Ways to Inclusify Your Classroom — In time for Easter & Passover

It is that time of year...

Across the US and beyond, families and schools embrace the arrival of spring, nice weather (hopefully!), and the holidays that kick off the season. Yes, I said holidays (plural). While neither Easter nor Passover is a federal holiday here in the States, Easter still seems to take precedence in schools and classrooms. To many, Easter itself is akin to the start of the spring season. Attention! No one is saying to take away Easter. For many of our students, Easter in the classroom acts as a mirror that allows students to see themselves and their culture reflected back at them. This is good. This is positive. Students need these mirrors. Now, let's consider our students for whom Easter is not a mirror. What do they have to do year after year as spring begins? They—whether we think so or not—are forced to look through the Easter window. They learn about how others celebrate around this time of year. They learn that it is a significant time (after which some school breaks are even named!). Imagine celebrating Passover and having your holiday, one which you and your family cherish, always marginalized or relegated to being an aside. You would want a mirror. You would want to see yourself and your culture reflected back at you. You would want others to explore your culture, this bit of your world, through the Passover window. This is where you play the most instrumental role in inclusifying your classroom so that your students have both mirrors and windows this spring as we begin to celebrate Easter and Passover.

Thank you, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, for giving us Mirrors and Windows.

Some First Steps

Easter

• Invite your students to learn about a day that some people (not all) celebrate.
• Avoid making assumptions about what/how your students celebrate and that all people celebrate this day.
• Extend to your students an opportunity (a brave space) that allows them to share what/how they celebrate--if at all (e.g., Did you know that not all people celebrate Easter? Does anyone know what other holiday takes place around this time of year?).

Passover

• Position yourself as a fellow learner if you are not versed in Passover (It's okay not to know!).
• Allow your students who celebrate Passover to share openly and with the same level of priority given to Easter.
• Invite families to share about this special as the cultural/holiday experts.
• Be sure not to inadvertently other your students who celebrate Passover. Follow their lead and provide support (e.g., resources, tech, etc.) as needed.

Opt-out

You may have students in your class who opt out, whose guardians opt them out, or who have no interest for reasons unbeknownst to you.

• Breathe! This happens to us all. What matters is how we handle it.
• Always leave the door open to participate.
• Provide appropriate alternatives that are not (seemingly) punitive.
• Never force students to participate.
• Allowing an option not to participate is respectful and inclusive (although it may not "sound" like it).
• Consider spring-themed activities as alternatives.

Written by Sean Kreyling