The Moss-Free Stone

6 Comments

•   Nancy
  November 28th, 2007 at 9:19 pm

  I love the Santa blog but isn’t it too “Christmasy”? Don’t know if it would fly around my district.

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•   Randy Rodgers
  November 28th, 2007 at 9:55 pm

  That is an interesting question. Our district has done an activity where 1st graders write a persuasive letter to Santa for several years, trying to convince him that they have been good. We have had nothing but positive feedback, despite the fact that we certainly have a number of students who do not celebrate Christmas. I imagine it is done as an activity that no child is forced to complete, especially if it is not in line with the beliefs of their families. A highlight of the project is a videoconference where the students visit with Santa, who reads several letters and speaks to each student by name. It has been a very successful event every year. (I am VERY familiar with the process, by the way–might say I know how warm a red fur suit is in a southern December!)

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•   Nancy
  November 28th, 2007 at 10:08 pm

  As with so many other things in schools–the holiday celebration or lack of has gone overboard. I saw in the paper this morning where Lowe’s had been chastized by having “family trees” in their ads rather than “Christmas trees”—give me a break!! Kids love Christmas.

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•   Nancy
  November 28th, 2007 at 10:09 pm

  I meant to say the lack of holiday celebration has gone overboard…do you have a clue what I’m trying to say? N.

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•   Randy Rodgers
  November 28th, 2007 at 10:19 pm

  I understand completely. We live in a world where it is too easy to offend, too difficult to accommodate, and very easy to simply do away with the controversial idea altogether. I would certainly prefer that we simply honor one another’s beliefs and celebrate the differences, rather than simply banning them.

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•   Randy Rodgers
  November 28th, 2007 at 10:21 pm

  Our discussion has given me an idea–perhaps a wiki that would allow students to share the diverse traditions of their different cultures? Hmmm….I may have to work on that one!

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