No Hungry Kid

   

In a perfect world, there would never be a child who goes to school hungry. In todays society, we constantly hear about "literacy", "Common Core", and "test scores". What about "hunger"? Perhaps combatting hunger should be our biggest concern when it comes to education. How can we expect children to do well learning, when they can only think about how hungry they are? However, this conversation is actually deeper than physical hunger, Children who regularly do not get enough to eat, combined with poverty, can lead to delayed brain development which then impacts a child's ability to learn. On top of this, children who experience chronic, hunger, do not get the right amount of vitamins and minerals which may stop them from attaining developmental milestones. They can also develop iron-deficiency anemia which can directly link to an inability to focus, retain material, and learn. Children who are hungry can be irritable which can lead to behavior problems and again a lack of being able to focus on good academic instruction. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 40% of households live below the poverty level. In many of these households children are affected by hunger.
    Schools try to do the right thing when it comes to hunger, but what is the right thing? Since 1966 most schools in America have had a breakfast program but even this doesn't stop hunger due to a multitude of other factors:

• First is the friend factor as soon as a child enters school his/her friends gather around and if they are not also eating breakfast then catching up with friends takes precedence over eating breakfast for this child.
• Next is peer pressure kids are not always kind. Sometimes those who need to go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast are teased by those who do not. Adults try to monitor teasing but the truth is, teasing can happen anytime during the day and since there are more students than adults, children always find the time and place to tease others. Sometimes kids say things that are not meant as teasing such as, "Why would you want to eat that stuff?" Nobody wants to admit that they are hungry so they choose not to eat rather than admit they had no food at home.
• Getting to school on time often interferes with a child eating a nutritious breakfast either in or out of school. First, for those who eat at home, there are always days when a child is running late and skips out the door without breakfast. Some kids just don't feel like eating when they first get up in the morning so they too leave home without eating.
• School rules altough developed with good intentions can also interfere with kids eating breakfast. Most schools do not allow food or drinks in the classroom. My school included! So sometimes students must wait as long as five hours until lunch! This is agonizing! I can attest to the point that the class period right before lunch is very difficult to keep students engaged!
• Medications, traditionally medications for ADHD make children lose their appetite. The medication allows for learning because the child can focus but may reduce the amount of nutrition the child receives throughout the day.

     So, what can teachers do?  We obviously can't stop poverty, hunger, or even high stakes testing, but we can help. I allow drinks and supply healthy snacks everyday to my students! Yes, admittedly I'm a rule breaker! I teach special education. I teach kids who many of them do take medication and many of them have difficult, impoverished home lives.  Do I allow these woes to be a crutch for them, absolutely not! They need to be responsible for their learning, engagement, and behavior just like everybody else! I am however human! I get thirsty and hungry and I have no excuses! So, I provide them with a nutritious snack everyday. Each day I place one nutritious snack on everybody's desk. Sometimes they are even provided with homemade snacks like banana bread, or apple crisp! They are allowed to bring in a drink as long as it is not soda or an energy drink.  If they do not have a drink, I give them a cup to get water from the water fountain. They can eat their snacks when ever they want to as long as it doesn't interfere with their classwork. Honestly, their snacks basically go unnoticed because they all have one! It's fair!
   Not all teacher's have the luxury of having the same students all day. My suggestion: Keep a stash of healthy snacks in your classroom that are quick to eat and low in sodium and sugar. Your students will feel energized and refocused.
    Staying in touch with parents is important too. Ask parents to not give their children their medications until after they have eaten breakfast if their medication decreases their appetite. Often, students who do eat free and reduced breakfast can set up an arrangement with the school nurse to take their  medication after breakfast in his/her office. Also,  for parents who are having financial difficulties and have trouble feeding their family tell them about school polices on free and reduced breakfasts and lunches and community programs such as food pantries and soup kitchens. Parents want to do what's best for their children.
     In today's society, educators wear many hats. During the school days our students are our responsibility and what ever we can do to help them become intelligent, informed, productive citizens is what we must do. Please go to www.nohungrykid.org to see what you can do.

Just in!!!

