Christmas is a season in the Hispanic culture

Christmas, or Navidad, is a season rather than a day in the Hispanic culture. Celebrations begin in mid-December and culminate with the feast of Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, which is celebrated on January 6th, twelve days after Christmas.

As many of you are aware, it is a family tradition for students to leave for several weeks during December and January. Rather than allow ourselves to be frustrated by the loss of instructional time, we can look for ways to incorporate this tradition into our classrooms.

In the past, sending large amounts of class work has proven ineffective. Quite often, students lose the papers on the journey. Sometimes students “play school” with their cousins in their native country and all sorts of scribbles return. Consider assigning a “follow-up” report about the festivities or the journey. Try sending a disposable camera they can bring back for you to develop and have them share what pictures they have taken. Or, have the student create a journal with drawings and notes. Give students mathematical challenges to solve (estimate mileage, or the cost of gasoline, etc.). If you wish to send homework, choose content you are certain is review rather than new material.

Be creative and supportive. Many children are torn about leaving their friends in the US and are unnecessarily worried about what repercussions they will face for missing school. Understanding and working with diverse cultures gives everyone the opportunity to form positive school and home relationships.