Are Schools Overemphasizing Current Holiday Celebrations?

 

Can We Take A Second To Rethink The Current Holiday Celebrations Happening In Schools?

So this week I’m going to write about a touchy subject. Reimaging what December could look like in our schools. And no, I’m not a grinch. Before you leave a comment all in a tizzy. I’m not trying to take away all the joy in the world. I’m not trying to take Christmas away. It’s not a war on Christmas. I simply want to reflect upon our current school traditions and if it’s fair to all students.

 

What December Looks Like In Schools

It’s about that time of year where many start putting up decorations and get their celebrating on. Teachers put up Christmas trees and Menorahs in their classrooms. And in the last few years, classes have incorporated Elf On A Shelf. There are coloring worksheets about Santa, reindeer, gifts, and so on. There are sing-alongs with holiday songs such as “We wish you a Merry Christmas.” Schools make December about these two religions or holidays as if they were the only two that existed in the world.

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/problems-with-christmas-curriculum

War On Christmas or the war on minorities, women, LGBTQ, science, education and the poor.

Feeling Like An Outcast

Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and others do not celebrate the same holidays. Many children may feel singled out around this time of year. I raised my boys as Buddhists, and this time of year, like many others, brought a level of embarrassment for them. They felt as if they were different. I personally created a made-up holiday called “Kindness Day” around December. I felt I had to jump through hoops for my kids to feel included. So I made up a day where they could get gifts just like their classmates. I put up a Kindness Day tree so they could put up decorations. I took our beliefs and merged it with something else. In retrospect, I wish I didn’t conform for the sake of conforming.

It’s Not The Time For Excuses

Before writing this article, I dug deep into researching why some teachers felt the need to hold on to their December traditions.

Some mentioned: “Christmas is not a religion, so it can be included in school”. I don’t buy that. If Christmas is not religious, it’s definitely a cultural experience. So that leads me to this question “Are you then embracing everyone’s cultural experience?”. “Do you put in the time to celebrates everyone’s holidays?”.

Some mentioned: “It’s a winter celebration about joy and cheer.” If that is the case, why is there an elf hiding in a room waiting to report back to Santa? We are commercializing this figure as a bringer of gifts that many students will not receive.

Some mentioned: “A large population of the country celebrates it. Or all my students celebrate it”.

When a statement like “Well, we primarily have Christians here, so we don’t have to really focus on anything else.” To me, that’s the equivalent of saying, “Well, we primary have white students here, so we don’t have to focus on cultural awareness.” It’s an extremely bias point of view. So if we are only representing what we see, is that culturally relevant teaching? Is that a reason to exclude other forms of representation. Representation matters, no matter what your student population looks like. It shouldn’t matter if your school is not as diverse as others. There have to be multiple perspectives, regardless.

Becoming A Multicultural Educator

Using Literature to Learn about Children Around the World: A Thematic Approach to Cultural Awareness

 

Say Happy Holidays. Not everyone celebrates Christmas.

 

An Inclusive Alternative

While we are overemphasizing some cultural celebrations, we are undervaluing other celebrations. It’s a narrow-minded view.

So how do we deal with December? Here are some alternatives.

We can make our classrooms more inclusive. Acknowledge the holidays that exist for others throughout the year. Put in the time to help our students see holidays outside of their own.

Not willing to do so? Want to keep the December celebrations going? Then instead emphasize the spirit of giving and charity. Not being good and getting presents.

I can’t say these are the best solutions, but they may be better than what we currently have in place.

Inclusive Resources

Celebrations Around The World: The Fabulous Celebrations You Won’t Want To Miss

What Do You Celebrate? Holidays and Festivals Around The World

Holidays Around The World (Adventures In Culture)

Let’s Celebrate! Special Days Around The World

Every Month Is A New Year: Celebrations Around The World

Celebrations Of Light: A Year Of Holidays Around The World

Want to check out more?

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Math Struggles Ain’t Just About Numbers

Let’s be B.F.F.R—math can stress kids out. You’ve seen it: the frozen-in-place stare, the pencil tapping like it’s sending an SOS, or the classic “I CAN’T DO THIS!” meltdown before even trying. But here’s the thing—most of the time, their struggle isn’t about numbers. It’s about mindset.