Two Hour Delay - Tuesday, February 24, Due to Inclement Weather
No AM Pre-K
No Breakfast Served....breaks my heart. Sorry kids, due to the weather, you may not have  
                                  breakfast! 

Love For Twelve Amazing Students in The Not Perfect Hat Club

      Where to begin! I think, I'll begin with love because in this story, there is just so much love to talk about. Besides, February is the month of love so I think this is an appropriate theme for today's blog.  
      Love...I love all kids...this along with a few other things brought me into the world of Special Education.  I can honestly say that I have never taught a child that did not end up in my heart forever! I remember them all. One of my least favorite words is "goodbye" because eventually, I have to say "goodbye" to all of them. This is as is should be, it's a part of the master plan in education to build a strong, self-sufficient person with many skills to pave his/her own way in life. Children build their knowledge base from many diverse educational leaders called, teachers! Teachers share a partnership to educate each child.
     So, like Oliver in the Broadway Musical, I think I was looking for love, not for me, but for my twelve, outstanding students and other kids who deserve to feel good about themselves (incidentally this is all children). I've talked a lot about this lot of very diverse kids who are passionate about learning. They are not all passionate about academics per se, they each have their own identity and ideals about things.  I simply wanted everyone to know that my kids are champions!
     About a month ago, January 4th, to be exact, I received an invitation from Jena Ball the co-founder of the "Not Perfect Hat Club"  www.NotPerfectHatClub.com., inviting me, my students, and our aides to help make the Not Perfect Hat Club a reality and bring it to classrooms around the world. I talked to my students and my Principal and it was a resounding, "yes."
     Next, I talked to the brilliant tech team at WCSD: Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Millett, Mr. Koebel, and Mr. Leipfert. They did not hesitate to add Skype and a sound system to my classroom. They checked it once, then twice, then thrice! Mr. Millett even came in early on the morning of our Skype meetings to make sure that we had no glitches! 

Mr. Koebel Checking our Technology System

    We hit the ground running with Jena Ball and never looked back! The past month is truly a whirlwind! The obstacle was, how can our tiny class in a small, rural community help to raise funds for a big, global project?  As we do in science class using the scientific method, we came up with a hypothesis! What if we, make "not perfect hats", sell them, and then host a "Not-Perfect Hat Day" at our school?" Alas, we had a plan! 
     Mrs. Aubin (that's me) designed the hat and consulted with a couple of seamstresses (Named Aunt Linda and Barb).  Mrs. Faryniraz our classroom aide knows how to use a sewing machine! So, we borrowed a sewing machine from Miss Badger, the art/home economics teacher. Mrs. Aubin bought fabric and supplies, Mrs. Faryniraz, Mrs. Ross our CSE secretary, Mrs. Bigelow our janitor, and Mrs. Gonyea a classroom aide all donated fabric. Then we taught our twelve children how to measure, cut, and sew hats! The final step was snipping the edges for a "top-notch" and tying it off! We discovered that sewing is not only fun but relaxing too! 


     

Sewing, then Snipping the fringe for the top notch!

      Finally, the big day was here! It was January 20th! Ms. Jenaia came. We sat fully engaged with our newly made not perfect hats on. We intently listened to Ms. Jenaia read chapter one from the book she is still in the process of writing, oddly enough named, "The Not Perfect Hat Club." We loved it! We can't wait until Ms. Jenaia finishes writing the novel so that we can hear all about what happens to Jabber, Rylee, Carl, and of course our canine friend Newton!

     Next, Ms. Jenaia taught us how to draw Newton just like she does! We paid very close attention! How often does a class have a chance to meet a real author and illustrator right in their very classroom! This was so amazing, Ms. Jenaia came to us! Ms. Jenaia was all the way in North Carolina and here we were in Whitehall, New York. We will have to ask Ms. Janaia if she has ever been to Whitehall, other than on Skype!  We decided that we'd rather go to North Carolina where it is a little bit warmer than our recent near zero or below temperatures.



     We found it amazing that we could actually learn how to draw Newton even though Ms. Jenaia was not actually right in the room with us. Ms. Jenaia explains and shows drawing very well. She is patient and clearly answers everyone's questions. She was able to show us what to do right on the Smart board with Skype. We had never done this before!

