Traditions

My thoughts stem from our conversations regarding the difficult lives of some of our students. I know at my school we've done away with Halloween parade and other traditional activities because we are afraid of losing instructional time. These activities were part of a tradition that many children looked forward to attending. Those students with difficult lives may not have any stability or traditions at home that help foster a sense of belonging and self worth. If we have some traditions at school, perhaps these students will have something other than academics to motivate them and create a sense of belonging to a larger community.