Holidays

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Home : 2000 : November : 24

Holidays
By Cathy-Dee

A lot depends on how rigid the parents are with their faith. I have dealt with different parents who are JW and some don't mind stories, etc., as they explain them to be just stories to their kids, while others don't want
anything mentioned. Personally I teach what is appropriate for the majority of my class and what is historically true as well. I try to make allowances and will do my best to modify lessons for any JW children, but I will not completely change or do away with my Christmas theme.
And yes I do agree that all children should learn about other cultures.
Some things we have done in the

past few years as we have had a couple of JW kids in our school.
- art, we modify the project so that a non-Christmas version can be made. Stained Glass windows, they just make a stained glass hanging, they make snowmen instead of Santa, etc.,
- we save the party and gift exchanges, etc., for the last week or few days so the parent has the option of pulling their child for that week, but at least the child doesn't miss everything.
- If we are writing Christmas sentences or poems, I have my JW kids write Winter ones or another theme (Penguins, polar bears, Evergreen trees), etc.,

I would say that the first thing you should do is have a meeting with these parents and ask them specifically which areas they would be concerned about and what modifications you are willing to do and see where that goes. The mom of the student I had last year as I said, had no problems with him listening to the stories or even watching a few of the videos. She didn't want him participating in any parties, writing his own stories or sentences about Christmas or doing the art if it was Christmas. During our concert practice times he went to the library to work on the computer.

In one school where I student-taught the school expected the parents to supply extra workbooks, etc., they purchased at a bookstore for their children to work in when they had to be out of their classroom.