Inclusion in our classrooms is important any time of year, but the holidays are a wonderful time to be intentional with it. As educators, we are the leaders of our classrooms, therefore it’s our responsibility to determine the atmosphere our classrooms will have. Mobile Ed has a few simple steps you can take this season to make sure your holiday celebrations put inclusivity at the forefront.
Inclusion is the efforts done by an organization to make different social groups welcomed, and accepted. Inclusion can also be used to describe a sense of belonging inside a group or organization. An inclusive classroom will embrace students’ uniqueness and believe each student is entitled to the same educational opportunities.
Creating a safe environment for learning is one of the first attributes of a successful classroom. Not embracing inclusivity in our classroom can potentially weaken our ability to teach our students effectively and efficiently and could also harm a student’s self-esteem and identity. Embracing inclusivity and diversity in our classrooms has many critical benefits for students including:
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- Develops empathy for others
- Encourages critical thinking
- Creates a safe environment for students
- Increases confidence in students
- Improves student academics
Here are a few easy steps you can follow to get your holiday preparations moving forward and inclusivity top of mind.
- Start with Reflection. What does your typical holiday celebration look like? What holidays may you or your students not be as knowledgeable of? Do you have any goals for your celebration? Taking time to plan out your activities this month can get you started in the right direction while also putting inclusivity at the forefront of your planning.
- Involve Your Students. What holidays do your students celebrate? Are there any they are particularly interested in learning about? Are students willing to share about their traditions? What are their favorite ways to celebrate? Get insight from students and let that guide your holiday planning.
- Do Your Research. Research is a tool that can only help us. Doing some primary or secondary research can help you decide how you’ll incorporate inclusive activities into your lessons or celebrations. You may consider researching holidays, traditions, foods, dress, etc.
- Make it Interactive! This is the time of year to be celebrating! Interactive activities such as games and songs get students involved in the party as well as their education. An experience can be much more memorable than facts. Participating in activities together can create a stronger community and a more welcoming environment.
- Start a Tradition. If you decide to learn about traditions this season, perhaps you and your students can create your own tradition to do in your classroom each week, each month, or something else entirely. This creates a sense of togetherness, helping you foster an inclusive and welcoming classroom environment.
- End with Goalsetting. All of us, no matter our age, are working toward something. This is something simple that we all have in common. Whether you set individual goals or classroom goals, ending your holiday season with goal setting is a simple yet productive way to step into the new year.
Around this time of year, the Christmahanukwanzamadan program is one of our most popular programs presented in schools. Mobile Ed has designed this program to make all students feel celebrated and excited for the holidays while also learning about other cultures in exciting and creative ways. Through this informative musical experience, students experience why this time of year is so special to so many people.
In this program, students learn:
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- Information about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Ramadan, and more!
- New holiday music
- Traditional clothing
- Different holiday customs
- Historical figures
- New enthusiasm and appreciation for all cultures
For more information about
Mobile Ed programs, visit our website!