It was a cultural lesson that ended with cupcakes and cookies.
Three first grade classes and a combination first/second grade class participated in a Las Posadas procession Thursday afternoon at Hillside Elementary School.
The activity taught the young students about the cultural significance of the ceremony, which has origins in Spain and is widely celebrated today in Mexico and Guatemala.
In the procession, participants carry candles and re-enact the search by Mary and Joseph for lodging as they carried the baby Jesus with them.
On Wednesday, one of the first grade classrooms kicked it off by walking with paper "candles" in hand to the adjoining classroom. They asked, "Is there room?" The other class replied, "No, there isn't" and joined them.
The group then went to the third and fourth classrooms and got the same response. The entire congregation then walked to the cafeteria, where they were told there indeed was room for them.
Inside, teachers and parent volunteers had set up a celebration with the cookies and cupcakes.
Hillside Principal Pam VandeKamp said the project taught students a lesson in social studies. They also incorporated it into their reading and writing lessons.
This fall, the students have also learned the origins and cultural significance of Halloween, Hanukkah,
"It's fun and interesting for the students," said VandeKamp. "We encourage students to learn and this is a great way to do that."
VandeKamp said the lessons are not religion-based but focus instead of history and culture.
"We're not teaching religion," she said. "We're teaching about other cultures."
And, as you say, if making kids perform a religious ritual is not teaching religion, then why not have them performed religious rituals from other traditions? Why not teach them how to pray in the Muslim way? Why not teach them how to puja? Why not celebrate the solstice with a pagan ritual? The answer is pretty obvious.
Apparently, some members of our society prefer religious /illiteracy/ and shaming tactics. I strongly feel that being an atheist is o.k., but banning all religious knowledge and practices on some pretext of irrelevance or unsubstantiated risk is not o.k.
Study after study shows that atheists are the most religious literate people out there. Indeed, the more you know about religions, the harder it is to believe in any one of them. And this is exactly why schools only want to teach /one/ religion: Christianity.
"redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim" Those that wish to "burn books" are wise to rethink their rhetoric and their tactics. :)
I do see some violent agreement, too though. Both extremes of the Christian/atheist divide are guilty of making a big ado about not a whole lot. Christmas celebrations aren't going anywhere in America (anyone who thinks that is just plain silly, Fox News) and knocking on some doors doesn't turn you into a mindless soldier of Christ.
1 - admit that learning about just one religion is not religion literacy 2- advocate practicing Christian rituals, and only Christian rituals, in the name of religious literacy Well, you do need to divorce yourself from logic in order to hold religious beliefs, so it's not surprising you'd hold those two incongruous beliefs at the same time :-)
Did you read the article you are commenting on? I don't understand. For example, how do you come to the conclusion that this school isn't learning about other faith traditions at other times of the year? You may be correct but we are certainly not on the same page if you are referring to information about the classroom curriculum that is not discussed here. This makes it rather boring for someone trying to have a meaningful conversation - like swinging at phantasms. Do atheists believe in those?
Religious literacy for Rob? Not so much.
Note also how she particularly said that they "learned" about the origins of Halloween and Hanukkah, not that they participated in any rituals associated with them. Again, my guess is that if they had lit the Hanukkah candles the article would have said so. But you are more than welcome to call the school district and prove me wrong.
No arguments over silly things like this, just *FREEDOM* to choose the right school for your kids.
"CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - What is a Posada? This is a question that a lot of people ask as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. The tradition of the Posadas was brought to Mexico from Spain in the 1500's by Catholic Missionaries. The Posadas commemorate Mary and Joseph's difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a place for the Christ Child to be born. The Posadas are not to be confused with a mere Christmas party. Instead, the Posadas should be seen as a religious event. In Catholic parishes, parishioners and anyone who wishes to join in meet at the church at a specific time during the early evening. The Posada begins with the recitation of the Holy Rosary, a very beautiful prayer to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. When a part of the Rosary is prayed by all those who have gathered for the Posada, the group begins to proceed from the church to the local neighborhood."
Reposting here: Comment 1 of 4 "Religious literacy is the knowledge of, and ability to understand, religion. The importance of being religiously literate is increasing as globalisation has created greater links and migration between societies of different faiths and cultures. It has been proposed that including religious literacy as an aspect of public education would improve social cohesion." Apparently, some members of our society prefer religious /illiteracy/ and shaming tactics. I strongly feel that being an atheist is o.k., but banning all religious knowledge and practices on some pretext of irrelevance or unsubstantiated risk is not o.k.
Teaching only one religion, by definition, is not religious literacy. That would be called something else like fanaticism: "redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim" Those that wish to "burn books" are wise to rethink their rhetoric and their tactics. :)
Nope. I do see some violent agreement, too though. Both extremes of the Christian/atheist divide are guilty of making a big ado about not a whole lot. Christmas celebrations aren't going anywhere in America (anyone who thinks that is just plain silly, Fox News) and knocking on some doors doesn't turn you into a mindless soldier of Christ.
Marga, Did you read the article you are commenting on? I don't understand. For example, how do you come to the conclusion that this school isn't learning about other faith traditions at other times of the year? You may be correct but we are certainly not on the same page if you are referring to information about the classroom curriculum that is not discussed here. This makes it rather boring for someone trying to have a meaningful conversation - like swinging at phantasms. Do atheists believe in those?