     I'm not one to brag, but my students did an incredible job. They focused very closely. They did not want to miss a step. They wanted their  drawings of Newton to be precise! You could have heard a pin drop in the classroom.  Maybe it's Ms. Jenaia's special way of making every person she comes into contact with feel like they are the most important person ever. Miss Jenaia doesn't only have a gift for writing, and illustrating, but she has a gift with people too. Below are some of the Ms. Jenaia inspired drawings of Newton, that my students did:

Many Newton's from Mrs. Aubin's Kids.

   
         Two days later Miss Jenaia came back through Skype again! This time we were super excited! Can you believe that
 Ms. Jenaia wants us to teach her how to make hats?  Since their are twelve students into our class, I used task analysis to break the task of making hats into twelve steps. Each student had a turn teaching Ms. Jenaia how to make a hat! The students helped each other out as needed.

      

     Ms. Janaia was a real sport! She followed our directions just as good as we followed hers when she taught us how to draw Newton. She measured as we showed her how, she cut with our specific cutting directions. She snipped, and tucked, and tied; never missing a beat! Ms. Jenaia's hat came out great! We had no idea, until today what great teachers we are! We love teaching others!

Doesn't Ms. Jenaia look great?

      Our last task to do today was to learn how to make flyers for our hat day! We are so pumped! On February 9th, we are going to begin a week long hat week! We are going to sell hats everyday during lunch for $3.00 each! Then on Friday, it's NOT PERFECT HAT DAY!!!! Every one in school is allowed to wear any hat for $1.00 all day! Teachers are allowed to wear has too! Every one who pays $1.00 will get a really cool sticker to put on their hat. Ms. Jena sent us a whole bunch! She is just so thoughtful!

     Best of all, we are also hold the first annual NOT PERFECT HAT DAY CONTEST!!!  we have four categories: best hat, most colorful hat, best theme, and most not perfect hat! Ms. Jenaia helped us think up the prize categories!  Thank you Ms. Jenaia!
   Our joy does not end here! You see for six days we get to go to the front office to announce our "Not Perfect Week" Kayla was brave and went first! I, Mrs. Aubin held auditions. Everyday someone different gets to do the announcements! On Friday the 13th (our lucky day) Ms. Mc Hugh, our principal is holding an assembly so that we can announce our "Not Perfect Hat Day", Prize winners! I promise to get really fun prizes for the newest event at Whitehall Jr. Sr, High School.
        It is my hope that other schools and classes follow Ms. Jena's amazing group, "The Not Perfect Hat Club." I and my students found love the day we met Ms.  Jena. Ms. Jena shows compassion for all people and all critters. She doesn't hide ever as the song "Oliver" suggests. Ms. Jena is ever present and answers every question. There is never a non-solution but there is always a way! 
     Ms. Jena's love is global and we are very proud that she has included twelve students, three aides, and one teacher, from rural Whitehall, New York into her "Not Perfect Hat Club", but more importantly into her heart! We love you Ms. Jena and Ms. Jenaia!

P.S. Please click on the Bammy Awrd badge to vote for me under "special needs staff"...Thank you!
     

The Not Perfect Hat Club Goes Global

     As educators we live in a very special time. Since the onset of the internet about twenty years ago, we can collaborate with teachers and those who have the latest advances in educational ideas from around the globe! It amazes me that by a few clicks on Twitter, I can meet up with educators from around the world that are as passionate about teaching as I am! I have learned ideas on how to enhance student learning from educators as far away as: Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, the Philippines, New Zealand, Canada, Nepal, Mumbai, India, and closer to home right here in the United States!

    You see, I had known with my whole heart that I had to become a special education teacher! I am fairly positive that I was born to have this career! Way back in 1961 (forget the year) I was born over two months early. On my third day, my heart stopped and I stopped breathing. A miracle brought me back. I stayed in the hospital for a long time. My parents had little hope that I'd ever be "normal" given the combination of my prematurity and the lack of oxygen to my brain. I beat the odds! I hit every milestone on time, did well in school, and was accepted into college. From the beginning of my time, special education was my passion!
    My mission has always been to give back! I want to give to those who were not as lucky as me. Every child deserves a champion. Every child deserves someone who believes in him/her even when the odds are against him/ her. Success comes in different forms for different people. Success for me is getting the word out that education is special for all children.