What if we borrowed some life coaching techniques to help our students not just survive math but actually thrive in it? Let’s break it down into simple, practical ways you can empower your students without turning into a full-blown therapist.

 Reframe the Narrative (A.K.A. Flip the Script on “I’m Bad at Math”)

Ever notice how kids say “I’m bad at math” like it’s their official personality trait? That belief is holding them back more than any tricky word problem ever could.

How to Do It:

  • When a student says, “I suck at math,” respond with: “You’re still learning. Let’s find a way that makes sense to you.”
  • Introduce the Power of Yet: “You don’t get it… yet. But your brain is working on it!”
  • Share stories of people who struggled with math and overcame it (bonus points if you can find famous athletes, musicians, or influencers).

Remind them that they once thought tying their shoes was impossible, and look at them now—shoe-tying pros. Math is just another skill that takes practice.

Teach Emotional Regulation (Because Frustration Is a Math Blocker)

We can’t expect students to push through challenges if they’re spiraling into math-induced panic mode. When frustration kicks in, their brains hit the “I’m out!” button.

How to Do It:

  • Pause & Breathe: Before jumping to the “I CAN’T,” have students take a deep breath. Try “breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4.” Simple, but it works.
  • Break It Down: Instead of tackling the whole problem at once, ask, “What’s one thing we DO know?” Small wins build confidence.
  • Normalize Struggle: Post a sign in your classroom: “Mistakes Mean You’re Learning.” Say it. Live it. Believe it! As Naruto says.

Set Micro-Goals (Because Big Goals Can Feel Overwhelming)

If a kid already feels lost, telling them “just keep practicing” is like saying, “just climb this mountain real quick.” Instead, break it into steps.

How to Do It:

  • Instead of “Get better at multiplication,” set a goal like: “Practice a doubling/halving strategy.”
  • Use progress charts so students can SEE their growth. 
  • Celebrate the small wins! Even if they only got one more right than last time—that’s growth!

Remind them “If you can memorize every single lyric to that TikTok song, you can 100% remember a few math strategies.” 
Honestly research shows long term memory is activated when we leverage different modalities in our lessons. It’s how the brain learns math.

Shift from Performance to Progress (Because Speed Ain’t Everything)

Fluency is about thinking efficiently, not racing to the answer. The goal isn’t to turn kids into human calculators—it’s to help them use numbers flexibly.

How to Do It:

  • Replace timed tests with strategy-based challenges (ex: “How many ways can you solve 12 × 8?”).
  • Instead of praising fast answers, celebrate smart strategies: “Ooooh, I love how you broke that down!”
  • Remind them that even adults use tools like calculators and sticky notes—real math is about knowing how to approach problems, not just getting the answer instantly.

 Teach Self-Talk (Because Their Inner Voice Matters More Than You Know)

The way kids talk to themselves about math shapes their experience with it. If they constantly say, “I can’t do this,” their brain believes it. Time to switch up the self-talk game.

How to Do It:

  • Teach “I can” statements: Instead of “I don’t get it,” try “I don’t get it YET, but I can figure this out.”
  • Have students write down one math strength (even if it’s “I’m good at counting on my fingers” – that’s a start!).
  • Encourage students to talk to themselves like they’d talk to a friend. Would they tell a friend, “You’re dumb at math”? No? Then don’t say it to yourself either!

Emphasize- “You wouldn’t let your best friend talk trash about you, so don’t let your brain do it either!”

Coaching Math Mindsets for the Win

At the end of the day, teaching math fluency isn’t just about numbers—it’s about helping kids believe they can figure things out. When we shift from just teaching math to coaching their mindset, we create students who are not only fluent in math but confident in life.

So, here’s your challenge: What’s one small move you can try this week? Whether it’s shifting self-talk, celebrating small wins, or breaking down frustration, pick one and run with it.

Oh, and if you want more strategies like these, check out my Figuring Out Fluency series, (Book 1) (Book 2) where we make fluency engaging, empowering, and (most importantly) actually make sense.

And if you want more math mindset strategies, grab my Guide For Teachers To Help Students With Growth Mindset