Question

Q18/ Describe what our texts have to say about holidays from an anti-bias perspective.

Answer 1

Both the original and revised books about anti-bias education are clear about this point. They say learning about holidays in school can broaden children’s awareness of their own and other’s cultural experiences, if they are thoughtfully used as part of the curriculum about cultural diversity.  An anti-bias approach needs a thoughtful holiday policy, which addresses the complexities holidays pose. Engaging in critical thinking to design a holiday policy takes ongoing discussions among staff and families. This work may spark disagreements and may become contentious. But a policy like no holiday does not avoid conflict . Some staff and families will likely disagree with that as well. By eliminating all holidays from the curriculum,we lose out on opportunities to understand cultural values and feelings and search for solutions congruent with a culture practicing diversity and fairnes