Deb Aubin Wearing a hat!

   This leads me to four amazing people whom I have met on my journey to promoting education. They are: Jena Ball,  Marty Keltz, Karin Lippert, and Nick Brierley. Last August, I decided that my amazing students needed a voice, and I would be that voice! So I discovered Twitter, which led to a blog, which led to a webpage, which led to Jena, Marty, Karin, Nick, and many others whom I adore! 

Jena Ball 

Marty Keltz

Karin Lippert

      Since my students are special education students, they often feel less than perfect. They aren't the best readers, writers, test takers, athletes,...etc. But...if you ask me, they are the best students! They work so hard! Talk about diligence, they never give up! We cherish the small improvements and watch them grow into bigger advances!  My students want to learn! They amaze me every day! Jena Ball and Marty Keltz came into our lives at just the right time. They are partners in the Not Perfect Hat Club. Miss Jena is an author and illustrator who visits classrooms and teaches kids that perfection is not an option, and that is perfectly okay! My kids needed a lift, and in came Jena and Marty with their optimistic, everyone is okay attitudes!  Wow! Talkabout a perfect match!
    Miss Jena created the Not Perfect Hat Club, after visiting schools with her CritterKin book Series and hearing kids say negative things about themselves and their work. She decided that it was clear that she needed to find a way to help kids set aside their judgements and trust themselves and their work. Thus, the Not Perfect Hat Club was born! Just wait until; they hear that Karin Lippert, publicist for the Not Perfect Hat Club mentioned us on a touchcast newscast!
       Being launched in conjunction with The Global Classroom Project,* The Not Perfect Hat Club is both an illustrated children's book and a project based learning initiative being shared with kids around the world. Jena is not only writing and illustrating the book, but developing creative activities and tools that will allow parents, teachers and kids to share their "Not Perfect" experiences with others. A global initiative dedicated to helping teachers and students connect with and learn from one another. Through Jena and Marty, I have met amazing educators from all over the world who like me are teaching academics combined with empathy, compassion, and mutual respect for everyone. One of these amazing educators is Nick Brierley.  He is a part of The #Aussieed Team. Check their blog out at: http://www.aussieed.com.  I am proud to be a part of the global Not Perfect Hat Club which includes my educator friends across the ocean in Australia. I know that the kid inside this educator has found the perfect place to hang my hat in the global Not Perfect Hat Club!

Nick Brierley #aussieEd

     

Teaching with Heart A Place for Every Kid to Hang A Hat

     Have you ever known with your whole heart that you had to do something? Something that maybe everyone else in your world is telling you not to do, that it is too challenging for you or too risky?  Yet, your heart kept telling you that you just had to give this new thing a try. This for me was special education. I had been groomed to be a nurse, but my heart told me that there were kids in schools who needed me. I went with my heart. I don't tell this story often, but I was born over two months early way back in 1961! On my third day of life my heart stopped beating and a miracle brought me back. My parents had little hope of me ever being "normal" due to the combination of my prematurity and the lack of oxygen to my tender brain. I was in  the hospital for a very long time. I however never lived a day of suffering due to my not so gentle entrance into the world. I hit every milestone on time. I did well in school. I was accepted into college, and I chose the field that everyone told me not to: Special Education. My question to all of my doubters, was how could I not help children who were not as fortunate as me? If I had not beat the odds, I would hope that someone who genuinely cared would be my champion and teach me how to navigate in the world as much as possible. I just had to be this person for the countless number of children who need extra support and specially created lessons to learn.

   Two years ago, I made another life change and went from being a resource room teacher to a self-contained classroom teacher. My work load more than doubled I'd say! I was now responsible to teach English, math, social studies, science, reading, and life skills to twelve very diverse children all on different levels . I planned all summer long and carefully read their IEP's. I wanted to do right by these children. I differentiated their lessons. I planned for every second of the day. I created a behavior /task oriented program to keep everyone focused and engaged. I made sure that the children came first and in this equation that every child felt as if s/he was the star. 

