Huge thanks to our friends at Teaching Tolerance for teaming up with us to deliver a holiday-focused webinar! You can read a blog post about the webinar on Teaching Tolerance's website or below.
By Sara Wicht, teaching and learning specialist for Teaching Tolerance.
As December approaches, teachers are faced with a dilemma: How can we successfully create the most inclusive climate in our religiously and culturally diverse schools? Efforts to teach about all religious holidays can raise more questions: How do we know we are teaching these holidays accurately? How can we be sure everyone feels included? And does teaching about several religious holidays in December neglect the rich religious diversity of holidays celebrated throughout the year?
The diverse holidays of the world present great teachable moments. Teaching Tolerance and Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding have teamed up to help teachers capitalize on these moments while recognizing and addressing the complexity of the so-called “December Dilemma.” Join us for a free webinar that will help you create deeper understandings of religious and secular holidays, facilitate classroom discussions surrounding inclusion and respect for religious and non-religious differences, and evaluate existing classroom resources and strategies for equity and inclusivity.
Anticipating and avoiding potential conflicts during the December holidays can make schools safer spaces where all children feel welcome. In order to move toward a pluralistic environment where different faiths and secular worldviews can be acknowledged within the classroom, educators need to be equipped with skills and knowledge to address both religious and secular holidays, to promote equity in the classroom and to encourage conversations about these traditions throughout the year.
Join us on October 9 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. EST for Addressing the December Dilemma in Schools as we tackle this important topic and offer educators resources on holiday inclusion throughout the year.