The holidays are upon us, and that does affect the work we do in schools.
I told students a holiday story today. A story about a time when my family was very, very excited about a holiday and then someone's foot went through the window as he did a handstand on the coach. All that holiday excitement is sure to make children move around a lot and that's what we were doing on that exciting night. I then went on to tell how that window smashing event caused havoc in our house, and what was supposed to be a happy time turned into frustration for many. Then after everyone settled down, my dad wisely talked to us about the holiday excitement and that sometimes people will get upset at the holidays. He also went on to then say, " . . but it's the holidays so let's forget about that minor problem and celebrate the fact that we have a nice family to spend the holidays with." And that's exactly what we did that evening so very long ago.
When I tell the story, students understand. They know that the holidays bring joy and some havoc as well. It's a busy time. In school, year after year, I try to complement the season with a bit more simplicity and traditional teaching. While homes are filled with festivity, at school we work to learn and develop our community with care. This approach has always worked well.