    I created a room of mutual respect. I wanted each child treated with kindness and understanding. We of course have our scuffles but in every set back is a lesson to be learned, a coping strategy to be created, and from this comes growth. In my classroom I take the good with the bad and cherish each child everyday regardless if it was a positive day for the child or not. Sometimes a unproductive day is a stepping stone to the next stage of growth, the next insight, and understanding after a long reflection. There is good in everyone and in every situation even when you can't see it from the onset. I am so thankful that I took on the challenge of these twelve amazing children. I am in year two with them. We have become a family. We are a family who sometimes disagree but in the end, we are there for each other. We matter. We know that every day, no matter what kind of day it is that each of us has  a place to hang our hat.

      This brings me to a wonderful lady named Jena Ball who came into my life and the lives of my students at just the right moment.  Since my students are special education students they often feel less than perfect. They aren't the best readers, or test takers, or the best in sports, chorus or drama. The thing they are best at is diligence. They never give up! They work so hard everyday! They are inquisitive and they want to learn! They simply amaze me! They are at a point though, that they needed a lift.  They need someone to tell them that they are doing good and they need not to compete against each other to be "top dog".  They need some one to tell them that it's okay to be one of a kind and do things in their own way and in their own time. Then unexpectedly, Miss Jena and her business partner Marty Keltz walk into our lives! Wow! Miss Jena's Not Perfect Hat Club, teaches kids that perfection is not an option and that is perfectly okay. Miss Jena is an author and illustrator who writes the CritterKin Tales.  Miss Jena visited many schools with her CritterKins and heard students repeatedly saying negative things about themselves and their work. She decided that it was clear that she needed to find a way to help kids set aside their judgements and trust themselves in their work. Thus, the Not Perfect Hat Club was born! 

      Being launched in conjunction with The Global Classroom Project,* The Not Perfect Hat Club is both an illustrated children's book and a project based learning initiative being shared with kids around the world. Jena is not only writing and illustrating the book, but developing creative activities and tools that will allow parents, teachers and kids to share their "Not Perfect" experiences with others. A global initiative dedicated to helping teachers and students connect with and learn from one another. Through Jena and Marty, I have met amazing educators from all over the world who like me are teaching academics combined with empathy, compassion, and mutual respect for everyone.

     As we wait for Miss Jena's Skype visit next week, we discuss all of the wonderful ways that we are perfectly not perfect and we celebrate this process! Today we wrote paragraphs and colored hats for our bulletin board. 

     Ironically, Out of twelve students, I have two who don't feel perfect enough for Miss Jena's visit. They are concerned about Skype being live and that they will be less than perfect for her visit.  Since Miss Jena leads with her heart I am not worried. With gentle encouragement these two students will be successful. Miss Jena and our Not Perfect Hat Club will work magic and show these two young men that there is nothing to fear. They will gain confidence from this experience and will take home a memory of a day that they were worried but had success just from being themselves. What a powerful message. 
     I now know with my whole heart that special education was my calling and meeting Miss Jena and being able to share her heart and wisdom with my students was just met to be. I will write again to share all about our visit with Miss Jena and to share our bulletin board filled with Not Perfect Hat Club members who have been touched by Miss Jena's wisdom.

     If you'd like to know more about the place where every child can hang a hat, The Not Perfect Hat Club Global Project, you can find Jena at:

Follow Jena on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/JenaiaMorane  you will be so glad that you did! 

