Handling holidays

Hello everyone,

Holidays that happen on school days, under the best of circumstances, are difficult. Valentine's Day is one of those days, but they include such days as Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, and (that cruelest of days) April Fools' Day. Students come to class for purely social reasons, frequently, and the best students are distracted.

What do you do on days like this?

You do your best.

Keep a sense of humor; integrate the insanity into your lesson if possible; limit the parties (restrict them; cancel them; don't allow them if you can prevent them; postpone them until after school if possible).

Next year (this year is too late--I should have warned you earlier in the week), don't succumb to their pleading for a "kick back day" (one of their favorite things to ask for). Avoid free time. The mere asking for something doesn't require you to give it.

On the other hand, there is no reason to quell every festive impulse they have. I have seen teachers integrate holidays into their curricula. Brief exchanges of gifts or cards are likely to occur, so briefly overlooking them might not be bad.

St. Patrick's Day and April Fools' Day are something to be warned about, I suppose. Make sure you wear green on St. Paddy's Day, because they WILL pinch you if you don't. Watch for tacks on your chair and don't fall for alleged spiders on your back on April Fools' Day. In both instances, if you do fall for their rightful shenanigans, learn to laugh it off. There is usually nothing else you can do.

An attitude of calm, good humor, mixed with more than a little attention to business (or better yet, mingling fun with business) will get you through. Remember, though, that these are not the sorts of holidays that exempt anyone from an honest day's work.

In short, do your best.


Jeff Combe