I wanted to wait until today to discuss Christmas. I wanted to wait because today was the P6 Christmas party. Yes, the students at a public school had a Christmas party. Here, in Scotland schools start to prepare for Christmas the last 2 weeks of November. Christmas is a big deal.
As soon as November rolls around the teachers begin to discuss plans for Christmas behind closed doors trying to make sure all of the plans are in place before the pupils begin to ask. The school has a theme and each grade level decorates a display according to that theme. This year's theme was Pantomimes (really dramatized plays that include a lot of audience participation, they usually occur around Christmas time in the UK). The P5's did an amazing Aladdin display at the front entrance of the school and the P1's and 2's decorated an entire corridor in the theme of Puss in Boots.
The school also puts up a Christmas tree in the hall. The tree theme this year was Sparkle. This meant that each student had to create an ornament to be hung on the tree before the official lighting. The entire school is now full of glitter. The tree was to be lit on the 3rd of December which meant Thanksgiving was not my marker for the Christmas season this year. However, the tree looks beautiful and it was so much fun to gather as a school and sing Christmas carols in the glow of the Christmas lights.
After all of the decorating fun there is a lull in Christmas activity until the final week of school (this week). But don't you worry there is no loss of Christmas conversation. The pupils are constantly discussing what they are doing for Christmas and asking if we can do something Christmas themed. For me, this was very exciting as I do not get to do many Christmas themed activities when teaching in the states. To make sure that I incorporated the Holiday spirit in the classroom the class and I have grown to love our Christmas reading time. To create our Christmas reading time all you need is a chair, a computer/SMARTboard, a good book, and access to YouTube. I simply put a chair in front of the SMARTboard turn on some soft Christmas music (I like to use Michael Buble), put a fire on the SMARTboard (we use the fireplace loop that is 8 hours long on YouTube), turn off some of the lights, have the class gather around and read a loud from the class novel. The pupils and I love this time of the day. It has gotten to the point that the students come in the classroom at the start of the day, after lunch and break asking if it is story time yet. I will miss our read-a-louds by the fire.
But, back to the big Christmas events. This week every grade level has a Christmas party. The students get to bring in a snack, music, and party clothes. This year we made placemats (laminated Christmas drawings the pupils made) and centerpieces (elves hats made out of green paper) for our snacks. At the party the students played some party games, danced to popular music, and then I taught them a couple of the energizers we do at the camp I work at during the summers. It was really special to bring something that I love so much to the kids in Scotland.
Tomorrow we have a Christmas church service in the morning and then a Christmas film in the afternoon. I cannot believe that Christmas is so close and that I will be leaving this charming city and school so soon. To experience the Christmas season with them has been an amazing gift and it has been a while since I have felt so much in the Christmas spirit!
As soon as November rolls around the teachers begin to discuss plans for Christmas behind closed doors trying to make sure all of the plans are in place before the pupils begin to ask. The school has a theme and each grade level decorates a display according to that theme. This year's theme was Pantomimes (really dramatized plays that include a lot of audience participation, they usually occur around Christmas time in the UK). The P5's did an amazing Aladdin display at the front entrance of the school and the P1's and 2's decorated an entire corridor in the theme of Puss in Boots.
The school also puts up a Christmas tree in the hall. The tree theme this year was Sparkle. This meant that each student had to create an ornament to be hung on the tree before the official lighting. The entire school is now full of glitter. The tree was to be lit on the 3rd of December which meant Thanksgiving was not my marker for the Christmas season this year. However, the tree looks beautiful and it was so much fun to gather as a school and sing Christmas carols in the glow of the Christmas lights.
After all of the decorating fun there is a lull in Christmas activity until the final week of school (this week). But don't you worry there is no loss of Christmas conversation. The pupils are constantly discussing what they are doing for Christmas and asking if we can do something Christmas themed. For me, this was very exciting as I do not get to do many Christmas themed activities when teaching in the states. To make sure that I incorporated the Holiday spirit in the classroom the class and I have grown to love our Christmas reading time. To create our Christmas reading time all you need is a chair, a computer/SMARTboard, a good book, and access to YouTube. I simply put a chair in front of the SMARTboard turn on some soft Christmas music (I like to use Michael Buble), put a fire on the SMARTboard (we use the fireplace loop that is 8 hours long on YouTube), turn off some of the lights, have the class gather around and read a loud from the class novel. The pupils and I love this time of the day. It has gotten to the point that the students come in the classroom at the start of the day, after lunch and break asking if it is story time yet. I will miss our read-a-louds by the fire.
But, back to the big Christmas events. This week every grade level has a Christmas party. The students get to bring in a snack, music, and party clothes. This year we made placemats (laminated Christmas drawings the pupils made) and centerpieces (elves hats made out of green paper) for our snacks. At the party the students played some party games, danced to popular music, and then I taught them a couple of the energizers we do at the camp I work at during the summers. It was really special to bring something that I love so much to the kids in Scotland.
Tomorrow we have a Christmas church service in the morning and then a Christmas film in the afternoon. I cannot believe that Christmas is so close and that I will be leaving this charming city and school so soon. To experience the Christmas season with them has been an amazing gift and it has been a while since I have felt so much in the Christmas spirit!