Labeling: A Positive Requirement to be Eligible For Special Education Services

     

As with all aspects of education, in this case special education, I like to accentuate the positive. Many times, parents fear the idea of having their child labeled. In fact, I am one of those parents, however, like most I have seen why labeling a child in order for them to receive special education services is a move in a positive direction. Labeling the child doesn't harm the child at all, in fact it helps him/her. Labeling a child allows professionals to communicate with each other because each categorical label provides a general idea about that child's learning characteristics. This gives professionals and parents a point at which to convene and organize a suitable program for the child.  Through the years, labeling has led to the development and improvement of specialized teaching methods, testing accommodations and modifications, and behavioral plans and interventions that can benefit all children and all teachers whether in special education or not.
     Labeling is indeed required to be included in special education.  Given the current law, to receive special, education services, a child must have a disability which is the nature of the "label" and in most cases must also, be further classified into one of the state's                            categories, such as:  autism, deaf or blindness, developmental delays, emotional disturbance, hearing impairments, intellectually disabled,m multiple disabilities, orthopedic disabilities, other health impairments (OHI), specific learning disabilities, speech and/or language impairments, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairments.  The Individual's with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) allows children ages three to nine to be identified as developmentally delayed and therefore receive special education services without a specific disability label.  
   Some worry, that using labels to identify children with specific learning needs stigmatize them and may be a harbinger to their denial of participating in activities in the mainstream.  The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights said that children with disabilities have the right to participate in their school’s extracurricular activities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Also, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights said that students with intellectual, developmental, physical, and any other disability must even be allowed modifications and aids as needed as long as they do created an unfair advantage to sports teams for example,  and only serve to even out the playing field for all participants.
    In reality, we all use labels every day to simply categorize things for example: those with blue eyes, those with red shirts, toddlers, the clarinet section, foreign cars, american cars, in each instance the "label" helps us to better understand what we are referring too. The same is true in labeling a child for special education services. The label simply helps identify what the child needs in terms of education. The child, like every other child will continue to grow and change. Every child is unique with his/her own individual qualities. In no way should a label for special education classification make that child any less valued or qualified for a high-quality education both during school hours and during extra-curricular activities.

Parent and Educator Links:
What You Need to Know About Students with Special Needs and Participating in Interscholastic Athletics
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/07/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-students-with-special-needs-and-participation-in-interscholastic-athletics/#.VKM1469QKVI.twitter

Feds:  Schools Must Open Sports to Kids With Disabilities
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/01/25/feds-schools-sports/17177/

Mitt Aubin's Book Review:

     When Temple was an infant, her parents knew that she was different. She was an unresponsive as a baby, and threw violent tantrums as a toddler. She did not speak. Her Mother never gave up on her. It was later determined that she had autism. She has never shied away from this label, rather she embraced it. 

     For younger readers, this book serves as a wonderful introduction into more than a simple biography of Temple Grandin's life, but also introduces children to autism, animal welfare and offers advice that would be helpful to higher functioning children on the autism spectrum. A solid overview of Grandin's life is given in Sy Montgomery's book, with details about her schooling as well as her professional successes. Her life has been extraordinary and she continues today to teach animal science at Colorado State University. She is an advocate for those with autism and educates others. She is also an animal rights advocate and claims it was animals who saved her. I have the utmost respect for Temple Grandin.

Wishing a Christmas State of Mind Could Last All Year

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.

Calvin Coolidge

    In 1914, in the midst of battle in WWI,  Pvt. Albert Moren of Second Queens Regiment recalled of Christmas Eve near the French Village of La Chapelle d'Armentieres a truce. He wrote in his journal, "It was a beautiful moonlit night, frost in the ground, white almost everywhere.There was a lot of commotion in the German trenches, and lights. Then they sang, "Silent Night", "Stille Nacht" ' It was recalled by many there during this night, that the opposing forces would take turns singing Christmas carols. Then all sang together, two or more nations singing one tune in the middle of a war. Men shouted, "No shooting", so they didn't shoot. They simply sang. They came out of their trenches and shook hands. They smiled and exchanged pleasantries. Some played football, they buried their dead, they shared cigarettes. They took time out from the war, to feel Christmas and to show humanity for just a moment. They shared a Christmas state of mind. They experienced peace for just a little while and showed each other that even though they had an unpleasant job to do they still had Christmas and goodwill in their hearts. Amidst the chaos, uncomfortableness, filth, cold, and fear they found the peace that only Christmas can bring. (adapted from www.nytimes.com/2005/12/25)

    Christmas is odd like that, it's not really just a holiday, it's not really just the celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus, it's not even the exchanging of gifts, or a decorated tree, or a stocking hung by the chimney with care, it's so much more than all of these things. Of course, Christmas began with the birth of the baby Jesus from the Virgin Mary, but throughout the ages, the love and peace of that very first Christmas has grown. It's kind of like the Grinch's heart, in Dr. Seuss's book, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas when the Grinch's heart grows. Christmas has become a feeling, a state of mind. Christmas is felt in the heart.

