis on gift giving, getting the best deal on the right gift and shopping to make sure all of the items on the checklist have been purchased. But the benefits last well beyond the event, as people bring their connections and collective knowledge and skills to improve the community. Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? [33], Henry Farber, PhD, Hughes-Rogers Professor of Economics at Princeton University, conducted an analysis of states that made Election Day a holiday for state employees. I was the elephant in the room, or rather the token Negro, who was supposed to represent the entire race when students had questions about black history, said Simons, who was often on the receiving end of questions and awkward stares as the only black child in predominately white classrooms. February 22, 2016. In an effort to add diversity to holiday celebrations, some teachers believe that recognizing the Jewish holiday Chanukah or mentioning Kwanzaa, both of which also occur in December, is enough to make holiday parties and curricular activities multicultural. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Court Offers Guidelines for Schools in Disciplining Students for Off-Campus, Online Speech. Last modified on October 1, 2020. Addressing this issue feels important for teachers and school leaders because they know the stakes: This isnt really about decorating cookies or paper Santas. "They offer personalization and practicality at the same time. The social benefits of festivals are less visible, but they are just as important. procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Tuesday, August 06, 2013. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Songs of reindeer and gifts ring out, along with talk of whos been naughty or nice. Brittney Paige, a fifth-grade teacher at Maple Elementary School in Seattle, remembers that activity from when she was in school. [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. The seed of what is now known as Black History Month was planted in the doctoral thesis of Carter G. Woodson, a noted scholar, author, and co-founder of the Association for the . Celebrate the season of giving, from human being to being. We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? It would not be discussed as a side issue. He values a month when black authors and historical figures can be studied exclusively, but Hassan believes Black History Month as observed in many schools sends a troubling message to students that were allowed to grapple with [black issues] less in, say, March or April It is important to discuss issues of race in the context of current events throughout the year, no matter the unit topic., The classroom Hassan describes, however, is hardly the norm. "It's a particularly seamless way to show my gratitude toward the people who make up our company. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Your email address will not be published. We dont do that, she says of her classroom. However, critics argue that doing so serves to amplify the problem, rather than fix it. There was always a focus on the civil-rights movement and it was as if black history stopped once Dr. King died, Willis said. Christine Hanks, employee experience lead at staffing agency Wonolo, a remote-first 2020, Virginia. [8], Among registered voters in the 2016 US presidential election, being too busy or having a conflicting schedule was the third-highest reason cited for not voting, accounting for 14% of registered voters who did not cast a vote (about 2.7 million people). else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { Managing Editor In the end, festival management means minimizing damage and maximizing opportunity. Pros of Celebrating Holidays: Only shows limited view of a culture. Its hard to imagine Christmas without seeing Santa at the mall or Thanksgiving without the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. [20][21][22] A part-time hourly worker is more likely to have multiple jobs, none of which are likely to offer time off for a national holiday. In response to a questionnaire, 87 percent of celebration attendees indicated they had learned new information about lady slippers, while 47 percent said they were more knowledgeable about Native American culture after attending the event. With all the presents we need to purchase for Chanukah and Christmas, the obsession for grabbing the best deals have been triggered by popularized shopping trends similar to Black Friday, notorious for its chaos and interference into Thanksgiving. } Research shows that todays. Overnight visitors provide another source of off-site revenue to communities that host festivals. In the last monthin examples that cross racial boundariesthe black actress and conservative commentator Stacey Dash called to eliminate Black History Month, labeling it a vestige of segregation, while Republicans in the Kansas legislature questioned if an entire month dedicated to honoring black history was too long.. According to a study conducted by psychologist Tim Kassner, holidays centered around spiritual or family events are much more enjoyable than ones centered around presents and shopping. Whatever a festival's theme, it's bound to be instructional and visitors are bound to learn from it. First, Chanukah does not hold the same importance for Jews as Christmas does for Christians. Holidays like Easter, Passover, and Holian ancient Hindu festivalcelebrate spring traditions and rebirth, and Siegel sings songs about spring like the Mexican "De Colores" and England's "Bells of Norwich." He shows students that fall holidays like the Mexican Da . Assuming everything else goes well, the payoff to this relationship-building is a successful festival. Consumerism has become an increasing component of our culture, particularly around the holiday season. Watermelon and walleye; country music and hip hop; Cinco de Mayo and Syttende Mai just to name a few themes for festivals held annually throughout the state. (if applicable) for The Wall Street Journal. Drug Testing Teachers: Testing Positive or Negative? When I answered, Cooking with my flatmate and going for Turkish! they longed to join us. We talk about how learning about others does not mean we are expected to practice the way they do, says Offerdahl. We tend to only highlight contemporary celebrities and politicians, ignoring that we have activists and community organizers that are still making an impact on a daily basis.. Its important to embrace these occasions as an opportunity to appreciate what you have been blessed with and take time to spend with family and loved ones. Pros. Religious significance. Festivals also provide free marketing and advertising for local businesses as visitors talk about their fun experiences when they go back home. Insurance can cover financial risk, but reputational damage is harder to address. SHRM's Employee Engagement Survey service focuses on more than 50 aspects of job satisfaction and engagement commonly linked to performance. Critical academic skills need daily repetition and teachers know that parents may not be able to carry out practice at home. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/election-day-national-holiday-top-3-pros-and-cons/, potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day, election day should not be a national holiday. A recent Macys advertisement prompted customers to hurry to their doorbuster sale, where doors opened as early as 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. Rather, teaching and learning should include lessons that open children up to other cultures and viewpoints year-round. 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