Re: [LM_NET] No learning: Holidays are Coming!

[Susan Jones <SUJones@PARKLAND.EDU>]

I think much depends on the philosophy behind pre-holiday activities and 
inactivities. 

I do believe one significant problem wiht educational institutions is that they are 
so institutional. You leave the "real world" and enter into this cubicle-filled 
colossus and perform arbitrary rituals, every day, until the final bell rings.  
When school is really part of the 'rest of' your life, with seasons and holidays, 
good things happen in both worlds.  It helps us see the whole reason we do the 
school thing.  It means planning to avoid exclusivity (whether in thinly disguising 
just what kind of 'holiday' we're celebrating, or having some groups of student 
doing challenging concerts & projects while others do busy work) but it can build 
that sense of community that makes all kinsd of other goals more attainable. 

On the other hand, if movies, games, et al are simply an admission that "you can't 
do anything just before the holidays anyway," then we're teaching very different 
lessons. 


Susan Jones
Academic Development Specialist
Academic Development Center
Parkland College
Champaign, IL  61821
sujones@parkland.edu
Webmastress,
http://www.resourceroom.net

>>> Johanna Halbeisen <johanna.newsong@RCN.COM> 12/22/05 11:10 AM >>>
I've heard some   grisly   stories about Disney taking a small school 
down.  don't think anyone could stretch and call Disney a "left wing, 
liberal, pinko' establishment.

Yesterday we had a morning and an afternoon performance of our 
holiday music concert.  The concert ended around 2:15 and many 
parents wanted to take their darlings home at that point.  The notice 
that went out about the concert said that there was one more hour of 
teaching left and they expected all the children to stay until the 
end of school.  Many parents did sign their kids out anyway.

I have been reading _The Christmas Menorahs; How A Town Fought Hate_ 
to the 3rd and 4th grades and a story about Three Kings Day to the 
younger ones.  We have been fund raising for Heifer International all 
month, so we ended with Heifer word searches and coloring sheets.

Johanna 
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