   On the days leading up to Christmas, I think of so many people. Some live in mansions while others live in the streets. Holiday traditions are as varied as the people themselves. Gifts can be grand or as small as a gesture. I know children, many of whom come from impoverished homes. They are not sad at Christmas time. Most of them are not even hoping for gifts for themselves. Yes, of course they would like gifts, candy, and good food, but mostly they want to give. Mostly they have goodwill in their hearts and want so desperately to share this with others. They love making cards and giving them to others including strangers . They hope that their small act of love can bring joy to someone else. This small act of kindness returns the act of kindness to themselves because in turn they feel good knowing that they made someone else feel good.

 

     This is what Christmas is about. It's about feeling peace within your heart, and deep down gratitude, knowing that somewhere; anywhere, others are feeling that same peace and comfort that you are feeling, the real spirit of Christmas.  So, this Christmas, just like that historic one in the trenches of WWI, may you have a Silent Night, filled with a Christmas state of mind. Joyous Holidays.

Kids Experience More During the Holidays When Taught Worldliness

     This may be a first and a last, but I am about to disagree with the dictionary!  In the dictionary, worldliness is defined as "being concerned with this world as contrasted with heaven, and/or a spiritual life." This is of course true, however I believe worldliness is more than this and does indeed include a spiritual component. As both a parent and a teacher, I believe it is important to develop worldliness in children. Currently, I live and teach in a community that is 96.6% white, 1.8% Hispanic, 0.3% African-American, 0.1% Asian,  and 0.7% Native American. There is a high poverty rate in my community so many children never travel far from home. I believe, that as an educator it is my job to get my students ready for the world. Kids do not live in a vacuum. Children need to know about other cultures and religions. There is so much more to the world then what they see in our picturesque, little town. Don't get me wrong. I love my little town. My town is close-knit and caring. We take care of our children. However I believe in taking care of our children, we must teach them about the world. 

      It is the holiday time. The children in my town are very familiar with the Christian holiday of Christmas. Christmas 's humble roots come from the observance of the birth of the baby Jesus born to the virgin Mary and Joseph in a rustic stable, in the town of Bethlehem. A rich story, where angels appear to the shepherds who are tending their flocks of sheep. The angels come singing that a savior has been born in the town of Bethlehem. The shepherds decide to go see the newborn king.
     The Magi, three wise men, saw the star in the sky signifying the birth of the baby Jesus. They followed the star and found Mary, the baby Jesus, and Joseph in the stable in Bethlehem. They offered gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh.
     Christian children all over the world perform the "nativity" in their churches. My children played the parts of heavenly angels multiple times in our church. It was an exciting performance highlighted by a real infant portraying the baby Jesus.

   Most Christian Children believe in Santa Claus though there are other, similar customs throughout the world. Many believe that Santa Claus came from the Dutch Sinterklaas which quickly became a tradition in America in the seventeenth Century. This is even mentioned in the classic movie, "Miracle on Thirty-fourth street" by Santa Claus, himself. Santa Claus type characters appear in German lore and in Europe before Christianity took hold.  Most Christmas traditions such as tree decorating, Christmas Cards, gift giving, lights, and cookies, and feasts do not come from the church. Most traditions come from all over the world passed down from family members.

   I want the children in my community and in similar communities to know about other holidays and traditions as well. They need to because if they travel more than 90 miles away from here they will encounter people who celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. We live in a global society. Since the 1980's and the popularity of the internet we have been able to communicate widely with people around the world. This makes the world a much smaller place. Today we live in a world where we can share in the joy and traditions of others.
   When my children were young, we lived in West Chester, Pennsylvania a suburb of Philadelphia. In their elementary school all of the December holidays were celebrated and shared. What jubilance to celebrate with friends and share our traditions.  

       Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday.  It was founded in 1966.  Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday. It is a way for African-American to celebrate their heritage in a celebration of unity and ancestry.
      Kwanzaa begins on December 26th and lasts for seven days.  Each of the seven days is dedicated to a different principle, known as a whole as: Nguzo Saba. The Kinara, a candelabra is the central symbol of Kwanzaa. It holds three green, three red, and one black candle. These colors represent the African flag.  The kinara is placed on a mkeka (straw mat). The seven candles are lit in a particular order one on each day of Kwanzaa.  On day seven, all seven candles are burned. The order of the candles burning is as follows:
Day 1: The black, middle candle umoja, to maintain unity within the family and
             community.
Day 2: The innermost red candle is lit, kujichagulia-for self determination and
              advocacy, the ability to speak for oneself.
Day 3: The innermost green candle, ujima,- for collective work and 
              responsibility. To signify building and maintaining community.
Day 4:  The middle red candle is lit to honor ujamaa-this is economic co-
               operation to help and profit from one another.
Day 5: The middle green candle is lit- nia purpose, to build and develop the 
              community for the benefit of the people.
Day 6:  The outermost candle is lit- kuumba, it's for creativity to to put every
               effort to leave the community a better place for future generations.
Day 7:  The outermost green candle is lit- imani, to believe in parents, teachers,
               and leaders. 
     Corn, one ear to represent each child is placed on the mkeka mat, with a mazao (fruit basket) and a unity cup. Everyone drinks from the unity cup . Homes are decorated with traditional African crafts which are made during a craft party. A feast  called, Karamu,is held on day 6 consisting of traditional African food. The children help prepare the food to give them pride from their heritage.   On the last day of Kwanzaa, January 1st, zawadi (gifts) are exchanged which are typically the crafts. 
    It is acceptable to celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa since Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday. Often African -American families decorate their Christmas tree in traditional African colors of black, green, and red and/or decorations that represent nature which are also part of Kwanzaa.

          Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights. This year Hanukkah begins on December 16, 2014. those who practice Judaism, celebrate Hanukkah to commemorate the miracle of the oil. In Hebrew, hanukkah means dedication. In 165 BC, Antiochus, the Syrian ruler decreed that all Jews in Judea must worship Greek Gods. The Jewish Freedom Fighters called the Maccabees rebelled. After three long years, the Maccabees conquered Antiochus. They restored their Temple in Jerusalem. As a part of the celebration they lit an oil lamp that only had enough oil to burn for one day. This gave them only one day to read the Torah.The miracle was that oil lamp stayed lit for eight days. this was enough time to make more oil to keep the lamp burning at all times.
    During Hanukkah, the Menorah, a candelabra is lit by lighting one of each of the nine candles over the eight day festival.  The ninth candle, called the shamash, is the candle used to light each of the eight candles. The candles are burned right to left, one each day, until all eight candles are lit on the final day. During Hanukkah, people celebrate by singing songs, eating oil fried treats like potato latkes and sufganiyot, jelly filled donuts.  Children delight in playing a game with spinning tops called dreidels. It is said that during the dictatorship of Antiochus, Jews got around not being able to read the Torah by playing what appeared to be a game with Hebrew characters carved on all four sides. Children also share gelt which are gold covered chocolate coins. They are a symbol of Jewish Independence.

     In the United States, Santa Claus has become a symbol for December. Some practicing Jews have added a little bit of Christmas spirit into their Hanukkah by choosing to put a "Hanukkah Bush" aka a "Christmas tree" into their homes. Like Christians,  Jews exchange gifts. They open one gift per each night of Hanukkah.

     So, the December holidays are intermingled which demonstrates just how close knit our world is. Being worldly isn't being materialistic or nonspiritual, it is being all-knowing. Being worldly is being able to go anywhere in the world and understanding cultural differences and practices. Being worldly is being able to embrace the world. Embracing your brothers and sisters in other places and understanding that although their traditions might be different than your own, they are valuable with rich meaning, and just maybe they can be  partly included in your own traditions. So while yes, dear dictionary, being worldly pertains to earth, it also includes the spirituality that customs, religions, and traditions bring.